Job Applicant is a person who has expressed interest in a job and is seeking to enter into an employment relationship with a company, a potential employer. Typically, this is a person who:
- Responded to a job advertisement,
- Submitted their resume (CV), cover letter, or other document,
- Applied for a selection process,
- Is registered in the recruitment system (in the applicant tracking system) as interested in a specific position.
Applicant in practice
- A person becomes an applicant the moment they actively enter the recruitment process.
- An applicant is not yet an employee, but is a potential candidate for hire.
- In Aptien HR, an "applicant" can be a separate job applicant organizer with attached documentation, interview notes, evaluations, etc.
Distinction and Alternative Terms for Job Applicant
- Job seeker, job applicant – general terms for anyone looking for a job (even casually).
- Candidate – similar to "applicant," but often used for those who've made it to the interview stage.
- Potential candidate - someone the company is interested in hiring in the future