5 Hiring Metrics Every Recruiter Should Track
5 minutes
Aug 15, 2025
TL;DR:
Dominant intent: informational. You want a practical guide to the hiring metrics that improve speed, quality, and cost.
Track these five hiring metrics: Time-to-Hire, Source of Hire, Stage Conversion Rates, Interview-to-Hire Ratio, and Candidate Experience (NPS/CSAT).
Use simple formulas, a weekly review rhythm, and small process tweaks to lift submittal→interview ratio, offer-acceptance rate, and fill rate—without inflating cost-per-hire.
Note: Platforms like TalentRiver can streamline source tracking, stage conversions, and candidate surveys to move these numbers faster.
Why hiring metrics matter to agencies and in-house teams
Hiring metrics translate recruiting activity into business outcomes. When you consistently measure the right hiring metrics, you spot bottlenecks early, protect time-to-fill, reduce cost-per-hire, and raise quality-of-hire. Done well, metrics also improve client retention/NPS by proving progress with numbers, not opinions.
The 5 hiring metrics explained
1) Time-to-Hire
What it is
Days from job post (or requisition approval) to signed offer.
Why it matters
Shorter time-to-hire reduces candidate drop-off, improves offer-acceptance rate, and increases fill rate—especially in competitive markets.
Formula
Time-to-Hire = Offer Signed Date − Job Posted (or Req Approved) Date
How to move it
Tight intake meeting; define must-haves and deal-breakers on day one.
Pre-book interview slots; run batch interviews.
Use structured scorecards to speed decisions without sacrificing quality-of-hire.
2) Source of Hire
What it is
The distribution of hires (and qualified submittals) by channel: referrals, job boards, LinkedIn, outbound, talent pools, contractor redeployment, etc.
Why it matters
Optimizing source mix reduces cost-per-hire and improves submittal→interview ratio by focusing on channels that produce qualified candidates.
How to move it
Tag every candidate’s original source on intake (not just “last touch”).
Split budget/time by performance, not by habit.
Double down on referral programs and talent pools with fast reactivation.
3) Stage Conversion Rates
What it is
Percent of candidates moving from one stage to the next (e.g., apply→screen, screen→interview, interview→offer).
Why it matters
Pinpoints where good candidates leak. Better conversions protect speed and quality simultaneously.
Formula
Stage Conversion % = (Candidates Advanced ÷ Candidates Entered Stage) × 100
How to move it
Tight criteria and killer JD to improve apply→screen.
Use structured interviews to improve interview→offer.
Offer debrief within 24 hours to avoid candidate cooling.
4) Interview-to-Hire Ratio
What it is
Number of interviews conducted per hire.
Why it matters
If you need 10 interviews for 1 hire, either sourcing is off-target or evaluation is noisy. High ratios inflate recruiter time and frustrate hiring managers.
Formula
Interview-to-Hire Ratio = Total Interviews ÷ Hires
How to move it
Align on calibrated profiles and must-have skills.
Replace “vibes” with scorecards and decision rules.
Add a practical exercise or work sample to improve signal.
5) Candidate Experience
What it is
How candidates feel about your process—measured with short surveys (NPS/CSAT) after key stages.
Why it matters
Positive experiences boost referrals, protect brand, and increase offer-acceptance—even among declined candidates.
How to move it
Communicate timelines; give feedback within agreed SLAs.
Keep applications mobile-friendly and short.
Offer interview prep and transparent salary ranges to set expectations.
How to instrument and report the metrics
Systems: Ensure your ATS/CRM captures source, stage entry/exit dates, interviewer decisions, and survey responses.
Cadence: Review weekly at the desk/team level; roll up monthly for leadership and client QBRs.
Targets: Use trends over time and relative performance across roles; avoid “one-size” benchmarks that ignore role complexity.
Attribution: Favor first-source for channel strategy and last-touch for tactical optimization; report both when possible.
Visualization: Keep a single-page dashboard with five widgets—one per metric—and a “Top 3 actions” box.
Metric — What it tells you — Fast levers
Time-to-Hire — Speed to decision — Pre-book panels, remove steps, SLAs
Source of Hire — Channel efficiency — Reallocate budget/time by yield
Stage Conversion — Funnel health — Sharpen criteria, better JD, candidate prep
Interview-to-Hire — Evaluation quality — Scorecards, calibrated profiles, work samples
Candidate Experience — Brand strength — Communication SLAs, fairness, transparency
Framework: Weekly metrics standup (30-minute cadence)
5 min: Wins and red flags (any role breaching SLA).
10 min: Walk the funnel for one hard role; identify the leakiest stage.
10 min: Commit to two process experiments (e.g., revise JD intro, swap first-round phone screen for async video questions, trigger automatic survey).
5 min: Owner, due date, expected impact on submittal→interview ratio or offer-acceptance rate.
Common pitfalls and quick fixes
Measuring everything, fixing nothing: Pick one leak per week.
Dirty data: Standardize stages and definitions across recruiters.
Vanity metrics: Track “interviews scheduled” only if they correlate with hires.
Ignoring candidate experience: Low NPS quietly kills referrals and offer-acceptance.
Over-indexing on one source: Protect pipeline by diversifying top-performing channels.
Key Takeaways
Focus on five hiring metrics to drive speed, quality, and cost: Time-to-Hire, Source of Hire, Stage Conversion, Interview-to-Hire Ratio, and Candidate Experience.
Instrument clean data in your ATS/CRM and review weekly; act on the leakiest stage first.
Use structured scorecards and clear SLAs to improve submittal→interview ratio and offer-acceptance rate.
Optimize source mix by outcomes, not habit, to lower cost-per-hire.
A platform like TalentRiver can automate tracking and surveys to accelerate improvements.
FAQ
Q: What’s a good Time-to-Hire?
A: It varies by role and market. Track your own trend by function/seniority and aim to reduce variance and outliers first.
Q: How do I track Source of Hire accurately?
A: Capture first source on initial entry and last touch on conversion. Use UTMs and ATS fields; audit weekly for “unknown.”
Q: Which stage conversions should I prioritize?
A: Fix the biggest leak that affects quality (e.g., screen→interview if strong profiles are stalling). Small tweaks compound quickly.
Q: What’s a healthy Interview-to-Hire Ratio?
A: Lower is better, but context matters. Calibrate profiles and use work samples to raise signal and reduce unnecessary panels.
Q: How do I measure Candidate Experience?
A: Send a 2–3 question survey after onsite and after offer decisions (e.g., NPS + one open-ended). Track trends by recruiter and hiring manager.
Q: Will these metrics help with client retention?
A: Yes—share monthly scorecards and narrative learnings. Clients renew when they see faster fills, fewer fall-offs, and consistent comms.
