Recruitment and sourcing glossary

A

Active sourcing

Active sourcing is the practice of searching for and approaching candidates directly, instead of waiting for people to apply to a job advert.

It is the default approach for roles where good candidates are employed and not looking: engineers, nurses, specialised sales and most senior roles. Active sourcing covers the search itself, assessing profiles against the vacancy and the first message.

The cost of active sourcing is mostly recruiter time plus search tools such as LinkedIn Recruiter, which is why it is usually the first part of recruitment teams try to make more efficient.

RelatedAI candidate sourcingWhat is AI sourcing

Agentic sourcing

Agentic sourcing is sourcing carried out by AI agents that execute a sequence of steps towards a goal, such as analysing a vacancy, searching, ranking and contacting candidates, within rules set by recruiters.

The difference with a search tool is execution. A search tool returns results for a query a recruiter writes; an agent plans several search routes, evaluates what it finds, writes outreach and follows up. The recruiter decides which of those actions need approval.

Agentic sourcing does not decide who gets hired. Its job is to deliver interested, relevant candidates with the reasoning behind each selection.

RelatedAI recruiting agentsPlatformHuman in the loop

AI sourcing

AI sourcing is the use of artificial intelligence to find, assess and prioritise potential candidates for a vacancy, usually from public or licensed profile data.

The term covers a wide range of tools: from search engines that understand synonyms, to matching software that scores profiles, to agents that run the full workflow through outreach. When comparing tools, ask which steps the software actually executes and which still depend on a recruiter.

RelatedWhat is AI sourcingBuyer's guideAI vs manual sourcing

Applicant tracking system (ATS)

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that stores vacancies, candidates and their progress through the hiring process, from application to hire.

The ATS is the system of record: it holds candidate data, stage changes, interview feedback and often consent and retention information. Sourcing tools feed candidates into it. How that handover works (direct integration, structured export or another route) differs per ATS and is worth checking before you buy any sourcing software.

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B

Boolean search

Boolean search is a way of combining keywords with the operators AND, OR and NOT, plus quotation marks and parentheses, to make a search engine return precisely the profiles you want.

AND narrows a search (both terms must appear), OR widens it (either term is fine) and NOT excludes a term. Quotation marks force an exact phrase, parentheses group alternatives. A typical recruitment string groups job title variants with OR, adds must-have skills with AND and removes noise with NOT, for example: ("backend developer" OR "software engineer") AND java NOT intern.

On LinkedIn the operators must be written in capitals, and according to LinkedIn's help pages quotes are processed first, then parentheses, NOT, AND and finally OR. That order is why parentheses around OR-groups matter. The weakness of boolean search is that it matches words, not meaning: a profile that describes the right experience in different words is missed. You can build a first string with our boolean search generator.

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C

Candidate experience

Candidate experience is how candidates perceive every contact with an employer or recruiter, from the first message to the final decision.

In sourcing it starts before someone is a candidate: a generic message, a role that does not match their profile or a follow-up that ignores their answer all damage it. Relevant, personal outreach and a clear handover to a real person are the practical levers.

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Candidate ranking

Candidate ranking is ordering potential candidates by how well they fit a vacancy, so recruiters spend their time on the strongest matches first.

A useful ranking shows why a candidate is placed where they are: matching experience, missing requirements and possible risks. A score without that evidence cannot be checked, corrected or defended to a hiring manager.

RelatedCandidate ranking

Cost per hire

Cost per hire is the total cost of recruitment in a period divided by the number of hires in that period.

Include both external costs (job boards, tool licences such as recruiter seats, agency fees, advertising) and internal costs (recruiter and sourcer time, hiring manager interview time). Teams that only count external spend underestimate the cost of manual sourcing.

RelatedTime to hireBusiness caseSavings calculator

E

Employer branding

Employer branding is how an organisation presents itself as a place to work, and the reputation it has among potential employees.

A strong employer brand makes outreach easier because candidates recognise the name. It does not replace sourcing for scarce roles: even well-known employers need to approach people who are not looking.

EU AI Act

The EU AI Act is the European regulation on artificial intelligence; it classifies AI systems used for recruitment or selection, such as filtering applications and evaluating candidates, as high-risk.

Annex III of the Act lists AI systems intended for recruitment or selection among high-risk systems. Following the Digital Omnibus on AI (Regulation (EU) 2026/1744), the obligations for these Annex III high-risk systems apply, according to the current timeline, from 2 December 2027. They include requirements around risk management, data quality, transparency and human oversight.

