Recruitment and Workforce Glossary

A | B | C | D | E | G | I | M | O | P | R | S | T | U | V

A

Apprenticeship Recruitment

The sourcing and placement of candidates into registered apprenticeship programs, which combine on-the-job training with formal qualifications. Chandler Macleod supports employers in meeting compliance requirements and finding motivated candidates suited to trade pathways.

Bulk Hiring

The simultaneous recruitment of a high volume of candidates for similar or identical roles, typically in industries such as manufacturing, logistics, mining, and contact centres. Bulk hiring relies on streamlined screening, group assessments, and efficient onboarding processes through the use of technology.

Candidate Experience

The overall impression a candidate forms of an organisation throughout the recruitment process, from initial application through to offer or rejection. A positive candidate experience strengthens employer brand and increases offer acceptance rates.

Candidate Shortlisting

The process of reviewing and filtering applications to identify a subset of candidates who best meet the requirements of a role. Shortlisting may involve resume screening, video or phone interviews, or psychometric assessments to ensure only the most suitable candidates progress.

Contingent Recruitment

The engagement of a recruitment agency on a no-placement, no-fee basis. Payment is made only when a successful hire is made. The contingent recruitment model is commonly used for permanent roles and is suited to organisations with lower-volume or ad-hoc hiring needs.

Contractor Management

The end-to-end management of contract workers, including engagement, compliance, timesheets, payroll, and offboarding. Effective contractor management reduces administrative burden on clients and ensures workers are engaged correctly under Australian workplace laws.

Cost per Hire

The total investment required to fill a role, including advertising, recruiter time, assessment tools, and onboarding. Monitoring cost per hire helps organisations evaluate the efficiency of their recruitment function and make informed decisions about sourcing channels.

D

Diversity Recruitment (DEI&B)

A recruitment approach that actively works to attract and fairly assess candidates from diverse backgrounds, including gender, ethnicity, age, disability, and other dimensions. Diversity recruitment supports equity of opportunity and helps organisations build more inclusive, high-performing teams.

E

Employer Brand

The reputation an organisation holds as a place to work, shaped by its culture, values, employee experience, and external communications. A strong employer brand attracts higher-quality or alumni candidates, reduces cost per hire, and improves employee retention.

Employer of Record (EOR)

A legal arrangement where an external organisation employs workers on behalf of a client business. The EOR takes on all employer obligations, including contracts, payroll, tax, superannuation, and compliance, while the worker operates day-to-day under the client's direction.

Entry Level Recruitment

The sourcing and placement of candidates at the start of their careers, typically those with limited formal work experience. Entry level recruitment focuses on potential, attitude, and foundational skills rather than track record, and is often paired with structured onboarding and development programs to accelerate time to contribution.

EVP (Employee Value Proposition)

The unique set of benefits, culture, opportunities, and rewards that an organisation offers to current and prospective employees in exchange for their skills, capabilities, and experience. A compelling EVP differentiates an employer in competitive talent markets.

Executive Search

A proactive, research-led approach to identifying and engaging senior leadership candidates, including those who are not actively seeking new opportunities. Executive search combines market mapping, direct outreach, and deep assessment to secure high-calibre talent.

G

Graduate Recruitment

The structured process of attracting, assessing, and hiring university graduates into entry-level roles or formal graduate programs. Graduate recruitment often involves targeted campus engagement, structured assessment centres, and competency-based selection aligned to future capability needs.

I

Intern Recruitment

The process of attracting and placing students or recent graduates into short-term, structured work experiences within an organisation. Internships serve as a mutual evaluation opportunity, allowing employers to assess candidates in a real work environment while giving individuals exposure to industry and professional practice.

M

Managed Service Provider (MSP)

A third-party provider that manages an organisation's contingent workforce program, including vendor management, compliance, invoicing, and reporting. An MSP provides visibility and control over temporary and contract labour spend across the business.

O

On Hire Workforce

Workers who are employed by a labour hire provider and placed with a host employer to perform work under the host's supervision and direction. The labour hire provider remains the legal employer and manages all HR and payroll obligations.

Onboarding Experience

The structured process of integrating a new employee into an organisation, covering compliance, role orientation, culture, and connection to team and purpose. Effective onboarding improves time to productivity and significantly reduces early attrition.

P

Panel Recruitment

A selection process where a candidate is assessed by a group of interviewers, typically representing different business areas or stakeholder groups. Panel recruitment is common in the public sector and ensures a merit based and defensible hiring decision.

Payroll Services

The outsourcing of payroll administration for a workforce to a third-party provider. This includes calculating pay, processing entitlements, managing tax and superannuation obligations, and ensuring compliance with the Fair Work Act and applicable Modern Awards.

Project Recruitment

A fixed-term engagement where a recruitment partner is brought in to deliver a specific hiring outcome, such as standing up a new team, filling a skills gap, or supporting a business transformation. Project recruitment is scoped, time-bound, and outcome-focused.

R

Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)

The transfer of all or part of an organisation's recruitment function to an external provider. An RPO partner acts as an extension of the internal HR team, managing sourcing, assessment, compliance, and reporting to improve hiring outcomes and reduce cost per hire.

S

Scribing

A service where a trained professional attends a job interview or assessment centre to take detailed, objective notes on behalf of a panel member. Scribing is commonly used in government and large corporate recruitment to support compliance, consistency, and fairness in the selection process.

T

Talent Acquisition Strategy

A long-term plan for attracting, sourcing, and hiring the talent an organisation needs to achieve its business objectives. A strong talent acquisition strategy aligns workforce planning, employer branding, and recruitment channels to anticipated skill demands.

Talent Pooling

The proactive building of a pipeline of pre-qualified candidates for anticipated or recurring roles. Talent pools reduce time to fill by maintaining warm relationships with suitable candidates before a vacancy arises, enabling faster deployment when demand increases.

Temp on Assignment (ToA)

A temporary worker who is currently placed and working at a client site through a labour hire arrangement. ToA status is used in workforce reporting to track active contingent headcount and manage on-hire obligations.

Time to Fill

A key recruitment metric that measures the number of days between a job requisition being opened and a candidate accepting an offer. Reducing time to fill improves business continuity and reduces the cost of vacancy.

Time to Hire

The number of days between a candidate entering the recruitment process and accepting an offer. Unlike time to fill, time to hire focuses on the candidate experience and the efficiency of each stage in the selection process.

U

Unbundled Recruitment

A flexible recruitment model where clients pay only for specific components of the hiring process they need, such as sourcing, screening, or reference checking, rather than a full end-to-end service. Ideal for organisations with internal capability that need targeted support.

V

Volume Recruitment

The rapid sourcing and placement of a large number of candidates within a defined timeframe, often for project-based or seasonal workforce needs. Volume recruitment relies on scalable processes, strong candidate pipelines, efficient assessment methodologies, and purpose-built recruitment technology to manage high applicant volumes without compromising quality or speed.