It’s time to set a “hire” standard

Most hiring teams will say their process is “working.” Roles are getting filled, pipelines are moving and offers are going out. But without a clear benchmark, it’s hard to know what “working” actually means in today’s environment.

Thankfully, Greenhouse has just launched the first edition of The Hire Standard, the bi-annual benchmarking report built on data from 6,000+ companies and 640M+ applications. It offers a true look at how hiring performance has shifted – and where teams stand now.

Because the reality is, the landscape has changed fast. Application volume per recruiter is up 412%, recruiter headcount is down 56% and yet hires per recruiter are up 122%. This means that hiring hasn’t broken, but the way strong teams operate has changed, with way more volume, complexity and pressure on every decision.

The report and this edition of Modern Recruiter is your chance to see how your approach compares – and where you might need to recalibrate.

The Recruiter’s Desk: Is your hiring really working – or just busy?

Hiring hasn’t slowed down – but the effort behind each hire has increased. The Hire Standard shows applications per hire are up 157%, meaning recruiters are spending more time reviewing and filtering. And that’s reflected in time-to-fill, which has risen 36%. More effort is going into each hire, but it’s not always translating into better outcomes.

So what are high-performing teams actually doing differently? Here’s a preview of guidance from experts Ariana Moon and Tim Sackett in the report:

Redefine efficiency: “Most recruiters… are cherry-picking a few great applicants and ignoring the rest,” Tim shared. Efficiency today is about getting better at identifying signal faster. Focus your time where quality actually shows up.

Be intentional about quality: “Organizations aren’t always trying to hire as fast as possible… they want to do their due diligence and ensure they’re hiring the right talent,” Tim added. Use time-to-fill as a signal. Evaluate whether your process supports strong, confident decisions at each stage.

Invest in real signal: “Tools like fraud and spam detectors… and talent matching tools help surface which resumes to prioritize,” Ariana shared. Use technology to reduce noise so your team can spend more time evaluating the right candidates.

Thank you

Thank you for reading this edition of Modern Recruiter! We’ll see you next time for more must-reads, events and open jobs to keep you updated on the latest news and insights in the industry.

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