Recruitment Metrics That Matter: KPIs for Your CRM Dashboard

You can't improve what you don't measure. The best recruitment agencies use data to drive decisions, optimise processes, and outperform competitors. Here are the metrics that actually matter.

Efficiency metrics

Time-to-fill

The number of days from job opening to accepted offer. This is the gold standard efficiency metric. Industry average is 36 days - top performers achieve under 20. Track this by role type, client, and consultant to identify bottlenecks.

Time-to-submit

How quickly can your team present qualified candidates? In competitive markets, the agency that submits first often wins. Your recruitment CRM should track time from vacancy creation to first candidate submission.

Interview-to-placement ratio

How many interviews does it take to make a placement? A high ratio suggests poor candidate matching or qualification. AI-powered matching can dramatically improve this metric.

Quality metrics

Placement retention rate

What percentage of placements are still in role after 3, 6, and 12 months? This is the ultimate quality indicator. Low retention suggests poor matching or inadequate candidate screening.

Client satisfaction (NPS)

Net Promoter Score measures client loyalty. Track NPS by client, consultant, and service type. A score above 50 is excellent; below 20 indicates problems.

Candidate satisfaction

Don't forget your candidates. Survey placed candidates and even those who weren't successful. Their feedback improves your process and protects your reputation.

Pipeline metrics

Pipeline coverage

For every vacancy, how many qualified candidates are in your pipeline? Best practice is 3:1 coverage - three qualified candidates for every open role.

Source effectiveness

Track where your successful placements come from. Job boards? LinkedIn? Referrals? Your CRM database? This data should drive your sourcing investment decisions.

Building your dashboard

The best recruitment CRMs offer real-time dashboards with customisable widgets. Start with 5-7 key metrics relevant to your business, and resist the temptation to track everything. Focus breeds improvement.