Applicants Per Opening

What is Applicants Per Opening?

Applicants per opening (APO) is a ratio that indicates the number of candidates per job vacancy. It is a vital metric for evaluating the employer brand, sourcing channels, and the supply of talent for a particular position.

Recruiters use APO to determine whether to narrow the candidate search or promote the offer. A high APO suggests there is a demand for the profession; therefore, the recruiter should score candidates and set higher qualification criteria. A low APO means that the vacancy is very specialised in skills required, has a small talent pool, or the offer itself is not attractive enough. In this situation, it is necessary to look into the applicant flow and improve the strategy of attracting candidates.

How is Applicants Per Opening Calculated?

The APO is calculated by dividing the total number of applicants by the total number of job openings.

For example, if the organization got 450 applications for 3 vacancies in Software Engineers, the APO is 150 applicants per opening.

Benefits of Tracking Applicants Per Opening (APO)

Optimise the Recruiter Workload

The metric helps recruiters identify the most productive pipelines and utilise automated candidate screening to reduce manual effort.

Evaluate the Yield of Sourcing Channels

This metric enables recruiters to analyse which channels produced the most applicants per opening.

Assess the Demand for Specialised Roles

APO highlights hard-to-fill positions and the talent shortage in certain fields.

Improve the Allocation of the Recruitment Budget

This metric helps recruiters and hiring managers to redirect the recruitment marketing budget to the vacancies with the lowest yield.

Why is Applicants Per Opening Important?

The applicants per opening may give information about the top of hiring funnel to recruiters. In addition, it will allow HR teams to make sure that they have enough candidates without an overload of the evaluation process. This indicator is important for time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, and candidate experience.

Factors That Influence Applicants Per Opening

Job Title and Description

The job vacancy’s title and description impact the number of applicants. The post’s visibility depends on the chosen title and the clarity of requirements and compensation.

Employer Brand

The stronger the employer brand, the higher the number of applicants, as candidates are drawn to well-known and reputable companies.

Sourcing Channels

The more job boards, networks, and other sources the vacancy is posted on, the higher the chance of attracting applicants.

Application Process

The more complicated and lengthy the application process is, the fewer candidates will submit their resumes.

Compensation and Benefits

The more attractive the compensation and benefits package is, the more candidates will be interested in the vacancy.

How HR Can Improve Applicants Per Opening

Make the Application Process Simpler

Simplify the application forms and allow candidates to apply via mobile devices.

Optimize the Job Postings

Use standard job titles, bullet-pointed requirements, and clearly state the compensation and benefits.

Diversify the Sourcing Channels

Post the job vacancy on different job boards and networks.

Improve the Job Postings’ Visibility

Optimize the postings to be mobile-friendly and easy to find via search engines.

Use Retargeting and Talent Pools

Retarget the candidates who have applied to similar job vacancies or are in the company’s talent pools.