Top 516 Recruitment Keywords: Search Volume, CPC and Trends (October 2026)

Recruitment keywords split by who is searching: employers and recruiters (agencies, ATS software, job posting sites, recruiter tools) and candidates (jobs, applications, interview tips). The agency and software terms carry the commercial value.

The list holds 516 keywords with a combined 52,626,360 searches a month. The most searched are indeed (37,200,000), monster (2,740,000), glassdoor (1,830,000), candidate relationship management (1,220,000), job alerts (823,000), personality tests (673,000), interview (450,000), employment (368,000), hiring (368,000) and interview questions (368,000).

Advertisers pay most for outplacement services ($11.00 a click), employee recognition programs ($7.47 a click), linkedin recruiting ($6.75 a click), recruitment funnel ($5.83 a click) and benefits packages ($5.78 a click). 52% of the keywords in the list cost $1 or more a click, which marks the commercial end of the niche.

Demand is steady through the year: across the list, the busiest and quietest months are within 1.3x of each other. The trend column shows each keyword's own twelve months.

Volumes are global monthly averages from Google; CPC is the top-of-page bid in US dollars; competition runs from 0 (few advertisers) to 1 (many). Last refreshed October 2026. For any other keyword, the free search volume checker gives the same numbers, and the Keywords Everywhere extension shows them inside Google as you search.

