Recruitment campaigns require time, strategy, and budget, so it’s essential to know whether your efforts are delivering results.
The question is, how do you measure recruitment success beyond just “we made a hire”? The answer lies in tracking the right metrics, powered by our favourite thing: data.
There are five crucial factors you need to focus on when looking for success.
Cost and Number of Applications
You need to set clear targets around the cost per application, using industry benchmarks as a guide. Some roles might have a cost per lead (CPL) as low as £10, while others, especially those requiring high levels of experience or qualifications, could climb into the £100s.
But it’s not just about cost. Before diving into results, break down your data by media channel. Where are your clicks coming from? What’s the click-through rate (CTR)? Which platforms are driving the most completed applications?
This data doesn’t just help justify spend, it helps you continuously optimise your marketing mix to focus on what’s working.
Quality of the Applicants
Volume is meaningless if your applicants aren’t a match for the job. If your screening process is dragging in candidates who aren’t qualified, you need to assess where the breakdown is:
- Is your job description too vague or too open-ended?
- Are your screening questions filtering enough?
- Is your messaging clear about the required qualifications and experience?
Quality over quantity is key, both for your hiring managers and your candidates’ time.
Funnel Time
Time is one of the most valuable things in life. If applicants are sitting in your hiring funnel without updates or engagement, you’re losing top talent. Consistently review how long it takes from application to contact, to interview, and to offer. Slow processes frustrate candidates and reflect poorly on your brand. Use automation where you can, emails, interview scheduling, reminders, but make sure it still feels human.
Top Tip! On anything that is an auto-rejection ensure there is a delay of 15 – 30 minutes of the communication going out if it says, “After thorough review”. A “thorough” review takes more than 1 minute. We have seen emails like this sent many times almost instantly resulting in a bad candidate experience.
Lead to Hire
This is where you measure conversion: how many applicants are becoming hires? A high number of leads but a low number of hires could indicate issues at several points in the funnel. Are candidates dropping out because of a complicated process? Are they accepting other offers while you’re still deliberating?
Tracking your lead-to-hire ratio helps you spot bottlenecks and fine-tune your hiring process for better results. Having a speedier lead to hire will help your candidate experience making it a better process for all parties involved.
Hire Retention and Recruitment Success
You made the hire, but did they stay? Short-term turnover is one of the clearest indicators that something in your recruitment process needs improvement. Maybe expectations weren’t aligned, maybe the culture wasn’t the right fit, or maybe the onboarding process didn’t support them.
Retention metrics tell the longer-term story of whether your hiring decisions were truly successful. It’s not just about getting someone in the door, it’s about keeping them there, engaged, and thriving.
Final Thoughts
Recruitment shouldn’t be guesswork. With the right data, you can stop wondering if your campaigns are working, and start knowing. Focus on these five metrics, and you’ll be able to make smarter hiring decisions, maximise your budget, and build a recruitment strategy that delivers.
If you need support or advice with your recruitment process do not hesitate to contact us today or fill in this form for a FREE recruitment marketing audit.