For recruitment teams the practical questions are: which decisions does the tool influence, can a person review and override them, and can you explain why a candidate was or was not selected.

RelatedEU AI Act in recruitmentHuman in the loop

Executive search

Executive search is recruitment for senior and board-level positions, usually carried out by specialised firms through direct approach rather than advertising.

The work depends on thorough market mapping, discretion and relationships. The candidate pool is small and almost entirely passive, so the quality of research and the first approach carry more weight than volume.

RelatedExecutive search

F

Follow-up

A follow-up is a second or later message to a candidate who has not responded to the first outreach.

Many replies come after a follow-up, not after the first message, yet follow-ups are the first thing that slips when recruiters are busy. A good follow-up adds something new (a detail about the role, team or salary range) instead of repeating the first message, and stops once someone says no.

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G

GDPR

The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is the EU law that governs how personal data, including candidate profiles, may be collected, used and stored.

For sourcing, the key points are a lawful basis for processing (often legitimate interest), informing candidates about the processing, keeping only relevant data and deleting it when it is no longer needed. In the Netherlands the GDPR is known as the AVG.

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H

Hard requirements

Hard requirements are the criteria a candidate must meet to be considered for a vacancy, as opposed to preferences that are nice to have.

Think of a required licence or registration, a work permit, a language or a minimum level of specific experience. Vacancy texts often mix requirements and wishes; separating them before searching prevents both empty results and long lists of unsuitable profiles.

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Hiring manager

The hiring manager is the person who requests a new hire, usually the future manager of the role, and who makes or shares the final hiring decision.

The recruiter owns the process, the hiring manager owns the requirements. A short intake at the start, with agreement on hard requirements and what a good profile looks like, saves more time than any tool later on.

Human-in-the-loop

Human-in-the-loop means a person reviews, approves or corrects the actions of an automated system at defined points, instead of letting it run unchecked.

In sourcing the typical checkpoints are the search strategy, the candidate selection, outreach before it is sent and the handover. A common approach is to start with approval on everything and relax the rules once the team trusts the output.

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I

InMail

InMail is LinkedIn's messaging feature for contacting members you are not connected with.

Recruiters typically send InMails through LinkedIn Recruiter, where the number of messages depends on the licence. Because credits are limited, the relevance of each message matters: a personal InMail to a well-matched profile is worth more than ten generic ones.

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L

Legitimate interest

Legitimate interest is one of the six lawful bases for processing personal data under Article 6 of the GDPR, and the one recruiters most often rely on when they approach candidates who have not applied.

Article 6(1)(f) allows processing that is necessary for the legitimate interests of the controller, unless the interests or fundamental rights of the person concerned override them. That requires a balancing test: is the approach relevant to this person, is the data limited to what is needed, and would they reasonably expect it?

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LinkedIn Recruiter

LinkedIn Recruiter is LinkedIn's paid product for recruiters, offering advanced search filters, InMail credits and project tools for managing candidates.

For many teams it is the largest sourcing licence cost, paid per seat. The seat gives access to search; the searching, assessing and writing are still done by the recruiter.

RelatedLinkedIn Recruiter costvs LinkedIn RecruiterLinkedIn Recruiter alternatives

M

Match score

A match score is a number that expresses how well a candidate fits a vacancy, based on the criteria of that vacancy.

A score is only as useful as its explanation. Ask which criteria it weighs, what happens with missing information, and whether a recruiter can see and correct the reasoning. A score should help prioritise, not replace judgement.

RelatedCandidate ranking

O

Outreach

Outreach is the first contact with a potential candidate who has not applied, typically by LinkedIn message, InMail or email.

Effective recruitment outreach connects the role to the person: why their experience fits, what would be different in this job and what the next step is. Length, tone and timing play a part; relevance decides whether someone replies.

RelatedLinkedIn outreachOutreach messages

P

Passive candidate

A passive candidate is someone who is not actively looking for a job but could be open to a move for the right opportunity.

In most scarce professions the majority of suitable people are passive. They do not see job adverts and do not respond to generic messages, so passive candidate sourcing depends on precise search and a personal first approach. Their interest usually has to be built over more than one contact.

RelatedAI candidate sourcingOutreach messages

Pipeline

A candidate pipeline (or talent pipeline) is the set of candidates moving through the stages of a hiring process for one or more vacancies, from sourced to hired.

