By David Deady
Stepping into the world of recruitment? Let’s decode the acronyms and jargon that’ll soon be flying around your inbox.
What is a Req in Recruiting?
Every industry has its own language – but recruiting? It can feel like a different dialect entirely.
Reqs. Funnels. Sourcers. QITA (is that even a word?). If you’ve just started your recruiting career – or moved into a talent team for the first time – you’ve likely heard a few of these terms and nodded politely, unsure what half of them actually mean. Don’t worry. You’re not alone.
Inspired by our very own Irene Villar’s recruiting jargon buster course on the SocialTalent platform, this article will walk you through the foundational terms every new recruiter needs to know. You’ll learn what they mean, when to use them, and why they matter – so you can show up confident, informed, and ready to talk the talk.
7 Key Recruiting Terms You’ll Hear in Week One
If you’re new to recruiting, these are some of the first terms you’ll hear in team meetings, hiring updates, and day-to-day conversations. Getting comfortable with them early will make it easier to follow the process, ask better questions, and build confidence quickly.
1. Req (Job Requisition)
This is the internal job order that kicks off a hiring process. A req – short for job requisition – is “opened” when a hiring manager gets approval to recruit for a new role, and it’s “closed” once someone is hired.
Each req typically includes details like budget approval, headcount justification, and a requisition number used to track the role through the approval workflow.
“We’ve just opened a new req for a marketing coordinator.”
2. 360 Recruiter and Talent Acquisition
This type of recruiter handles everything from start to finish – taking the job brief, writing the ad, sourcing, screening, interviewing, and managing the offer.
This end-to-end ownership is often described as full lifecycle recruiting and typically sits within the broader talent acquisition function.
“As a 360 recruiter, you’re the single point of contact for the whole process.”
3. Sourcer
A specialist who focuses on finding talent (especially passive candidates), usually through platforms like LinkedIn. They start the outreach, then hand it over to the recruiter for the next steps.
“The sourcer already has a shortlist of potential profiles.”
4. Hiring Manager and Job Intake
The person in the business who’s hiring for a role. Often, the team leader or department head, the hiring manager is a key decision-maker – and a vital stakeholder for recruiters.
In practice, hiring managers are one of the most important stakeholders in hiring, because they help shape the brief, define success, and make the final hiring decision.
Before sourcing begins, recruiters typically run a job intake meeting with the hiring manager to align on must-haves, nice-to-haves, and success criteria for the role.
“Loop the hiring manager in before you move that candidate forward.”
5. Recruitment Funnel
This is the journey a candidate goes through, from first contact to hired. It visualizes how the pool narrows at each stage:
Sourced → Screened → Shortlisted → Interviewed → Offered → Hired
“Let’s check where candidates are dropping off in the funnel.”
6. Outbound vs. Inbound Recruiting
Outbound = You go find the talent (think sourcing, headhunting).
Inbound = They come to you (think job ads, careers sites).
“We’re not getting enough inbound – time to ramp up sourcing.”
7. QITA (Qualified, Interested, Trusted, Affordable)
Used to assess whether a candidate is genuinely viable. Do they meet the specs, want the job, align with the company, and fit within budget?
“This candidate is great, but not QITA – they’re way over salary range.”
What is an ATS and Why Does it Matter?
If there’s one acronym that deserves its own spotlight, it’s this one: ATS – short for Applicant Tracking System.
An ATS is the software used to manage the end-to-end recruitment process. Think of it as your digital HQ for everything candidate-related. It can:
- Host job listings
- Receive and store applications
- Track candidates through the funnel
- Collect interview feedback
- Automate emails and comms
- Integrate with HR and payroll systems
Some common ATS tools include Taleo, Workday, Greenhouse, and Workable.
Why ATS Adoption Still Takes Work
“An ATS boosts productivity and helps you make faster, better hiring decisions. It’s also a huge win for candidate experience.” — Irene Villar
But there’s a twist: not everyone loves using them. Hiring managers may prefer to give feedback over email or review CVs the “old school” way. You might need to advocate for the ATS – explaining how it streamlines communication, keeps candidate data secure, and speeds up the hiring process.
ATS vs. Recruitment CRM
A related tool you may also hear about is a recruitment CRM (Candidate Relationship Management system), which differs from an ATS in that it focuses on building and nurturing a talent pool of candidates before a role is even open.
Put simply, an ATS helps you manage active candidates once a job is live, while a recruitment CRM helps you build relationships with potential candidates before they apply. The ATS supports the hiring process in motion, while the CRM supports longer-term talent engagement and pipeline building.
More Recruiting Terms You’ll Hear in Your First Month
Think of these as the next layer of lingo you’ll likely come across:
Screening
This is the initial stage where a recruiter assesses whether a candidate meets basic criteria. Often done via phone or video.
“I’ve screened her and she’s ready for an interview.”
Note that recruiter screening is separate from pre-employment screening, which typically refers to formal background checks and employment verification that happen later in the process.
Shortlist
A curated list of candidates being seriously considered for interviews.
“We’ve sent the hiring manager a shortlist of three.”
Hiring Metrics – Time-to-Fill, Cost Per Hire, and More
A key metric that tracks how long it takes to fill a role from opening to offer. You may also hear related metrics like cost per hire and time to hire referenced in team meetings or hiring reviews.
“Our time-to-fill for engineering is creeping up – let’s look at the funnel.”
Passive Candidate
Someone not actively job-seeking but potentially open to the right opportunity. These are often the targets of outbound sourcing.
“This candidate wasn’t looking but took the call – that’s a great passive lead.”
EVP and Employer Brand
The unique mix of benefits, values, and culture that make your company attractive to candidates. EVP is closely linked to employer brand – if EVP is the promise a company makes to its people, employer brand is how that promise is perceived externally.
“Our EVP messaging isn’t landing with Gen Z talent – time for a refresh.”
Boolean Search
A structured search technique using operators like AND, OR, and NOT to narrow or broaden search results on platforms like LinkedIn, job boards, or ATS databases.
“Use a Boolean string like (“project manager” OR PM) AND Agile AND (“New York” OR Remote) to refine your search.”
Getting comfortable with Boolean search basics can make sourcing faster and help you surface better-matched candidates.
Candidate Experience (CX)
How a candidate perceives your company’s hiring process—from first touch to final decision. A strong candidate experience builds employer brand and boosts offer acceptance rates.
“Let’s tighten up our comms – candidate experience is taking a hit post-interview.”
Ghosting
When a candidate (or sometimes a recruiter or hiring manager) suddenly stops responding without explanation. Sadly common in fast-paced or high-volume hiring.
“He ghosted after the final interview – no reply, no feedback.”
Purple Squirrel
A (usually unrealistic) candidate who’s a perfect match for every requirement—skills, experience, culture fit. Often used humorously.
“The hiring manager wants a purple squirrel with AI experience and retail ops.”
Still Unsure? Ask. Every Recruiter Started Somewhere.
If this list still feels like a lot, don’t worry – you’re not expected to memorize every acronym overnight. The most important thing? Stay curious. Ask questions. Own your learning.
Every recruiter starts somewhere, and every recruiter has, at some point, quietly Googled “what does req mean?”
So next time a term catches you off guard, raise your hand. Or better yet – send them this article!
Want to learn more?
With SocialTalent’s recruiting training, new recruiters can build confidence faster, learn the language of hiring, and develop the skills that matter in real recruiting conversations. It’s a practical way to turn early learning into stronger day-to-day performance.
