What is an Applicant in Recruitment?
An applicant in recruitment is an individual who applies for a specific job position by submitting a resume, cover letter, or application form to express interest in employment with an organization. The applicant enters the initial stage of the hiring process and is tied to a specific job requisition, distinguishing them from broader categories like potential candidates or job seekers who may not have formally applied.
Throughout the recruitment process, applicants undergo various evaluations, screenings, and assessments to determine their suitability for the role. Not all applicants advance beyond initial screening, only those who meet minimum qualifications and pass preliminary evaluations become candidates for interviews and further consideration.
Related terms: candidate, job seeker, qualified applicant, potential candidate
What is the difference between applicants and candidates?
Applicants are job seekers who apply to a specific position at your company by submitting a resume or completing an application form. They are tied directly to a specific job requisition and represent the initial pool of individuals interested in a particular role.
Candidates are applicants who have been screened and qualified from the larger applicant pool. They may apply to one or more open jobs within your organization and are not tied exclusively to a single requisition. Candidates represent job seekers in your talent pipeline who have passed initial screening processes, such as resume review, application assessment, or preliminary interviews, and are deemed potentially suitable for the role.
While all candidates are applicants, not all applicants become candidates. The process of becoming a candidate from an applicant involves selection or shortlisting based on qualifications, experience, and fit with job requirements. As one source explains, out of 150 applicants for a job opening, you may only identify 15 candidates who meet minimum requirements and warrant further consideration.
How many applicants get interviews?
Only a small percentage of applicants are typically selected for interviews. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, on average, for every job opening, an organization receives approximately 250 resumes, and only 4 to 6 of those candidates (roughly 2%) are called for an interview.
This ratio varies depending on several factors, including the level of competition for the job, the qualifications and experience of the applicant pool, the recruitment process itself, and the clarity of the job description. A highly sought-after position in a competitive field may receive many more applicants than a lesser-known position, making the selection process more competitive. Positions requiring specific skills or qualifications may have fewer applicants but a higher percentage of qualified candidates.
Organizations that use more efficient recruitment processes, such as skills-based assessments and applicant tracking systems, can identify qualified candidates more quickly and may be able to interview more applicants by streamlining evaluation procedures.
What is a qualified applicant?
Qualified applicants, also known as qualified candidates, are applicants who meet the minimum qualifications for a specific job and have advanced to the first stage of the hiring process, such as a phone screen or initial interview. They represent the most valuable segment of your candidate pipeline and are the goal of all talent acquisition efforts.
Qualified applicants are best viewed as part of a particular job requisition because your hiring team has determined they are qualified for a specific position. They may not necessarily qualify for other positions at your company, as their qualifications are assessed against the requirements of the role to which they applied.
Historically, a qualified candidate described a person who met the stated requirements for a job. Today, the term increasingly describes someone who not only meets those requirements but can demonstrate they will excel in the role, representing a higher standard of qualification assessment.
What is the Internet Applicant rule?
The Internet Applicant rule, established by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), shapes the hiring process for federal contractors and addresses recordkeeping requirements about the Internet hiring process and the solicitation of race, gender, and ethnicity information from Internet Applicants.
An "Internet Applicant" is defined as an individual who satisfies all four of these criteria: (1) The individual submitted an expression of interest in employment through the Internet or related electronic data technologies; (2) The contractor considered the individual for employment in a particular position; (3) The individual's expression of interest indicated that the individual possesses the basic qualifications for the position; and (4) The individual, at no point in the contractor's selection process prior to receiving an offer of employment, removed themselves from further consideration or otherwise indicated they were no longer interested in the position.
This rule establishes compliance requirements for federal contractors regarding documentation and equal employment opportunity considerations in online recruiting processes.
How does an applicant compare to similar recruitment concepts?
An applicant is often compared to 3 related recruitment concepts:
| Related Term | Key Distinction | Usage Context |
|---|---|---|
| Job Seeker | Job seeker is a general term for anyone looking for employment; applicant is someone who has formally applied to a specific position | Broad labor market discussions versus specific hiring processes |
| Candidate | Candidate is a screened and qualified applicant being seriously considered; applicant is anyone who submitted an application regardless of qualifications | Later stages of recruitment after initial screening versus initial application phase |
| Potential Candidate | Potential candidate is someone in your talent pipeline who may apply in the future; applicant has already submitted an application | Recruitment marketing and talent nurturing versus active job requisition management |
Applicant vs. Job Seeker
An applicant is a specific type of job seeker who has taken the formal step of applying to a particular position at a company. Job seekers represent a broader category that includes anyone exploring employment opportunities, whether they have applied to specific positions or not. Job seekers may research companies, browse job postings, and assess opportunities without becoming applicants.
Applicant vs. Candidate
An applicant becomes a candidate only after passing initial screening processes. While anyone who completes an application is an applicant regardless of their qualifications, a candidate is someone who has been evaluated and deemed potentially suitable for the position. Candidates are typically invited for interviews, further assessments, or are actively engaged in later stages of the hiring process. This distinction matters because it enables hiring teams to focus resources on qualified individuals rather than processing every submission equally.
Applicant vs. Potential Candidate
A potential candidate represents someone in your talent pipeline who may apply to one or more jobs in the future but has not yet formally applied. Potential candidates interact with a company through social media, career sites, or networking events as part of recruitment marketing efforts. An applicant, by contrast, has already entered the formal hiring process for a specific job requisition by submitting application materials. Potential candidates are similar to sales prospects, while applicants represent active inquiries.