Recruitment glossary.
Everything you need to know about recruitment, hiring, and talent acquisition. Over 116 terms explained clearly and concisely.
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What is AI Recruitment?
AI recruitment refers to the application of artificial intelligence technologies in the hiring process. This includes AI-powered resume screening, candidat...
What is AI Resume Screening?
AI resume screening is the use of artificial intelligence to automatically review, analyse, and rank candidate resumes based on their relevance to a specif...
What is Applicant Experience?
Applicant experience specifically refers to the experience a candidate has during the application process itself: finding the job listing, navigating the c...
What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that automates the hiring process by managing job postings, collecting applications, screening candidates, a...
What is Application Conversion Rate?
Application conversion rate is the percentage of career site visitors who complete and submit a job application. It is calculated by dividing the number of...
What is an Assessment Tool in Recruitment?
An assessment tool in recruitment is any standardised method or platform used to evaluate a candidate's skills, abilities, personality traits, or cultural ...
What is an ATS Integration?
An ATS integration is a connection between an applicant tracking system and another software tool, allowing data to flow between them automatically. Common...
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What is a Background Check in Recruitment?
A background check is a verification process conducted on a job candidate before finalising a hire. It may include criminal record checks, employment histo...
What is Boolean Search in Recruitment?
Boolean search is a technique used by recruiters to create precise candidate searches using logical operators AND, OR, NOT, and parentheses. For example, s...
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What is Campus Recruiting?
Campus recruiting (or university recruiting) is the practice of sourcing and hiring candidates directly from universities and educational institutions. It ...
What is Candidate Conversion Rate?
Candidate conversion rate measures the percentage of candidates who successfully move from one stage of the hiring pipeline to the next. It can be measured...
What is Candidate Engagement?
Candidate engagement is the degree to which potential candidates interact with and respond to your employer brand, recruitment communications, and hiring p...
What is Candidate Experience?
Candidate experience is the overall perception a job seeker has of an employer's recruitment process, from discovering a job opening through application, i...
What is Candidate Feedback?
Candidate feedback has two dimensions: the feedback organisations give to candidates about their application status and interview performance, and the feed...
What is Candidate Matching?
Candidate matching is the process of aligning candidate profiles with job requirements to identify the best-fit applicants for a role. Modern candidate mat...
What is Candidate Nurturing?
Candidate nurturing is the practice of maintaining engagement with potential candidates over time through targeted communication, content, and relationship...
What is a Candidate Persona?
A candidate persona is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal candidate for a specific role or role category. Similar to buyer personas in marketing...
What is a Candidate Pipeline?
A candidate pipeline is the pool of active candidates currently being considered for a specific role or set of roles. It includes everyone from newly appli...
What is Candidate Relationship Management (CRM)?
Candidate relationship management (CRM) is a recruitment strategy and technology for building and nurturing relationships with potential candidates before,...
What is Candidate Screening?
Candidate screening is the process of reviewing and evaluating job applications to determine which candidates should advance to the next stage of the hirin...
What is Career Page SEO?
Career page SEO is the practice of optimising your company's career site and job listings for search engines to attract organic traffic from candidates sea...
What is a Career Site?
A career site (or careers page) is a dedicated section of a company's website where potential candidates can learn about the organisation as an employer, e...
What is Collaborative Hiring?
Collaborative hiring is a recruitment approach where multiple team members beyond the recruiter and hiring manager are actively involved in the evaluation ...
What is Company Culture?
Company culture is the shared set of values, beliefs, behaviours, and practices that define how people work together within an organisation. It encompasses...
What is a Competency-Based Interview?
A competency-based interview is a structured interview format where questions are designed to assess specific skills, behaviours, and attributes required f...
What is a Contingent Workforce?
A contingent workforce consists of workers who are engaged on a non-permanent basis: freelancers, contractors, consultants, temporary staff, and gig worker...
What is Cost-per-Hire?
