What (Definition)

The number of applications received by the employer for a particular job that is awaiting a decision is known as pending applications. It is important for a company to know the pending applications per open position, as it indicates the competition and the level of interest for a particular open position. 

Having a large number of pending applications shows the high level of demand for the job or the inefficiency of the HR team in handling the recruitment process. On the other hand, having fewer pending applications indicates less competition for the position and the productivity of the HR team in handling the applications punctually.

Why (Benefits)

HR professionals should make sure that the company secures the right talent. Tracking the pending applications per open position can give insight into the discrimination-free recruitment process. This will also improve the selection and make sure the qualified candidates are not missed out due to late responses.

Receiving a small number of applications can also indicate that the vacant position is not very attractive to the applicants. It is high time for the HR team to redesign the job role and responsibilities. 

The company can study the labor market facts and the salary packages to offer by getting to know the competitiveness of a particular open position. Receiving a large number of applications shows the high level of competition for the vacant position.

How (Calculation)

To ensure the quality of the hiring process, the HR team should perform the calculation for pending job applications per open job. The following steps can be followed for the calculation:

1. Identify the pending application

Considering a specific timeline, count the number of applications received by the company for the particular job position. Identify the applications for which the decision has already been made. Now, subtract the number of applications where the decision is made from the total number of applications received. 

2. Identify the open jobs

Take the list of vacancies that were advertised by the company in that particular time period. 

 3.Calculate the ratio

Divide the total number of pending job applications by the total number of job openings advertised for a particular time period. The calculation is mathematically performed using the below formula.

This company has advertised for 10 different job roles in a specific period of time and has received a total number of 200 applications. Out of the received applications, some have been processed and some are still on the pending list.

A few positions are closed and a few still open as in the given table.

From the above sample data, the Open Jobs = 6

Say the number of pending applications are 80 (read to know how to calculate the Pending Applications)

Applications per Open Position = 80/6 = 13

Tracking the pending application per open job will allow the HR team to analyze the recruitment targets, identify the need to improve the hiring process effort, and eventually aid in making strong decisions on behalf of the company. Maintaining the data will help us analyze the trends of the hiring process and contribute to future improvisation. 

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Now it’s your turn.

As a company, do you track the pending applications per open position? Feel free to let us know your thoughts on how you do it below. We would like to hear from your experience.

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