Showing 300 of 516

No	Keyword	Search volume	CPC	Competition
1	indeed	37,200,000	$0.16	0.05
2	monster	2,740,000	$0.01	0.42
3	glassdoor	1,830,000	$0.05	0.05
4	candidate relationship management	1,220,000	$1.22	0.31
5	job alerts	823,000	$0.15	0.00
6	personality tests	673,000	$0.05	0.38
7	interview	450,000	$0.13	0.01
8	employment	368,000	$0.20	0.03
9	hiring	368,000	$0.38	0.09
10	interview questions	368,000	$0.01	0.05
11	soft skills	301,000	$0.01	0.08
12	erecruitment	246,000	$0.27	0.01
13	downsizing	201,000	$0.05	0.00
14	job search	201,000	$0.16	0.37
15	job vacancies	201,000	$0.01	0.07
16	salary negotiation	201,000	$0.01	0.00
17	work permits	201,000	$0.27	0.04
18	critical roles	201,000	$0.54	0.14
19	employee portals	201,000	$1.91	0.01
20	negotiating salaries	201,000	$0.01	0.00
21	human capital management	165,000	$1.40	0.06
22	staffing agency	165,000	$0.88	0.26
23	aptitude tests	135,000	$0.26	0.20
24	career opportunities	110,000	$0.20	0.02
25	employee resource groups	110,000	$0.30	0.01
26	hiring managers	110,000	$0.43	0.17
27	job description	110,000	$0.25	0.01
28	credit checks	90,500	$1.41	0.67
29	job seekers	90,500	$0.04	0.21
30	recruitment agencies	90,500	$0.48	0.38
31	recruitment agency	90,500	$0.48	0.38
32	skill assessment	90,500	$0.32	0.13
33	skills assessment	90,500	$0.32	0.13
34	staffing	90,500	$0.62	0.11
35	crosstraining	90,500	$0.27	0.23
36	employee value proposition	74,000	$1.16	0.05
37	employer value proposition	74,000	$1.16	0.05
38	human capital	74,000	$0.30	0.02
39	job fairs	74,000	$0.23	0.10
40	job postings	74,000	$0.38	0.21
41	psychometric testing	74,000	$0.10	0.26
42	offer letters	74,000	$1.61	0.05
43	employee net promoter score	60,500	$0.71	0.05
44	gig workers	60,500	$0.84	0.13
45	job boards	60,500	$0.41	0.44
46	right to work	60,500	$0.92	0.03
47	probation periods	60,500	$0.74	0.00
48	applicant tracking	49,500	$1.27	0.43
49	applicant tracking system	49,500	$1.27	0.43
50	fair labor standards act	49,500	$1.07	0.01
51	hiring manager	49,500	$0.30	0.07
52	job advertisements	40,500	$0.24	0.13
53	job advertising	40,500	$0.24	0.13
54	job market	40,500	$0.12	0.06
55	employment branding	33,100	$1.30	0.23
56	employment contract	33,100	$2.18	0.20
57	employment contracts	33,100	$2.18	0.20
58	equal employment opportunity	33,100	$1.60	0.02
59	hr consulting	33,100	$1.41	0.19
60	job openings	33,100	$0.15	0.10
61	performance appraisal	33,100	$1.11	0.04
62	talent pool	33,100	$0.78	0.05
63	job simulations	33,100	$0.04	0.01
64	apprenticeship programs	27,100	$2.29	0.31
65	career fairs	27,100	$0.60	0.08
66	phone screening	27,100	$0.16	0.08
67	temporary staffing	27,100	$0.71	0.06
68	assessment centers	27,100	$0.43	0.10
69	it recruitment	22,200	$1.08	0.24
70	job applications	22,200	$0.56	0.29
71	job offers	22,200	$0.07	0.13
72	recruitment crm	22,200	$0.46	0.21
73	employee handbook	18,100	$5.19	0.18
74	employee recognition programs	18,100	$7.47	0.07
75	employment agencies	18,100	$0.52	0.30
76	job shadowing	18,100	$0.31	0.01
77	labor market	18,100	$0.19	0.02
78	career pathing	14,800	$0.91	0.06
79	employee turnover	14,800	$1.02	0.01
80	employee turnover rates	14,800	$0.35	0.01
81	employment verification	14,800	$2.28	0.12
82	internship programs	14,800	$0.03	0.08
83	job analysis	14,800	$0.34	0.02
84	panel interviews	14,800	$0.03	0.00
85	recruitment process	14,800	$0.94	0.02
86	staffing solutions	14,800	$1.05	0.20
87	talent acquisition specialist	14,800	$0.36	0.07
88	talent scouting	14,800	$1.09	0.04
89	career ladders	14,800	$1.06	0.00
90	ai in recruitment	12,100	$1.78	0.30
91	executive search	12,100	$1.48	0.36
92	hr certifications	12,100	$1.78	0.58
93	job portals	12,100	$0.04	0.42
94	job requirements	12,100	$0.01	0.05
95	reference checks	12,100	$0.29	0.16
96	artificial intelligence in recruitment	12,100	$1.78	0.30
97	employee engagement surveys	9,900	$2.96	0.14
98	equal pay	9,900	$0.77	0.10
99	flexible staffing	9,900	$1.13	0.08
100	gender diversity	9,900	$0.64	0.04
101	government recruitment	9,900	$0.00	0.02
102	headhunting	9,900	$0.80	0.22
103	hr analytics	9,900	$0.37	0.29
