A

Applicant Volume

What Is Applicant Volume?

Applicant volume is the total number of applications received from potential applicants for a particular position or department or for all the positions during a particular period of time. It is an important recruiting metric used by organizations to measure their hiring interest and assess sourcing effectiveness.

Measuring applicant volume allows organizations to gauge their hiring demand and manage the recruitment process better.

Why Is Applicant Volume Important?

Applicant volume plays an important role in measuring recruitment efficiency and hiring effectiveness. Some major advantages of measuring applicant volumes are the following:

• Helping with recruitment planning and resource allocation

• Sourcing effectiveness evaluation

• Improvement of the hiring process and efficiency

• Enhancing candidate experience management

• Recognizing trends in job market interests

• Supporting evidence-based recruiting practices

Measuring applicant volumes enables organizations to find a balance between speed and quality in hiring processes.

How Is Applicant Volume Measured?

Applicant volume is typically measured by tracking the number of applications received over a specific timeframe. Common measurement approaches include:

Total Applications Received → Filter by Role or Source → Analyse Recruitment Outcomes

Organisations typically measure the following:

• No. of applicants per vacancy

• Total no. of applications submitted per month/quarter

• Applications submitted department-wise/location-wise

• Contribution of applicants from source-wise

• Interview call percentage

Modern recruitment systems help centralise and analyse this data for better decision-making.

What Factors Influence Applicant Volume?

The following are some of the issues that could have an effect on the volume of applications received. These include:

• Quality of Job Advertisement: A well-defined advertisement could draw more applications.

• Company’s Image: The image of the organisation affects the interest of potential applicants.

• Package of Compensation & Benefits: Competitive packages tend to attract more applications.

• Market Dynamics: Market dynamics will also influence the behaviour of potential applicants.

• Recruitment Channel: Different channels produce different outcomes.

• Location and Flexibility of Job Role: This will influence applicants as well.

Understanding these drivers helps improve recruitment outcomes.

What Is the Difference Between Applicant Volume and Quality of Hire?

Applicant volume and quality of hire measure different recruitment outcomes.

• Applicant Flow: This indicates the number of applicants for a specific job or recruiting cycle.

• Quality of Hire: This measures the effectiveness of the performance of the hired candidates after joining.

Applicant flow is not directly related to better hiring performance. Both measures are typically assessed simultaneously by recruitment teams.

What Challenges Can Organisations Face with High or Low Applicant Volume?

Managing applicant volume means balancing between having enough candidates and recruiting well. Some problems that can be experienced are:

• Heavy workload of screenings when recruiting in high volumes

• Delays in communicating with candidates

• Difficulty in finding suitable candidates

• Increased exhaustion for recruiters

• Low turnout rates from candidates for specialized positions

• Poorly spent sourcing efforts

Addressing these challenges improves both hiring outcomes and candidate experience.

How Can TankhaPay Support Recruitment and Workforce Management?

Applicant pipeline management needs visibility, speed, and a systematic approach to workforce management. TankhaPay allows companies to simplify their recruiting, onboarding, workforce management, payroll processes, and HR processes, enabling them to better manage their hiring process.