What is an Applicant?
An Applicant is an individual who formally expresses interest in an open job position by submitting an application, resume, or portfolio. In human resources, this term describes individuals at the very top of the recruitment funnel. They have taken the first proactive step to join the company, but they have not yet been vetted or interviewed by the hiring team.
HR professionals use specialized software to collect, organize, and filter these individuals based on their skills and work history. The ultimate goal of the recruiting team is to review the entire pool of applicants and select the most qualified individuals to move forward in the hiring process.
Simple Definition:
- Job Seeker: Like a person window shopping at the mall. They are looking at career options but have not committed to applying anywhere.
- Applicant: Like a person walking into the store and requesting to buy a specific item. They have made a formal move to engage directly with the business.
The Core Stages of the Journey
Every individual who applies for a role goes through a standard initial lifecycle:
- Submission: The individual finds the job posting on a career site and submits their required documents.
- Initial Screening: A recruiter or an automated software system reviews the resume to ensure basic job qualifications are met.
- Status Update: The individual is either moved forward in the process or sent a polite rejection email.
- Conversion: If selected for an initial interview, the individual officially transitions from a general applicant to a qualified candidate.
Applicant vs. Candidate
Here is how HR teams differentiate between these two very common recruiting terms.
|
Feature |
Applicant |
Candidate |
|
Definition |
Anyone who applies for the job. |
Someone vetted and chosen to interview. |
|
Funnel Stage |
Top of the funnel. |
Middle to bottom of the funnel. |
|
Volume |
Very high volume. |
Low, highly curated volume. |
|
Interaction |
Automated emails and forms. |
Direct phone calls and personal interviews. |
How HR Manages the Process
Managing hundreds of resumes requires a highly structured digital workflow:
- Job Distribution: HR publishes the open role to multiple job boards to attract a large and diverse pool of individuals.
- Data Capture: As resumes flow in, the HR software extracts the contact information and work history into a searchable database.
- Keyword Filtering: The system highlights individuals who possess the exact skills and educational requirements listed in the job description.
- Recruiter Review: A human recruiter looks at the top ranked profiles to decide who should receive a phone call.
- Compliance Logging: The system securely stores the demographic data of everyone who applied to ensure the company meets equal employment legal standards.
Benefits of a Strong Applicant Pool
- Higher Quality Hires: Attracting a large, diverse group of people increases the mathematical probability of finding a top tier performer for the role.
- Reduced Time to Fill: A healthy pool of incoming resumes allows recruiters to schedule interviews immediately instead of spending weeks hunting for talent.
- Future Sourcing: Individuals who are not selected today can be saved in a talent database and contacted later when a more suitable role opens up.
- Market Insights: Analyzing the resumes of people applying helps HR understand what salary expectations and skills are currently trending in the external labor market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an applicant different from a candidate?
Yes. An applicant is anyone who applies for a job, while a candidate is someone who has been screened and selected for an interview.
What is an applicant pool?
It is the total group of individuals who have applied for a specific job opening. HR teams filter this large pool to find the best potential matches for the company.
How do companies track so many resumes?
Most organizations use an Applicant Tracking System to automate the sorting process. This software parses resumes and ranks individuals based on keyword matches and relevant experience.
Do companies have to keep applicant records?
Yes. Federal and local labor laws typically require employers to retain hiring records for a specific number of years to prove fair hiring practices.
What is a passive applicant?
A passive applicant is someone who is not actively looking for a job but applies after being recruited directly by an employer. They usually require more persuasion and competitive compensation to switch companies.
Why do employers send automated rejection emails?
Sending a polite rejection provides a good candidate experience and necessary closure for the job seeker. It protects the employer brand and keeps the individual open to applying for future roles.
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