104	hr policies	9,900	$0.14	0.07
105	hr technology	9,900	$0.97	0.22
106	interviewing	9,900	$0.13	0.01
107	job matching	9,900	$0.29	0.13
108	job placements	9,900	$0.01	0.13
109	job rotation	9,900	$0.06	0.01
110	psychometric assessments	9,900	$0.10	0.33
111	recruitment consultant	9,900	$0.93	0.20
112	recruitment consultants	9,900	$0.93	0.20
113	job rotations	9,900	$0.06	0.01
114	cognitive ability tests	8,100	$0.13	0.18
115	employee lifecycle	8,100	$2.53	0.07
116	employee rights	8,100	$0.75	0.12
117	employment opportunities	8,100	$0.15	0.07
118	job enrichment	8,100	$0.34	0.00
119	staff augmentation	8,100	$2.40	0.12
120	temporary workers	8,100	$0.24	0.17
121	work authorization	8,100	$0.70	0.01
122	assessment tools	6,600	$2.10	0.06
123	background screening	6,600	$2.52	0.26
124	employer reviews	6,600	$0.62	0.02
125	equal opportunity employer	6,600	$2.89	0.11
126	job evaluation	6,600	$1.76	0.05
127	osha regulations	6,600	$1.14	0.09
128	personality assessments	6,600	$0.45	0.23
129	remote recruitment	6,600	$0.03	0.22
130	sourcing strategies	6,600	$0.67	0.13
131	structured interviews	6,600	$1.00	0.01
132	video interviewing	6,600	$2.00	0.06
133	video interviews	6,600	$2.00	0.06
134	job evaluations	6,600	$1.76	0.05
135	career progression	5,400	$1.29	0.01
136	education recruitment	5,400	$0.62	0.03
137	employee morale	5,400	$1.48	0.02
138	employee wellness programs	5,400	$0.98	0.25
139	hr compliance	5,400	$1.04	0.21
140	interview process	5,400	$0.26	0.02
141	interview scheduling	5,400	$3.03	0.05
142	job sharing	5,400	$0.14	0.01
143	legal recruitment	5,400	$1.32	0.19
144	recruitment software	5,400	$4.35	0.45
145	relocation assistance	5,400	$2.40	0.29
146	application process	4,400	$0.39	0.00
147	diversity management	4,400	$1.18	0.15
148	employee referral	4,400	$3.58	0.03
149	employee referrals	4,400	$3.58	0.03
150	executive recruitment	4,400	$1.61	0.34
151	freelance hiring	4,400	$0.48	0.41
152	global recruitment	4,400	$1.22	0.19
153	hiring process	4,400	$2.04	0.03
154	interview techniques	4,400	$0.03	0.12
155	job enlargement	4,400	$0.00	0.00
156	job placement services	4,400	$0.46	0.18
157	recruitment outsourcing	4,400	$2.57	0.08
158	recruitment process outsourcing	4,400	$2.57	0.08
159	recruitment specialist	4,400	$1.03	0.07
160	talent mapping	4,400	$0.15	0.29
161	online assessments	4,400	$0.45	0.14
162	background verification	3,600	$0.44	0.38
163	behavioral interview	3,600	$0.01	0.08
164	cultural fit	3,600	$0.02	0.02
165	diversity hiring	3,600	$0.00	0.00
166	employee appreciation	3,600	$2.16	0.49
167	recruitment advertising	3,600	$0.85	0.10
168	recruitment coordinator	3,600	$0.25	0.05
169	salary benchmarking	3,600	$2.08	0.32
170	skill gap analysis	3,600	$1.87	0.22
171	work samples	3,600	$3.22	0.00
172	job requisitions	3,600	$3.67	0.02
173	parttime employment	3,600	$0.17	0.13
174	recruitment coordination	3,600	$0.25	0.05
175	technical interviews	3,600	$0.48	0.03
176	alumni networks	2,900	$0.99	0.08
177	behavioral assessments	2,900	$0.61	0.10
178	benefits packages	2,900	$5.78	0.03
179	competency framework	2,900	$2.16	0.17
180	employee branding	2,900	$1.40	0.16
181	employee development	2,900	$1.57	0.06
182	employee monitoring	2,900	$1.15	0.21
183	employee onboarding	2,900	$4.19	0.14
184	employment laws	2,900	$2.06	0.26
185	internal recruitment	2,900	$1.40	0.01
186	linkedin recruiting	2,900	$6.75	0.35
187	minimum wage laws	2,900	$0.70	0.01
188	outplacement services	2,900	$11.00	0.49
189	recruitment manager	2,900	$0.45	0.08
190	strategic workforce planning	2,900	$3.01	0.43
191	time to hire	2,900	$1.75	0.23
192	candidate experience	2,400	$1.94	0.09
193	career transition	2,400	$1.01	0.07
194	compensation packages	2,400	$2.14	0.02
195	competency mapping	2,400	$0.60	0.08
196	construction recruitment	2,400	$0.79	0.23
197	employee attrition	2,400	$0.06	0.01
198	employee empowerment	2,400	$1.00	0.04
199	employee referral programs	2,400	$4.67	0.09
200	engineering recruitment	2,400	$0.91	0.25
201	finance recruitment	2,400	$1.03	0.19
202	interview feedback	2,400	$2.46	0.01
