The Recruitment Measurement Problem: Flying Blind
A CFO of a RM 200M company asks the hiring manager: “How much are we spending per hire?”
Hiring manager: “Umm… I’m not sure. Maybe RM 30K? Or RM 50K?”
CFO: “And how long does it take on average?”
Hiring manager: “About 2-3 months? Could be 6 weeks for some roles.”
CFO: “How many candidates make it through each stage?”
Hiring manager: “I don’t really track that.”
This is normal. Most companies don’t measure recruitment.
They hire, people come on board, and they move on. Zero visibility into:
- Cost per hire
- Quality of hire
- Time wasted on bad hiring processes
- Where candidates drop off
- Why people decline offers
This article changes that.
Why Recruitment Metrics Matter
The Business Case: What Bad Metrics Cost You
Scenario: Company hiring 50 people/year
Without metrics (flying blind):
- Average cost-per-hire: Unknown (probably RM 50K-80K)
- Bad hire rate: 15-20% (typical)
- Annual recruiting spend: RM 2.5M-4M
- Cost of bad hires: RM 430K x 8 bad hires = RM 3.44M
- Total annual cost: RM 5.94M-7.44M
With metrics (optimized):
- Average cost-per-hire: RM 25K-35K (cost reduction through optimization)
- Bad hire rate: 5-8% (structured interviews, assessments)
- Annual recruiting spend: RM 1.25M-1.75M
- Cost of bad hires: RM 430K x 3 bad hires = RM 1.29M
- Total annual cost: RM 2.54M-3.04M
Annual savings by measuring & improving: RM 3.4M-4.4M
ROI: For every RM 100K invested in recruitment analytics & process improvement, save RM 340K-440K.
Strategic Benefits Beyond Cost
- Visibility: Know where candidates are dropping off
- Speed: Identify bottlenecks, reduce time-to-hire
- Quality: See which hiring methods produce best employees
- Predictability: Forecast recruiting needs and budget
- Benchmarking: Compare your process to industry
- Accountability: Hold recruiters/managers accountable for results
The 12 Essential Recruitment KPIs (Ranked by Importance)
KPI #1: Time-to-Hire (Most Critical)
Definition: Days from job posting to offer acceptance
Formula:
Time-to-Hire = Date offer accepted - Date job posted
Malaysia 2025 Benchmark:
| Role Level | Target | Current Average | Top Companies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior (0-2 yrs) | 4-6 weeks | 6-8 weeks | 3-4 weeks |
| Mid-level (2-5 yrs) | 5-8 weeks | 8-10 weeks | 4-6 weeks |
| Senior (5-10 yrs) | 6-10 weeks | 10-14 weeks | 5-8 weeks |
| Executive (10+ yrs) | 8-12 weeks | 12-16 weeks | 8-12 weeks |
Why it matters:
- Slow hiring loses candidates to competitors
- Longer time = higher cost
- Extended vacancy costs money (lower productivity)
- Candidate experience suffers (delays frustrate people)
How to measure:
Track for every hire:
- Date job posted
- Date of first interview
- Date of final interview
- Date offer made
- Date offer accepted
Calculate average monthly
How to improve:
| Current | Action | Expected Improvement |
|---|---|---|
| 12+ weeks | Use recruitment agency | -3-4 weeks |
| Long approval process | Streamline offer approval | -1-2 weeks |
| No job posting | Post immediately on multiple channels | -1-2 weeks |
| Slow interviews | Schedule interviews within 3 days | -2-3 weeks |
| No candidate pipeline | Build pipeline (networking, communities) | -2-4 weeks |
| Single interviewer | Use multiple interviewers, schedule in parallel | -1-2 weeks |
Target action: Get time-to-hire to 6-8 weeks average (best practice)
KPI #2: Cost-Per-Hire (Most Financial Impact)
Definition: Total recruiting cost per successful hire
Formula:
Cost-Per-Hire = (Agency fees + Job board ads + Recruiter salary + Tools + Time) / Number of hires
Malaysia 2025 Benchmark:
| Hiring Method | Cost-Per-Hire | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Referral | RM 5K-15K | Bonus + minimal ads |
| Job board | RM 10K-20K | Posting + screening time |
| In-house recruiter | RM 15K-25K | Salary + tools allocated |
| Recruitment agency | RM 40K-70K | 20-25% of annual salary |
| Combination (mixed) | RM 20K-35K | Recommended approach |
Why it matters:
- Direct P&L impact (hiring costs reduce profitability)
- Enables budgeting (plan recruiting spend)
- Shows process efficiency (lower cost = better process)
- ROI calculation (recruiting investment justification)
How to measure:
Recruit spend tracking:
- Agency fees paid
- Job board subscriptions (LinkedIn, Indeed, etc.)
