recruit

Recruit is used as both a verb and a noun. As a verb, it means to attract, evaluate, and select individuals for a job, a project, or a military unit. As a noun, a recruit is a person who has recently joined a military force or an organization. The term traces to Latin roots and entered English through Old French, conveying the idea of replenishing the ranks.

Recruitment covers the activities that identify and attract candidates, assess their fit, and finalize hires. Core steps typically include job analysis, sourcing, screening, interviewing, selecting, and onboarding. Organizations may recruit internally or externally, using direct hires, recruiters, job ads, and agencies. Increasingly, recruitment relies on digital channels, employer branding, and data-driven screening to reach diverse pools while complying with equal opportunity and privacy laws.

In military contexts, recruiters must meet enlistment targets and eligibility criteria. In business, recruitment is a function of human resources and workforce planning. In sports and entertainment, scouts and agents locate talent for teams or productions. Across domains, recruitment emphasizes candidate experience and timely hiring.

Key measures include time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, and the quality of hire. Common challenges are talent shortages, competition for skilled workers, bias in screening, and maintaining candidate engagement. Technology such as applicant tracking systems and AI-assisted screening shapes practice, alongside ethical and legal considerations.