Definition
Recruiting key performance indicators (KPIs) are the few numbers tracked regularly to steer hiring. A good dashboard covers four questions: speed (time-to-fill, time-to-hire), cost (cost per hire), quality (quality of hire, early turnover, offer acceptance rate) and fairness to candidates (response rate, response delay).
Example of a minimal dashboard
Illustrative example for a small business:
- Median time-to-fill: 38 days
- Cost per hire: $3,700
- Offer acceptance rate: 79%
- Response rate for rejected candidates: 40%
- 12-month retention: 85%
Read together, this dashboard shows a fast and affordable process, but more than half of rejected candidates never hear back.
Key takeaway
Five metrics reviewed every month beat twenty that nobody looks at. Always include a candidate-facing metric: without it, a process can look efficient while leaving hundreds of people without news. Review the dashboard with hiring managers, not only within HR, so each number leads to a concrete action. The recruitment KPIs guide covers each metric in detail.