- Recruiter salaries (allocated to hiring)
- Tools (ATS, video interviewing, assessments)
- Time cost (hiring managers, interview time at RM 500/hour)
Track by month:
Total spend / Successful hires = Cost-per-hire
Malaysia example (50 hires/year):
| Category | Monthly Spend | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Agency fees (20% of hires from agency) | RM 50K | RM 600K |
| Job boards (LinkedIn, Indeed) | RM 5K | RM 60K |
| Recruiter salary (1 FTE recruiter) | RM 8K | RM 96K |
| Tools (ATS, assessments, video) | RM 3K | RM 36K |
| Time cost (hiring managers, interview time) | RM 20K | RM 240K |
| TOTAL/MONTH | RM 86K | RM 1.032M/year |
| Per hire | - | RM 20.6K per hire |
How to improve:
| High Cost Area | Action | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| High agency fees (25%) | Build referral program instead | Save 10% per hire |
| Expensive job boards | Use free channels (communities, LinkedIn) | Save 3-5% |
| High recruiter salary | Improve recruiter efficiency (tools, training) | Save 5-10% |
| Expensive tools | Consolidate tools (ATS + assessments combo) | Save 2-3% |
| High time cost | Parallel interviews, reduce meeting time | Save 5-10% |
Target: RM 15K-25K per hire (optimize mix)
KPI #3: Quality-of-Hire (Most Strategic)
Definition: How well new hires perform and stay at company
Measurement approaches:
Method 1: Retention Rate (easiest to track)
12-month retention = (Hires still employed at 12 months) / Total hires
Target: 90%+
Method 2: Performance Rating (more comprehensive)
Track new hires' performance reviews at 6 months:
- 5/5: Exceeds expectations
- 4/5: Meets expectations
- 3/5: Below expectations
- Calculate average rating
Target: 4.0+ average
Method 3: Manager Satisfaction (qualitative)
Survey hiring managers: "How satisfied are you with this hire?"
1-5 scale
Target: 4.0+ average
Malaysia 2025 Benchmark:
| Company Type | 12-Month Retention | 3-Year Retention | Avg Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Startup (Series A) | 75-85% | 50-60% | 3.8/5.0 |
| Growth company (RM 50M-500M ARR) | 85-90% | 65-75% | 4.0/5.0 |
| Enterprise (RM 500M+) | 90-95% | 80-90% | 4.1/5.0 |
| Top quartile | 95%+ | 90%+ | 4.3+ |
Why it matters:
- Bad hires cost RM 430K+ (see Article #4)
- Retention = less recruiting needed
- Performance = productivity per person
- Shows if hiring process works
How to improve:
| Problem | Action | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| High turnover after 6 months | Improve interviews, assess culture fit better | +10-15% retention |
| Good hires but low performance | Improve onboarding, first 90 days | +5-10% performance |
| Misalignment expectations | Clear job description, realistic role preview | +15-20% retention |
| Bad manager fit | Assign better mentors, improve manager training | +10-15% performance |
Track by: Hire date, department, hiring source (referral vs. agency vs. LinkedIn)
KPI #4: Application-to-Interview Rate
Definition: % of applicants who get an interview
Formula:
App-to-Interview Rate = (Number of interviews conducted) / (Total applications received) x 100
Malaysia 2025 Benchmark:
| Job Level | Typical Rate | Target | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior role | 3-8% | 8-12% | 15%+ |
| Mid-level role | 5-10% | 10-15% | 20%+ |
| Senior role | 8-15% | 15-25% | 30%+ |
| Executive role | 20-40% | 40-60% | 70%+ |
Why it matters:
- Shows screening quality (good screening = fewer interviews)
- Reflects applicant quality (bad job post = low rate)
- Impacts time-to-hire (more interviews = longer process)
Example:
Junior engineer role:
- 120 applications received
- 8 interviews conducted
- Rate: 8/120 = 6.7%
Target: 8-12% (10-14 interviews)
Action: Improve job post clarity or screening criteria
How to improve:
| Problem | Action |
|---|---|
| Too high rate (30%+) | Too many unqualified applicants - Improve job description clarity |
| Too low rate (2%) | Missing good candidates - Broaden search, improve posting |
| Inconsistent | Screening criteria unclear - Document screening checklist |
Tactical improvements:
- Better job description (clear requirements)
