Success in recruitment looks slightly different depending on the company you work for, the market you’re in, and your exact position. However, there are some common themes and recruiting KPIs that most recruitment professionals agree on. Whether you’re an agency recruiter or in-house talent partner, clearly defining and measuring success is essential – not just to hit targets, but to grow, improve, and demonstrate your value.
Contents
- What is a KPI?
- Why measuring KPIs is important
- Top 5 recruiting KPIs
- Non-numerical KPIs
- Other important KPIs for recruitment
- Practical ways of measuring success
What is a KPI?
A KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is a way of tracking and measuring performance. In recruitment, this could be anything from how many CVs you’ve sent to how many roles you’ve successfully filled.
Some recruitment KPIs are based on numbers and data (like revenue generated or interviews booked), while others are more focused on relationships, feedback, and long-term outcomes. Together, they help paint a full picture of how well someone is performing in their role.
KPIs might also be known as performance metrics, performance measures, or success indicators.
Why it’s important to measure KPIs for recruitment
Understanding what success looks like in your role in recruitment helps you:
- Continuously improve – Measuring key activities and outcomes gives you the chance to reflect on what’s working and where you may need support. Acting on client and candidate feedback helps you build better relationships and increase satisfaction on both sides.
- Align with business goals – Recruitment doesn’t happen in isolation. Recruitment KPIs help you ensure your work is directly supporting wider business objectives.
- Demonstrate ROI – Your results should speak for themselves. By tracking both input and output, you can clearly show how your work generates revenue, saves time, or reduces turnover—key things any leadership team wants to see. If you’re keen to progress in your role, these key facts and figures can be a great help when you’re making the case for a promotion.
5 simple recruiting KPIs to measure success
While every recruitment desk is different, the following KPIs are a strong foundation for measuring performance:
- Calls made – Recruitment is a people business. Regular, meaningful outreach to candidates and clients is how relationships start and how deals get done.
- CVs sent – This shows how effectively you’re sourcing and qualifying talent for your clients. It’s not just volume—it’s about quality and relevance.
- Interviews booked – How many of your candidates have progressed to interview stage? This metric indicates both the quality of your candidate shortlists and the strength of your client relationships.
- Fills made – Arguably the most important stat: how many roles have you successfully filled, and how much revenue has this generated?
- Retention rate – Are your placements sticking? Is your candidate still in the role 3, 6, or 12 months later? This is a good sign of long-term fit, and a huge trust factor with clients.
Non-numerical recruitment KPIs
Your success as a recruiter isn’t just about numbers. Reputation, trust, and long-term relationships all play a huge part:
- Positive feedback and reviews – Glowing testimonials from clients and candidates go a long way in building credibility.
- Repeat business – Clients coming back again and again is a clear sign of confidence in your service.
- Personal brand and reputation – Engagement on LinkedIn, recognition in your sector, and being someone people want to work with are all strong success signals.
Other KPIs for recruitment
Beyond personal performance, recruitment success can also be assessed through wider operational and strategic lenses:
- Time to hire – Speed matters. The quicker a role is filled with the right candidate, the lower the cost to hire and (most of the time) the higher the client satisfaction.
- Offer acceptance rate – Are candidates saying “yes” to the roles you’re presenting? A strong acceptance rate indicates a good match and clear communication.
- Diversity and inclusion targets – Success often includes helping clients meet D&I goals and broadening the talent pool.
- Impact on business performance – Are your hires helping the business hit milestones, deliver projects, or grow into new markets?
Practical ways of measuring recruiting KPIs
Thanks to evolving recruitment tech, measuring success is easier than ever. Many teams now use recruitment dashboards to track your performance in real time across a range of KPIs, and AI-powered insights to help analyse patterns in placements, optimise outreach, and predict candidate fit.
Measuring success in recruitment is more than just counting placements. It’s about showing value, building trust, and aligning your work with the bigger picture. By combining hard recruiting KPIs with non-numerical outcomes, you can get a full view of your performance and make sure you’re moving in the right direction.
Looking for the next step in your recruitment career?
We’re currently hiring for recruitment jobs in Southampton and Portsmouth. If you’re ready to take on an exciting, fast-paced career with rewarding potential, submit your CV today and join our team!