A talent pool is a collection of people; a pipeline adds stages and movement. Recruiters watch conversion between stages (contacted, interested, interviewed, offered) to see where candidates drop out and where to intervene.

Building a pipeline before a vacancy opens, for roles you hire every year, is one of the most reliable ways to shorten time to hire.

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R

Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO)

Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) is a model in which an organisation hands over all or part of its recruitment process to an external provider, which often works as an extension of the internal team.

Unlike a recruitment agency that is paid per placement, an RPO provider usually takes responsibility for a process or a volume of hires over a longer period: sourcing, screening, campaigns, scheduling or the full funnel. Some RPO providers work under the client's employer brand.

Note that the abbreviation RPO is also used in IT (recovery point objective), so search results for the short form are often about something else. For how RPO providers use sourcing automation, see AIcruiters for RPO.

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S

Shortlist

A shortlist is the small selection of candidates that a recruiter presents to the hiring manager after screening, as the best options for the role.

A shortlist is stronger when every name comes with a short rationale: why this person fits, what is still unknown and which concerns should be checked in the interview.

RelatedCandidate ranking

Source of hire

Source of hire is the channel through which a hired candidate was found, such as a job board, referral, agency, careers site or direct sourcing.

Tracking source of hire shows which channels produce hires rather than applications. Combine it with cost per channel to decide where to invest.

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Sourcer

A sourcer is a recruitment specialist whose main job is finding and first approaching potential candidates, before handing interested people to a recruiter.

Sourcers build search strategies, write boolean strings, map markets and send outreach. In smaller teams the recruiter does this work alongside interviewing and managing hiring managers, which is where sourcing capacity usually runs short.

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Sourcing

Sourcing is the part of recruitment that identifies potential candidates for a vacancy, through search, referrals, databases or other channels, before they enter the selection process.

Sourcing ends where selection begins: once a candidate shows interest and is handed to a recruiter for a conversation. In procurement the same word means finding suppliers, which is worth knowing when you search for sourcing metrics.

RelatedWhat is AI sourcingAI candidate sourcing

Staffing agency

A staffing agency places workers with client organisations, often on a temporary, interim or secondment basis, and in many cases employs those workers itself.

Staffing work is high volume and time-critical: a client needs people for a shift, a project or a season. Speed of finding available, qualified people and keeping a warm pool of candidates decides whether a request is filled.

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T

Talent acquisition

Talent acquisition is the strategic, ongoing function of attracting and hiring the people an organisation needs, including employer branding, sourcing, selection and workforce planning.

Recruitment is often used for filling open vacancies; talent acquisition implies a longer horizon, such as building pipelines for roles that will open next year. In practice many teams use both terms for the same department.

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Talent pool

A talent pool is a group of potential candidates an organisation keeps in contact with for current or future vacancies, such as earlier applicants, silver medallists, sourced profiles and referrals.

A talent pool is only valuable if it is maintained. Profiles age quickly: people change jobs, move or lose interest. Tag candidates by skills and availability, record when and why they were contacted, and set a retention period so you are not holding personal data without a reason.

The most common mistake is treating the pool as a database instead of a set of relationships. A short, relevant message a few times a year keeps people warm; a mass newsletter does not. When a vacancy opens, search the pool first: those candidates already know you.

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Time to fill

Time to fill is the number of days between opening a vacancy (usually its approval or publication) and a candidate accepting the offer.

Time to fill measures the whole process from the organisation's perspective, including the days before any candidate was found. It is the figure used for workforce planning and for the cost of an empty seat.

RelatedTime to hire

Time to hire

Time to hire is the number of days between the moment a candidate enters the process (by applying or being sourced) and the moment that candidate accepts the offer.

Time to hire measures how quickly you move a candidate through selection once you have found them; time to fill also includes the search. A long time to fill with a short time to hire points at sourcing: finding people takes too long. A long time to hire points at slow screening, scheduling or decision-making.

Always state which start and end points you use. Comparing your figure with benchmarks that use different definitions leads to wrong conclusions. The full calculation, with cost per hire, is in the time to hire guide.

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X

X-ray search

X-ray search is using a general search engine such as Google with the site: operator to search inside one website, for example public LinkedIn profiles, without that site's own search function.

A typical string starts with site:linkedin.com/in, followed by titles, skills and a location, with a minus sign to exclude words. It only finds pages that are public and indexed, and the results are less structured than a recruiter tool, but it is free and useful for a first view of a market.

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