In this report
We analyzed data from more than 10 companies to examine trends in open positions, applications, and recruiting metrics.
Summary of findings
Recruiting has become harder for both candidates and recruiters: fewer open positions, more applications per role, and higher rejection rates. HR teams are under pressure to make the recruiting process faster, more cost-effective, and more efficient. Rejections are driven primarily by a lack of role fit and insufficient experience; compensation, company culture, and team fit usually only come into play in later stages. Social media and career pages generate a lot of applications but have the lowest hiring rates, which is why automation is critical. Turnover rates remain stable (~50% voluntary, 50% involuntary), showing that hire quality is unchanged despite a larger candidate pool.
Methodology
Data sources
- Period: 01.06.2022 – 31.12.2024
- Companies: 10+ (various sizes) in Germany
- Positions analyzed: approx. 2,000
- Applications: approx. 200,000
Using our recruiting analytics platform, we analyzed various KPIs across the recruiting process – both from a historical perspective and in a panel comparison.
Historical trends in the application process:
- Overall application flow:
- Number of applications over time (we look at individual positions, not every single posting)
- Applications received
- Rejected applications → rejection rate and acceptance rate
- Reasons for rejection, classified into macro categories for a clearer overview
- Turnover among new hires + reasons
Effectiveness and efficiency of recruiting channels:
- Trends in time-to-hire and time-to-fill over time
- Comparison of recruiting channels in terms of time-to-hire, time-to-fill, and efficiency
This analysis offers valuable insights for HR teams, recruiters, and talent acquisition managers to optimize the recruiting process, attract talent efficiently, and improve the candidate experience.
Handling anomalies:
Data from bundled channels, small specific ad-hoc channels, and sources originally categorized as “Other” were excluded. Spikes in applications with an atypical distribution were also excluded.
Recruiting metrics & benchmarks at a glance
- 2022: few applications per position, 73% rejection rate
- 2023: sharply increased applications, 85% rejection rate
- 2024: application numbers remain high, 93% rejection rate
Trends in open positions and applications
Key findings: Recruiting has become significantly more challenging for both candidates and recruiters: fewer open positions, more applications per role, and higher rejection rates.
Open positions vs. application volume:
The number of open positions initially rose from 2023 to 2024. In the second half of 2024, however, it declined and then stabilized – possibly a symptom of the current and future economic situation.
A paradoxical trend:Even though the number of open positions fell, applications stayed high – the “applications per position” ratio rose dramatically.
peopleIX analysis:The data shows a flood of applications alongside a shrinking number of job opportunities. This creates a seller’s market for employers but places heavy strain on HR teams.
- 2022: candidate’s market with fewer applications per position
- 2023/2024: dramatic increase in applications while positions decline
- Winter applications may offer better relative odds
Recruiting efficiency and fluctuations
Rejection rates rising steadily:
By 2024, the rejection rate had climbed from 20% to nearly 93% of all applications. One possible reason is the increased use of ATS systems for automated CV screening.
Main reasons for rejection:
- No role fit (increasingly)
- Insufficient experience (the biggest factor)
Takeaway: The more applications come in, the higher the requirements become. Companies are increasingly looking for senior profiles that are not readily available on the market.
- Compensation, culture & team fit matter, but only in later stages
- Only a minority of rejections are due to salary or team mismatches
Recruiting channel performance
Application volume vs. conversion rate:
- Career pages: 0.7% (very high application volumes, low conversion)
- Social media: 0.6% (very high)
- Job boards: 1.4% (high volume, a good balance between efficiency & time-to-hire/fill)
- Referrals: 8% conversion, low volume
Efficiency winner: Job boards outperform comparable channels and convert twice as well as social media and career pages.
peopleIX analysis: Job boards offer the best balance between volume and speed. Social media can be cost-effective when time pressure is not a major factor.
Time-to-hire/fill insights:
- Time-to-hire: 40–50 days (stable)
- Time-to-fill: ~140 days (stable)
- Top performers: job boards, headhunting, social media
To assess how attractive the channels are (especially high-volume ones such as job boards and social media), total costs must be taken into account. This analysis does not include costs, but they are crucial for detailed ROI calculations (cost of waiting time vs. cost of posting a job).
Fit of new hires
- Retention stays stable at ~85%
- More applications per position do not automatically increase the quality of the candidate pool
- Post-hire turnover: 50% voluntary, 50% involuntary
Conclusion: Stable retention despite high application volumes → strong performance for HR teams
Conclusion
Modern HR teams need smart tools
Today, recruiting runs across numerous channels with widely varying efficiency. Social media and career pages deliver high volumes but low conversion – automation is critical. peopleIX enables data-driven workforce planning, optimizes multi-channel recruiting, and safeguards the quality of candidates.
Recommended actions
For talent acquisition professionals:
- Seasonal recruiting strategies: Q2 = application peak, Q4 = less competition (+20% response in Dec/Jan)
- Skills-based hiring: factor competencies in early in the process & in the job description → a faster process, higher retention
For HR operations & recruiting technology:
- Optimize multi-channel ROI: prioritize job boards + referrals
- ATS & pre-screening automation: AI-supported pre-selection → cut screening time by 60–70%
Strategic KPIs for 2025:
- Increase funnel efficiency (+0.2–0.4% conversion per channel)
- Stabilize quality of hire (≥85% retention)
- Optimize cost per hire (adjust the channel mix)
Further research
- Trends & efficiency of sources by industry, gender, and job family (Product, Customer Success, Software Engineering)
- Goal: more actionable recruiting insights
This report was produced by the peopleIX Data Lab.
Team: Andrea, Marie
Period: 01.06.2022 – 31.12.2024
Data basis: 10+ companies, approx. 2,000 jobs, 200,000 applications
More insights: https://www.peopleix.com/blog