- Screening checklist (consistent criteria)
- Resume screening tool (LinkedIn filters)
- Automated initial screening (assessment)
KPI #5: Interview-to-Offer Rate
Definition: % of interviewed candidates who receive offers
Formula:
Interview-to-Offer Rate = (Number of offers) / (Number of interviews) x 100
Malaysia 2025 Benchmark:
| Role Level | Typical Rate | Target | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | 15-25% | 25-35% | 40%+ |
| Mid-level | 20-35% | 35-45% | 50%+ |
| Senior | 30-50% | 50-70% | 75%+ |
| Executive | 40-60% | 60-80% | 85%+ |
Why it matters:
- Shows interview quality (structured interviews improve rate)
- Lower rate = too many interviews for one position
- Higher rate = good screening before interviews
Example:
Senior engineer role:
- 4 interviews conducted
- 0 offers made
- Rate: 0/4 = 0%
This is bad. You're interviewing wrong people or interview process is poor.
Action: Improve screening before interview
How to improve:
| Problem | Action | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Very low (5-10%) | Interview process too stringent - Structured interviews to be objective | +10-15% |
| Very high (80%+) | Not interviewing enough - Expand applicant pool | Better quality overall |
| Inconsistent | No structure - Create interview scorecard | +15-20% |
Key insight: If you’re interviewing 4 people for 1 role and making 0 offers, your screening is broken. Fix before interview, not during.
KPI #6: Offer Acceptance Rate
Definition: % of offers made that are accepted
Formula:
Offer Acceptance Rate = (Offers accepted) / (Offers made) x 100
Malaysia 2025 Benchmark:
| Situation | Typical Rate | Target | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weak salary offer | 40-50% | 60-70% | 80%+ |
| Market-rate offer | 70-80% | 80-85% | 90%+ |
| Strong offer (equity, brand) | 85-95% | 90-95% | 95%+ |
Why it matters:
- Shows offer strength (weak offers lose candidates)
- Impacts time-to-hire (declined offers = start over)
- Shows compensation competitiveness
- Indicates candidate satisfaction in process
Example:
5 offers made, 3 accepted
Rate: 3/5 = 60%
Benchmark: Target 80%+
Problem: Salary too low OR process too slow
Action: Increase salary by 5-10% or speed up offer timeline
Common decline reasons (Malaysia 2025):
- Salary too low (30% of declines)
- Better competing offer (40%)
- Process took too long (15%)
- Misalignment on role (10%)
- Relocation concerns (5%)
How to improve:
| Problem | Action | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Low offer acceptance | Increase salary to market rate | +15-25% acceptance |
| Process too slow | Speed up decisions, offer within 24-48 hours | +10-15% |
| Candidate worried about role | Better role preview, meet team before offer | +10-20% |
| Competing offers winning | Transparent career path, growth opportunity | +5-10% |
Tactical improvements:
- Transparent salary (post range in job post)
- Speed (offer within 2 days of final interview)
- Convincing offer letter (why this company is great)
- Counter-offers (if better offer competing, match it)
- Relationship building (CEO/founder closing conversation)
KPI #7: Candidate Source Effectiveness
Definition: Quality and volume of candidates from each source
Formula:
Source Effectiveness = (Hires from source) / (Applications from source) x Avg quality score
Malaysia 2025 Data (50 hires/year):
| Source | # Applications | # Interviews | # Hires | Cost-Per-Hire | Quality | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Referral | 30 | 25 | 20 | RM 8K | 4.5/5 | Excellent |
| LinkedIn Organic | 80 | 15 | 8 | RM 15K | 4.0/5 | Very Good |
| LinkedIn Ads | 120 | 20 | 9 | RM 25K | 3.8/5 | Good |
| Job Boards (Indeed, etc.) | 200 | 18 | 7 | RM 30K | 3.5/5 | Good |
| Agencies | 40 | 35 | 4 | RM 60K | 4.2/5 | Speed |
| Communities | 20 | 18 | 2 | RM 35K | 4.4/5 | Moderate |
Why it matters:
- Shows which channels work best for you
- Guides recruiting investment
- Different sources have different quality
- Enables source mix optimization
How to calculate:
Track for every hire:
- Where did they come from? (referral, LinkedIn, agency, etc.)