Cost-per-hire is a recruitment metric that calculates the total cost of filling a position, including both internal costs (recruiter salaries, hiring manag...
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What is Data-Driven Recruitment?
Data-driven recruitment is the practice of using quantitative data and analytics to inform and improve hiring decisions and processes. Instead of relying o...
What are DEI Metrics in Recruitment?
DEI metrics in recruitment are quantitative measures used to track and evaluate diversity, equity, and inclusion across the hiring process. Key metrics inc...
What is Diversity and Inclusion in Recruitment?
Diversity and inclusion (D&I) in recruitment refers to the strategies, practices, and policies organisations use to attract, hire, and retain people from a...
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What is E-Signature in Recruitment?
E-signature (electronic signature) in recruitment is the use of digital signing technology to execute hiring-related documents such as offer letters, emplo...
What is Employee Advocacy?
Employee advocacy is the promotion of an organisation by its employees, typically through sharing company content, job openings, and positive workplace exp...
What is Employee Engagement?
Employee engagement is the emotional commitment and connection an employee has to their organisation and its goals. Engaged employees are not just satisfie...
What is an Employee Referral?
An employee referral is a recruitment method where current employees recommend candidates from their personal and professional networks for open positions ...
What is Employee Retention?
Employee retention is an organisation's ability to keep its employees over time, measured as the percentage of employees who remain with the company over a...
What is an Employer Brand Audit?
An employer brand audit is a systematic evaluation of how your organisation is perceived as an employer, both internally and externally. It typically invol...
What is an Employer Branding Strategy?
An employer branding strategy is a deliberate, long-term plan for how an organisation will position itself as an employer of choice. It defines the target ...
What is Employer Branding?
Employer branding is the process of shaping and promoting your organisation's reputation as an employer. It encompasses how current employees, potential ca...
What is an Employer of Choice?
An employer of choice is an organisation that is widely regarded as a highly desirable place to work. These companies attract top talent effortlessly becau...
What is an Employer Review Site?
An employer review site is an online platform where current and former employees anonymously rate and review their employer. The most well-known examples i...
What is an Employer Value Proposition (EVP)?
An employer value proposition (EVP) is the unique set of benefits and values that an organisation offers to its employees in return for their skills, exper...
What is an Employment Brand?
Employment brand (often used interchangeably with employer brand) is the reputation and perception of an organisation as a place to work. While employer br...
What is an Evergreen Requisition?
An evergreen requisition is a job posting that remains open continuously, without a specific fill date or closing date. It is used for roles that are alway...
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What is Headcount Planning?
Headcount planning is the process of determining and managing the number of employees an organisation needs to achieve its business objectives. It involves...
What is High-Volume Hiring?
High-volume hiring (or mass hiring) is the process of recruiting a large number of employees within a short timeframe. This is common in industries like re...
What is Hiring Bias?
Hiring bias is any prejudice, conscious or unconscious, that influences hiring decisions based on factors unrelated to a candidate's ability to perform the...
What is a Hiring Event?
A hiring event is an organised occasion where an employer meets and evaluates multiple candidates in a structured setting. Formats include career fairs, op...
What is a Hiring Freeze?
A hiring freeze is a temporary suspension of new hiring across an organisation or specific departments. It is typically enacted during economic uncertainty...
What is a Hiring Manager?
A hiring manager is the person within an organisation who has the authority and responsibility for filling an open position. They are typically the future ...
What is a Hiring Pipeline?
A hiring pipeline is a structured sequence of stages that candidates move through during the recruitment process, from initial application to final offer. ...
What is HR Technology?
HR technology (HR tech) is the umbrella term for all software and digital tools used to manage human resources functions. This includes applicant tracking ...
What is an HRIS?
An HRIS (Human Resource Information System) is a software platform that centralises and manages core HR data and processes including employee records, payr...
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What is an Inclusive Job Description?
An inclusive job description is a job listing written to attract the widest possible range of qualified candidates by removing language, requirements, and ...
What is Internal Mobility?
