Active candidate
An active candidate is currently looking for a new job, for example by reviewing job ads, submitting applications, or speaking with recruiters.
A description of present behaviour
Active describes a present search behaviour. A person may be reviewing job ads, updating a CV, sending applications, or taking calls about roles. It can change quickly. A candidate who is searching now may stop after accepting a role, and someone who was not searching may begin later.
The label does not describe employment status, seniority, capability, or the chance that someone will accept an offer. It also does not describe where a profile first entered an applicant tracking system.
How it changes the first contact
Active candidates are often visible through a job ad, a career page, or their own outreach. An incoming application means the first contact has already happened. It does not settle whether the person meets the role requirements; that belongs to screening.
Keep search behaviour separate from source. A job board records where a candidate came from. It does not prove why they are looking or how suitable they are.
Where the label loses value
The label becomes misleading when a team treats it as a quality or compensation signal. Confirm the person’s current interest in the conversation rather than inferring it from an old record or a reply to outreach. A passive person can reply to outreach without becoming an active job seeker.
What a team can observe
Applications, replies, and stage moves are observable events. Search intent is only reliable when the candidate has communicated it or confirmed it recently.