Recruitment Glossary

Plain-English definitions of the hiring terms that matter. From ATS basics to agentic AI — everything your team needs to speak the same language.

All Terms (25)

Agentic AI

AI that acts autonomously — sourcing, screening, and scheduling without human intervention.

Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

Software that manages job applications, tracks candidates through the hiring pipeline, and automates workflows.

Boolean Search

Search technique using AND, OR, NOT operators to find candidates across databases and job boards.

Candidate Experience

The overall perception candidates have of your hiring process, from application to offer.

Candidate Sourcing

Proactively finding and engaging potential candidates before they apply to open roles.

CHRO (Chief Human Resources Officer)

The senior-most HR executive responsible for an organization's people strategy. Reports to the CEO and sits on the executive committee.

Cost Per Hire

Total recruitment spend divided by number of hires. The standard formula for measuring hiring efficiency.

Digital Recruiter

AI-powered agent that autonomously handles sourcing, screening, and candidate engagement.

Employer Branding

How your company is perceived as a workplace — the reputation that attracts (or repels) talent.

Hiring Intelligence

Data-driven insights that help teams make faster, better hiring decisions using AI and analytics.

Passive Candidate

Someone not actively job-seeking but open to the right opportunity. 70% of the workforce is passive.

Predictive Hiring

Using AI and data to forecast which candidates will succeed in a role before they are hired.

Quality of Hire

How well a new hire performs and retains. The most important — and hardest to measure — recruiting metric.

Recruitment Automation

Using technology to automate repetitive hiring tasks like screening, scheduling, and follow-ups.

Recruitment Marketing

Applying marketing strategies to attract talent — employer branding, job ads, content, and social media.

Resume Screening

Reviewing applications to shortlist qualified candidates. AI screening replaces manual 7-second scans.

Skills-Based Hiring

Evaluating candidates on demonstrated skills rather than degrees, titles, or pedigree.

Talent Acquisition

The strategic, long-term approach to finding, attracting, and hiring qualified employees.

Talent Pipeline

A pool of pre-qualified candidates ready to fill roles when they open. Reduces time-to-hire dramatically.

Time to Hire

Days from job posting (or candidate application) to accepted offer. Industry average: 36-44 days.

Workforce Matching

AI-powered alignment of candidate skills, experience, and preferences with job requirements.

Campus Placement

Structured hiring of students directly from colleges and universities. Primary entry-level channel in India.

Lateral Hiring

Recruiting experienced professionals at mid-career levels to fill specific skill or leadership gaps.

Bench Hiring

Recruiting talent onto a ready-to-deploy pool of unallocated consultants. Common in Indian IT services.

Contract Staffing

Hiring workers on fixed-duration contracts through a staffing agency. 20-40% of workforce in Indian IT.

See these concepts in action

TheHireHub uses agentic AI, predictive hiring, and recruitment automation to help teams hire 70% faster.

Request a Demo