Candidate Pipeline
Definition
The structured sequence of stages a candidate moves through during the hiring process, from initial contact to offer.
A candidate pipeline visualizes where every prospect and applicant stands in your hiring funnel. Typical stages include sourced, applied, phone screen, interview, assessment, offer, and hired.
Healthy pipelines have consistent flow at each stage. If candidates pile up at the interview stage, it signals a scheduling bottleneck. If most drop off after the phone screen, your screening criteria may be too strict.
Modern ATS and CRM tools provide pipeline analytics that help TA leaders identify these bottlenecks and optimize conversion rates at each stage.
Browse Related Tools
Related Terms
Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Software that automates the hiring process by managing job postings, applications, and candidate data in one central system.
Time to Fill
The number of days between opening a job requisition and a candidate accepting the offer.
Conversion Rate (Recruiting)
The percentage of candidates who move from one stage of the hiring pipeline to the next.