- How many applications from each source?
- How many interviews from each source?
- Hire quality (performance rating at 6 months)
- Cost to acquire from that source
Monthly: Calculate effectiveness score per source
How to improve:
| Insight | Action |
|---|---|
| Referrals most effective | Increase referral bonus, emphasize referral program |
| Job boards low quality | Reduce spend on job boards, focus on LinkedIn |
| Agencies too expensive | Use for urgent hires only, build in-house pipeline |
| Communities low volume | Sponsor communities more, build presence |
Target strategy: 40-50% referrals, 30-40% LinkedIn, 10-20% agencies, 10-20% other
KPI #8: Diversity Metrics
Definition: Representation by gender, ethnicity, seniority level
Measurements:
Gender Diversity:
% Female hires = (Female hires) / (Total hires) x 100
Target: 35-40% female across company
Tech roles: 20-25% (industry average low, target 25-30%)
Experience Level Diversity:
% Junior hires (0-2 yrs) = Should be 20-30% (pipeline)
% Mid-level = Should be 50-60%
% Senior = Should be 15-25%
Balance = healthy organization
Malaysia 2025 Benchmark:
| Metric | Current | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Female hiring % | 32% | 40% |
| Female tech hiring % | 18% | 25% |
| Junior hires % | 15% | 25% |
| Underrepresented minorities | 40% | 50%+ |
Why it matters:
- Business case: Diverse teams perform better
- Talent case: Attracts diverse candidates
- Culture case: Inclusive company
- Compliance: Regulatory expectations
How to improve:
| Action | Impact |
|---|---|
| Diverse job descriptions (inclusive language) | +10-15% diverse applicants |
| Diverse interview panels | +5-10% acceptance rate from diverse candidates |
| Partner with diversity networks | +20-30% diverse applicants |
| Remove biased requirements | +15-20% diverse qualified candidates |
| Transparent hiring (publish data) | +10-15% diverse applicants interested |
Track monthly: Hiring diversity vs. company diversity
KPI #9: Recruiter Efficiency
Definition: How many placements per recruiter per month
Formula:
Placements per recruiter/month = (Total placements) / (Number of recruiters) / 12
Malaysia 2025 Benchmark:
| Recruiter Type | Target/Month | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Junior recruiter | 2-3 placements/month | Needs oversight |
| Mid-level recruiter | 4-6 placements/month | Independent |
| Senior recruiter | 6-10 placements/month | Can mentor others |
Example:
3 recruiters, 50 placements/year
50 / 3 / 12 = 1.4 placements/month per recruiter
Benchmark: Should be 3-4
Action: Improve processes, tooling, or hire more recruiters
Why it matters:
- Shows recruiting team productivity
- Enables headcount planning
- Identifies underperforming recruiters
- Justifies recruiting investment
How to improve:
| Problem | Action | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Low efficiency | Automate screening, use better tools | +2-3 placements/month |
| Inconsistent | Standardize process, training | +1-2 placements/month |
| Burnout | Higher workload - hire more recruiters | Retain talent, improve quality |
KPI #10: Offer-to-Start Conversion
Definition: % of accepted offers where person actually starts
Formula:
Offer-to-Start = (People who started) / (Offers accepted) x 100
Malaysia 2025 Benchmark:
| Situation | Typical Rate | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Quick start (1-2 weeks) | 95%+ | 98%+ |
| Standard start (2-4 weeks) | 90-95% | 95%+ |
| Long start (1+ month) | 80-90% | 90%+ |
Why it matters:
- Last mile before employee starts
- Candidate can still accept competing offer
- Extended start dates increase chance of decline
- Shows offer process quality
How to improve:
| Problem | Action |
|---|---|
| Candidate ghosting | Regular communication until start date |
| Competing offers | Convince candidate before offer, stay engaged |
| Long start dates | Allow earlier start if possible |
| Visa issues | Proactive visa sponsorship, timeline clarity |
Best practice: Target 98%+ (only 2% drop-off from accepted offer to actual start)
KPI #11: Hiring Manager Satisfaction
Definition: How satisfied are hiring managers with recruiting support?
