Recruitment Funnel Metrics

Recruitment funnel metrics are used to measure and track how effective the recruitment funnel is. In such a way, it’s possible to analyze and identify its strengths & weaknesses for further improvement. Moreover, the metrics can give an accurate understanding of your hiring process (which can be used for recruiters KPIs) .  

What are the key recruitment funnel metrics?  

One of the most important recruitment funnel metrics is the source of hire, i.e. the number of job applicants from each source channel divided by the number of relevant candidates. With the help of this metric, you determine what source brings you the biggest number of qualified candidates – whether it’s job boards, social media, or the company’s site. This metric will help to increase the flow of applicants, thus potential hires. 

2. Time to fill 

Time to fill measures the number of days needed to fill a position, starting with the day when the vacancy is posted and finishing with the hiring date. This metric is important for further product development planning, as well helps to assess how much time you may need to find a replacement. At the same time, it serves as a warning when the recruiting process is taking too long.  

3. Quality of hire  

This one measures the value a new employee brings to the company. Specifically, quality of hire evaluates how a new hire contributes to company success and achieving long-term goals. This metric is a complex one since it takes several months before you can measure it. Moreover, there’s no universal formula to calculate it. Usually, it’s a combination of such metrics as turnover rate, team feedback, job performance, training time, and period the new developer remains in the company, etc. For a unified calculation, quantify the needed criteria according to a 100 scale, then find the average point. 

Recruitment funnel metrics also include the cost per hire. It calculates the average amount of money the company spends to hire a new employee. Cost per hire is measured by adding both internal and external hiring expenses and dividing that number by the number of hires. According to Zippia, the average cost per hire across industries is between $3,000 - $5,000. 

While speaking about recruitment funnel metrics, the offer acceptance rate can’t go unmentioned. This metric’s results illustrate how attractive the company is as an employer and how well it stands out from the competitors. To measure it, one should divide the number of accepted offers by the total number of offers given. Glassdoor research suggests that the benchmark for OAR for tech positions is >78.4%. 

6. Effectiveness of funnel 

Last but not least is recruitment funnel effectiveness. This metric helps to determine the yield ratio of every step. It is measured by dividing the total number of applicants who applied at each stage by the overall number of applicants who entered this stage. For example, at the application stage, 70 developers applied and 10 were checked by HR, so the ratio is 7:1. Accordingly, the closer the numbers are to each other, the more effective the recruitment funnel is.