Internal mobility is the movement of employees within an organisation across different roles, departments, or locations. It includes promotions (vertical m...
What is an Interview Kit?
An interview kit (or interview scorecard) is a structured set of questions, evaluation criteria, and rating scales that interviewers use to assess candidat...
What is Interview Scheduling?
Interview scheduling is the process of coordinating times between candidates and interviewers for job interviews. In its simplest form, it involves manual ...
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What is a Job Board?
A job board is an online platform where employers post job openings and job seekers search for and apply to positions. Job boards range from large generali...
What is a Job Description?
A job description is a formal document that outlines the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations for a specific role within an organisat...
What is a Job Posting?
A job posting (or job advertisement) is a public listing that describes an open position within an organisation. It typically includes the job title, respo...
What is a Job Requisition?
A job requisition is a formal request to fill a position within an organisation. It is typically submitted by a hiring manager and approved by HR and/or fi...
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What is Offer Acceptance Rate?
Offer acceptance rate is the percentage of job offers extended by an organisation that are accepted by candidates. It is calculated by dividing the number ...
What is Offer Management?
Offer management is the process of creating, approving, extending, and tracking job offers to candidates. It includes salary negotiation, benefits communic...
What is Onboarding?
Onboarding is the process of integrating a new hire into an organisation, covering everything from paperwork and system access to cultural orientation and ...
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What is a Panel Interview?
A panel interview is an interview format where a candidate is interviewed by multiple people simultaneously, typically including the hiring manager, a peer...
What is a Passive Candidate?
A passive candidate is a professional who is currently employed and not actively searching for a new job, but who may be open to the right opportunity if a...
What is People Analytics?
People analytics (also called HR analytics or workforce analytics) is the practice of using data and statistical analysis to understand, optimise, and pred...
What is Preboarding?
Preboarding is the period and set of activities between a candidate accepting a job offer and their official first day of work. During this phase, organisa...
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What is a Recruiting Chatbot?
A recruiting chatbot is an AI-powered conversational tool that automates initial candidate interactions on career sites, job postings, and messaging platfo...
What is a Recruitment Agency?
A recruitment agency (or staffing agency) is an external firm that helps organisations find and hire candidates for open positions. Agencies typically work...
What is Recruitment Analytics?
Recruitment analytics is the practice of using data and statistical methods to understand, optimise, and predict outcomes in the hiring process. It goes be...
What is Recruitment Automation?
Recruitment automation is the use of technology to handle repetitive, time-consuming tasks in the hiring process without manual intervention. This includes...
What is Recruitment Compliance?
Recruitment compliance refers to the adherence to legal, regulatory, and ethical standards throughout the hiring process. This includes employment law, ant...
What is a Recruitment CRM?
A recruitment CRM (candidate relationship management system) is a specialised software platform designed to manage relationships with candidates across the...
What is a Recruitment Event?
A recruitment event is any organised activity designed to attract, engage, and evaluate potential candidates. This includes career fairs, open houses, hack...
What is a Recruitment Funnel?
A recruitment funnel is a visual model that maps the candidate journey from initial awareness through application, screening, interview, offer, and hire. L...
What is a Recruitment KPI?
A recruitment KPI (key performance indicator) is a specific, measurable metric that tracks the performance of the recruitment function against its goals. W...
What is Recruitment Marketing?
Recruitment marketing is the application of marketing strategies and tactics to attract and engage potential candidates. It encompasses employer branding, ...
What are Recruitment Metrics?
Recruitment metrics are quantitative measures used to evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of an organisation's hiring process. Key metrics ...
What is Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)?
Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) is a business model where an organisation transfers all or part of its recruitment activities to an external provider...
What is Recruitment ROI?
Recruitment ROI (return on investment) measures the financial return generated by an organisation's recruitment activities relative to the total cost inves...
What is Recruitment Software?
Recruitment software is a broad category of digital tools designed to help organisations find, attract, evaluate, and hire talent. It encompasses applicant...