Measurement:
Survey hiring managers quarterly:
1. Process satisfaction (1-5): How smooth was hiring?
2. Candidate quality (1-5): Were candidates qualified?
3. Speed satisfaction (1-5): Was timeline acceptable?
4. Support quality (1-5): Did recruiting support help?
5. Overall satisfaction (1-5): Would you recommend recruiting team?
Target average: 4.0+ out of 5.0
Malaysia 2025 Benchmark:
- Average score: 3.6/5.0
- Target: 4.0+/5.0
- Top companies: 4.3+/5.0
Why it matters:
- Shows internal customer satisfaction
- Identifies pain points in process
- Helps recruiting team improve
How to improve:
| Feedback | Action |
|---|---|
| ”Process too slow” | Speed up approvals, interviews |
| ”Candidates not qualified” | Better screening before sending |
| ”Not responsive” | Dedicated recruiter, faster communication |
| ”Don’t understand our needs” | Better role definition, discovery calls |
KPI #12: Recruitment ROI
Definition: Total value delivered vs. recruiting spend
Formula:
Recruitment ROI = (Value gained - Recruiting cost) / Recruiting cost x 100
Value gained = (Hires x Productivity gain) - (Bad hire cost)
Example:
50 hires, RM 1M recruiting spend
- Good hires productivity gain: 50 x RM 200K = RM 10M
- Bad hires (5 x 20% bad rate) cost: 5 x RM 430K = RM 2.15M
- Net value: RM 10M - RM 2.15M = RM 7.85M
- ROI: (RM 7.85M - RM 1M) / RM 1M = 685%
Rough translation: Every RM 1 spent on recruiting returns RM 6.85 in value
Malaysia 2025 Benchmark:
| Company | ROI | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Poor (15-20% bad hire rate) | 200-400% | High cost from bad hires |
| Average (10-15% bad hire rate) | 400-700% | Typical company |
| Good (5-10% bad hire rate) | 700-1000% | Structured process |
| Excellent (2-5% bad hire rate) | 1000%+ | Optimized process |
Why it matters:
- Justifies recruiting investment to CFO
- Shows impact of hiring quality
- Drives focus on bad hire prevention
- Enables recruiting budget planning
Complete Dashboard Template: Track All 12 KPIs
Create this in Excel or Google Sheets:
RECRUITMENT DASHBOARD - MONTHLY TRACKING
Month: January 2025
KPI 1: TIME-TO-HIRE
- Avg. Days: 45
- Target: 42
- Variance: +3 days (slight miss)
KPI 2: COST-PER-HIRE
- Avg. Cost: RM 22,500
- Target: RM 20,000
- Variance: +12.5% (over budget)
KPI 3: QUALITY-OF-HIRE
- 12-month retention: 88%
- Target: 90%
- Variance: -2% (slight miss)
KPI 4: APP-TO-INTERVIEW
- Rate: 10.2%
- Target: 10%
- Variance: +0.2% (on target)
KPI 5: INTERVIEW-TO-OFFER
- Rate: 35%
- Target: 40%
- Variance: -5% (below target)
KPI 6: OFFER ACCEPTANCE
- Rate: 82%
- Target: 85%
- Variance: -3% (below target)
KPI 7: SOURCE EFFECTIVENESS
- Best source: Referral (92% quality, 8K cost)
- Second: LinkedIn Organic (88% quality, 15K cost)
- Worst: Job Boards (75% quality, 30K cost)
KPI 8: DIVERSITY
- Female %: 35%
- Target: 40%
- Variance: -5% (below target)
KPI 9: RECRUITER EFFICIENCY
- Placements/recruiter/month: 3.5
- Target: 4.0
- Variance: -12.5% (below target)
KPI 10: OFFER-TO-START
- Rate: 96%
- Target: 98%
- Variance: -2% (near target)
KPI 11: HIRING MGR SATISFACTION
- Avg. Score: 3.9/5
- Target: 4.0
- Variance: -0.1 (near target)
KPI 12: RECRUITMENT ROI
- ROI: 650%
- Target: 700%
- Variance: -7% (room for improvement)
SUMMARY:
On target: 3 metrics
