Active Candidates

An active candidate is someone currently looking for a job. They might be unemployed, but not necessarily. A significant share of active candidates already have jobs and are looking anyway.

The reasons vary. Some want more responsibility than their current role offers. Some are responding to circumstances: their work got outsourced, their employer is struggling financially, or they’re not confident the company will survive the next year. Others are simply ready for the next step and aren’t waiting to be found.

Around 25% of the employed workforce falls into this category at any given time. Recruiters typically manage active candidates through an applicant tracking system (ATS), either run in-house or through an external agency.