203	job distribution	2,400	$0.24	0.11
204	online recruitment	2,400	$0.60	0.15
205	pay equity	2,400	$2.13	0.08
206	recruitment strategies	2,400	$1.28	0.14
207	recruitment strategy	2,400	$1.28	0.14
208	recruitment technology	2,400	$2.20	0.24
209	salary surveys	2,400	$0.67	0.33
210	strategic recruitment	2,400	$1.28	0.14
211	virtual career fairs	2,400	$1.63	0.19
212	applicant management	2,400	$1.31	0.12
213	job leveling	2,400	$0.65	0.01
214	automation in recruitment	1,900	$1.33	0.24
215	campus recruitment	1,900	$1.67	0.02
216	contract staffing	1,900	$2.81	0.06
217	diversity training	1,900	$1.86	0.19
218	employee wellbeing	1,900	$1.65	0.22
219	independent contractors	1,900	$2.99	0.06
220	job families	1,900	$0.37	0.04
221	niche job boards	1,900	$0.36	0.50
222	recruitment automation	1,900	$1.33	0.24
223	recruitment marketing	1,900	$4.36	0.31
224	recruitment metrics	1,900	$0.40	0.14
225	recruitment platforms	1,900	$2.03	0.57
226	recruitment training	1,900	$1.22	0.20
227	remote hiring	1,900	$0.13	0.36
228	resume parsing	1,900	$0.30	0.20
229	talent acquisition strategy	1,900	$0.92	0.04
230	talent acquisition team	1,900	$0.83	0.14
231	talent acquisition teams	1,900	$0.83	0.14
232	talent identification	1,900	$0.80	0.03
233	mass hiring	1,900	$0.05	0.05
234	talent networks	1,900	$0.19	0.13
235	active sourcing	1,600	$4.71	0.28
236	career sites	1,600	$0.22	0.30
237	compensation strategy	1,600	$2.91	0.06
238	employee feedback	1,600	$0.47	0.04
239	employee perks	1,600	$2.05	0.23
240	external recruitment	1,600	$2.31	0.03
241	hr shared services	1,600	$3.44	0.15
242	permanent staffing	1,600	$3.27	0.01
243	recruitment tools	1,600	$3.03	0.46
244	relocation packages	1,600	$0.91	0.07
245	resume screening	1,600	$0.04	0.25
246	sales recruitment	1,600	$2.19	0.29
247	seasonal hiring	1,600	$0.36	0.07
248	social media recruiting	1,600	$4.47	0.36
249	social media recruitment	1,600	$4.47	0.36
250	social recruiting	1,600	$4.28	0.39
251	talent analytics	1,600	$3.27	0.30
252	talent communities	1,600	$0.34	0.08
253	university recruiting	1,600	$0.26	0.02
254	veteran hiring	1,600	$1.21	0.41
255	preemployment testing	1,600	$1.70	0.14
256	recruitment dashboards	1,600	$0.49	0.22
257	recruitment funnel	1,600	$5.83	0.15
258	recruitment partnerships	1,600	$1.25	0.12
259	remote teams	1,600	$0.81	0.07
260	talent pipelines	1,600	$1.82	0.07
261	work simulations	1,600	$1.17	0.01
262	contract hiring	1,300	$0.87	0.56
263	equal opportunity employment	1,300	$2.00	0.10
264	healthcare recruitment	1,300	$1.00	0.26
265	international recruitment	1,300	$0.39	0.29
266	job classification	1,300	$2.13	0.01
267	recruitment events	1,300	$1.21	0.12
268	returnship programs	1,300	$0.77	0.08
269	skill shortages	1,300	$0.52	0.01
270	workforce diversity	1,300	$0.12	0.01
271	talent reviews	1,300	$2.75	0.10
272	chatbot recruiting	1,000	$4.42	0.02
273	chatbots in recruitment	1,000	$4.42	0.02
274	cost per hire	1,000	$1.65	0.09
275	education verification	1,000	$1.75	0.06
276	employer branding strategies	1,000	$0.44	0.17
277	employer branding strategy	1,000	$0.44	0.17
278	employer of choice	1,000	$3.38	0.12
279	employment screening	1,000	$2.75	0.06
280	equity compensation	1,000	$5.04	0.14
281	global talent acquisition	1,000	$0.81	0.20
282	job specifications	1,000	$0.00	0.01
283	marketing recruitment	1,000	$0.96	0.44
284	pipeline development	1,000	$3.00	0.02
285	realistic job previews	1,000	$1.77	0.03
286	recruitment challenges	1,000	$1.33	0.06
287	recruitment policies	1,000	$2.95	0.06
288	recruitment policy	1,000	$2.95	0.06
289	recruitment videos	1,000	$3.56	0.19
290	talent acquisition software	1,000	$3.48	0.11
291	talent retention	1,000	$2.60	0.09
292	talent sourcing	1,000	$2.41	0.18
293	candidate journey	1,000	$2.70	0.19
294	behavioral interviewing	880	$0.02	0.11
295	behavioral interviews	880	$0.02	0.11
296	diversity recruiting	880	$2.59	0.09
297	diversity recruitment	880	$2.59	0.09
298	glassdoor ratings	880	$0.05	0.01
299	graduate recruitment	880	$0.43	0.19
300	hospitality recruitment	880	$0.79	0.32