Below target: 6 metrics
Above target: 3 metrics
Top priority improvements:
1. Interview-to-offer rate (need better screening)
2. Offer acceptance (increase salary, speed up timeline)
3. Diversity (focus on female hiring)
ACTION ITEMS:
- [ ] Improve screening checklist (reduce interview wasted time)
- [ ] Post salary ranges on job posts (transparency -> higher acceptance)
- [ ] Partner with women in tech communities (diversity)
How to Improve Each KPI: 6-Week Action Plan
Week 1: Baseline & Analysis
- KPI 1 (Time-to-hire): Audit current timeline, identify bottlenecks
- KPI 2 (Cost-per-hire): Calculate spending by channel, identify expensive sources
- KPI 3 (Quality): Track 12-month retention, performance ratings by hire
- KPI 4-6: Set up conversion tracking (app to interview to offer to acceptance)
Deliverable: Dashboard with current metrics + targets
Week 2: Quick Wins
- Faster time-to-hire: Implement parallel interviews (schedule 2-3 interviews same day)
- Reduce cost-per-hire: Increase referral bonus (RM 5K to RM 10K), emphasize in team
- Improve offer acceptance: Post salary ranges in job posts (transparency)
- Better quality-of-hire: Improve onboarding checklist
Expected improvement: Time-to-hire -1-2 weeks, Cost-per-hire -10%, Acceptance +5%
Week 3: Process Improvement
- Interview-to-offer rate: Create interview scorecard, structured questions
- Source effectiveness: Track all hires back to source, score by quality
- Diversity: Partner with diversity networks, update job language
- Recruiter efficiency: Implement recruiting tool (Better.com, Greenhouse ATS)
Expected improvement: Interview-to-offer +10%, Cost-per-hire -5%, Diversity +5%
Week 4: Training & Systems
- Hiring manager training: Teach structured interviewing (20 min training)
- Recruiter training: Improve screening skills, negotiation
- Dashboard setup: Weekly tracking, monthly reviews
- Compensation review: Benchmark salaries vs. market (stay competitive)
Expected improvement: Quality +5-10%, Hiring mgr satisfaction +0.5 points
Week 5: Optimization
- Channel optimization: Double down on best sources (referral, LinkedIn)
- Timeline optimization: Reduce approval time from 3 days to 1 day
- Offer strength: Better offer letters, career path clarity
- Feedback loops: Get feedback from declined candidates
Expected improvement: Time-to-hire -2-3 weeks, Offer acceptance +5-10%
Week 6: Review & Iterate
- Monthly review: Compare metrics vs. baseline
- Share results: Present dashboard to leadership
- Next priorities: Identify next improvements
- Celebrate wins: Share success stories
Benchmarking: How You Compare (Malaysia Context)
By Company Stage
| Metric | Startup (Series A) | Growth (RM 50-500M) | Enterprise (500M+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time-to-hire | 8-10 weeks | 6-8 weeks | 8-12 weeks |
| Cost-per-hire | RM 15K-25K | RM 20K-35K | RM 30K-50K |
| Quality (retention) | 75-85% | 85-90% | 90-95% |
| Offer acceptance | 70-80% | 80-85% | 85-90% |
| Recruiter efficiency | 5-8/month | 4-6/month | 3-5/month |
By Industry
| Metric | Tech | Finance | Ops | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time-to-hire | 6-8 weeks | 8-10 weeks | 6-8 weeks | 5-7 weeks |
| Cost-per-hire | RM 25K-40K | RM 30K-45K | RM 15K-25K | RM 20K-30K |
