Active candidate
Also called: job seeker
What separates active from passive
Active candidates are doing one or more of:
- Submitting applications.
- Updating their CV and LinkedIn.
- Following job boards.
- Reaching out to recruiters.
- Mentioning the search to friends.
Passive candidates aren’t doing any of these. They’re employed, mostly content, and would consider a move only if someone interesting reaches out.
The split matters because the sourcing strategy is different for each.
Why active candidates are easier — and harder
Easier: they apply to your job posting. They’ve already self-selected as interested. The communication channel is open.
Harder: every other company hiring for a similar role is also hearing from them. The competition for active candidates is fierce, and the candidates know it. Offer acceptance rates tend to be lower for active candidates than passive ones, because the active ones are comparing multiple offers in parallel.
The mix matters
Most SMB roles should aim for some mix:
- Junior to mid roles: mostly active candidates. The volume is there and the cost-per-hire is reasonable.
- Senior to staff roles: mostly passive. The right people are not applying to your job posting.
- Specialized roles: nearly all passive. Active candidates in the niche are usually the ones recently rejected from somewhere else.
Where Join fits
Join handles both populations the same way once they’re in the funnel, but the source tag preserves how they came in — so reporting can split active vs. passive sources cleanly. See the features page.
