HR Glossary

Applicant Pool

Applicant pool is a term used to describe the complete number of applicants who are applying for a particular job position by sending in a resume or completing an application.

what is an applicant pool

Definition of Applicant Pool

Term used to describe the complete number of applicants who are applying for a particular job position by sending in a resume or completing an application.

The size of an applicant pool depends on many factors such as: job description, the amount of required experience, the required skill set, the offered compensation, the intensiveness of the application process, the channels through which the job is advertised to potential candidates etc.

Due to online job postings, applicant pools have been growing which makes it easier for potential employees to both find jobs and apply to them.

How to properly utilize applicant pools in the hiring process

Organizations with large applicant pools often use pre-employment tests in the early stages of the hiring process since determining relevant selection criteria is essential to decreasing the applicant pool of candidates suitable for the position.

Based on the collected data employers then select to advance the candidates who score well enough on the tests to the next step in the evaluation process, which simplifies the process and allows hiring managers to spend their time and resources on candidates who meet the basic requirements for the position.

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