HR Glossary

Candidate

Table of contents

What’s a candidate?

Candidate is a job seeker who has been pre-qualified for a specific position or category of jobs and has been through the application process

candidate definition

What’s a candidate?

A candidate in recruitment refers to an individual who is being considered for a specific job or position within a company or organization. This term is commonly used during the hiring process, where various candidates apply or are sought out for a position, and then go through a series of assessments, interviews, and evaluations to determine their suitability for the role.

In the context of recruitment, candidates can be active or passive:

Active Candidates: These individuals are active job seekers. They might apply directly for open positions, submit their resumes to companies, or respond to job postings.

Passive Candidates: These are individuals who are not actively looking for a new job but might be open to new opportunities. Recruiters often approach passive candidates if they believe the candidate could be a good fit for a role.

The recruitment process involves identifying potential candidates, attracting them to the role, screening and selecting the best candidates, and finally hiring and onboarding the chosen individual(s).

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