What is a Recruitment Strategy?
A recruitment strategy is a planned approach to attracting and hiring talent that aligns with an organisation's business objectives, culture, and growth pl...
What is a Recruitment Workflow?
A recruitment workflow is the defined sequence of steps, approvals, and handoffs that govern how hiring moves from job requisition to accepted offer. It ma...
What is a Reference Check?
A reference check is the process of contacting a candidate's former employers, colleagues, or other professional contacts to verify their work history, per...
What is Remote Hiring?
Remote hiring is the process of recruiting, evaluating, and onboarding employees without requiring in-person interaction at any stage. This includes virtua...
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What are Screening Questions?
Screening questions are a set of predefined questions included in a job application to quickly assess whether a candidate meets the minimum requirements fo...
What is SEO for Recruitment?
SEO for recruitment is the practice of optimising career sites, job postings, and employer brand content to rank higher in search engine results for job-re...
What is Skills-Based Hiring?
Skills-based hiring is a recruitment approach that prioritises a candidate's demonstrated skills and competencies over traditional credentials like degrees...
What is Social Media Recruitment?
Social media recruitment is the practice of using social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to attract, engage, and hi...
What is Source of Hire?
Source of hire is a recruitment metric that tracks which channels and platforms candidates came from when they were ultimately hired. Common sources includ...
What is Sourcing in Recruitment?
Sourcing is the proactive process of identifying and engaging potential candidates for open or future positions. Unlike traditional recruiting where candid...
What is a Structured Interview?
A structured interview is an interview format where all candidates are asked the same predetermined questions in the same order, and their responses are ev...
What is Succession Planning?
Succession planning is the process of identifying and developing internal candidates who have the potential to fill key leadership and critical roles withi...
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What is Talent Acquisition Software?
Talent acquisition software is a category of technology platforms that support the end-to-end process of attracting, identifying, evaluating, and hiring ta...
What is a Talent Acquisition Strategy?
A talent acquisition strategy is a comprehensive plan that outlines how an organisation will identify, attract, engage, and hire the talent it needs to ach...
What is a Talent Acquisition Team?
A talent acquisition team is a dedicated group within an organisation responsible for attracting, sourcing, evaluating, and hiring talent. The team structu...
What is Talent Acquisition?
Talent acquisition is the strategic, ongoing process of identifying, attracting, and hiring skilled individuals to meet current and future organisational n...
What is Talent Attraction?
Talent attraction is the set of strategies and activities organisations use to position themselves as desirable employers and draw qualified candidates tow...
What is a Talent Community?
A talent community is a group of potential candidates who have opted in to receive information about your organisation and its career opportunities, withou...
What is Talent Intelligence?
Talent intelligence is the collection and analysis of external labour market data to inform talent acquisition and workforce strategy. It includes competit...
What is Talent Management?
Talent management is the integrated set of HR processes designed to attract, develop, motivate, and retain high-performing employees throughout their lifec...
What is a Talent Marketplace?
A talent marketplace is a digital platform that connects internal employees with opportunities within the same organisation, including open roles, short-te...
What is a Talent Pipeline?
A talent pipeline is a proactive recruitment strategy where organisations continuously identify and engage potential candidates for future roles, creating ...
What is a Talent Pool?
A talent pool is a database of potential candidates who have been identified as possible future hires. These may include past applicants who were strong bu...
What is Time-to-Fill?
Time-to-fill is a recruitment metric that measures the total number of days from when a job requisition is approved and opened to when a candidate accepts ...
What is Time-to-Hire?
Time-to-hire is a recruitment metric that measures the number of days between when a candidate enters the hiring pipeline (typically when they apply or are...
What is Time-to-Productivity?
Time-to-productivity is the period between a new hire's start date and the point at which they reach full productivity in their role. It is influenced by t...
What is Turnover Rate?
Turnover rate is the percentage of employees who leave an organisation over a specific period, typically calculated annually. It is determined by dividing ...