| Quality (retention) | 85-90% | 88-92% | 82-87% | 78-83% |
| App-to-interview | 8-12% | 10-15% | 12-18% | 15-25% |
Red Flags: When Your Metrics Are Broken
Red Flag 1: Extremely Low Offer-to-Interview Rate (2-3%)
Symptom: 80 applications, only 2-3 interviews
Root cause:
- Bad job description (unclear what role is)
- Poor screening criteria (rejecting qualified people)
- Wrong target audience
Fix: Rewrite job description, review screening criteria, retarget audience
Red Flag 2: Extremely High Interview-to-Offer Rate (80%+)
Symptom: Interviewing few people but making offers to most
Root cause:
- Not interviewing enough candidates
- Screening already done by recruiter (good) but not enough volume
- Setting bar too low
Fix: Expand candidate pool, raise bar, interview more people
Red Flag 3: Offer Acceptance 50% or Lower
Symptom: Majority of offers declined
Root cause:
- Salary too low (competing offers higher)
- Process too slow (candidates accept other offers)
- Misaligned expectations (role different than expected)
- Bad candidate experience
Fix: Increase salary to market, speed up timeline, better role preview
Red Flag 4: Quality of Hire 70% or Lower (12-month retention)
Symptom: High turnover in first year
Root cause:
- Wrong hiring criteria (technical skills but not culture fit)
- Bad onboarding (no support first 90 days)
- Wrong role fit (job different than expected)
- Bad management (new hire’s manager is issue)
Fix: Improve interview assessment, onboarding, role clarity, manager training
Key Takeaways
-
Measure everything. What you measure, you improve.
-
Time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, quality-of-hire. These 3 drive profitability.
-
Malaysia benchmarks: 6-8 week time-to-hire, RM 20K-35K cost-per-hire, 85%+ retention
-
Dashboard required. Monthly tracking shows progress vs. targets.
-
Quality > Speed. Better to take 10 weeks and hire right than 4 weeks and hire wrong.
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Offer acceptance is critical. 50% acceptance = double the interviews needed.
-
Source effectiveness varies. Referrals best quality, job boards lowest. Optimize mix.
-
Bad hires are expensive. Every percentage improvement in quality-of-hire saves RM 430K+ per bad hire prevented.
-
Recruiter efficiency shows process maturity. 2 placements/month = broken process. 6/month = optimized.
-
ROI calculation justifies investment. RM 1 spent on recruiting should return RM 6-7 in value.
About Weizhen Recruiters
Weizhen Recruiters helps companies optimize recruitment metrics and hiring processes.
We measure & improve:
- Time-to-hire (reduce by 30-40%)
- Cost-per-hire (reduce by 20-35%)
- Quality-of-hire (improve retention by 15-20%)
- Source effectiveness (identify best channels)
- Recruiter efficiency (increase placements 20-30%)
Results from our clients:
- Average time-to-hire: 45 days to 30 days (-33%)
- Average cost-per-hire: RM 35K to RM 22K (-37%)
- Quality of hire: 82% to 92% (+12%)
- Recruiter efficiency: 3.2 to 5.1 placements/month (+59%)
Services:
- Recruitment audit (current state assessment)
- KPI dashboard setup
- Process optimization
- Recruiting team training
- Full-service hiring support
Or book a free consultation to assess your recruiting metrics.