The number of applicants per hire is a measure of how many people apply for a job, on average, before one is hired. This number can be used to gauge the competitiveness of a job market, as well as the effectiveness of a company's recruiting efforts.

The number of applicants per hire can be calculated by dividing the total number of applicants for a given job by the number of hires made. For example, if a company received 1,000 applications for a job and made 100 hires, the number of applicants per hire would be 10.

This metric is useful for companies because it can help them to assess the effectiveness of their recruiting efforts. If a company is receiving a large number of applications per hire, it may be an indication that their job postings are reaching a large number of people. Conversely, if a company is receiving a small number of applications per hire, it may be an indication that their job postings are not reaching as many people as they could be.

The number of applicants per hire can also be used to gauge the competitiveness of a job market. In a market where there are more jobs than applicants, the number of applicants per hire will be lower. In a market where there are more applicants than jobs, the number of applicants per hire will be higher.