Active candidate
Definition
Someone who is looking for a job right now. They search job boards, set alerts and compare vacancies, so they're in a searching mood, not a scrolling one.
Aron VeraartUpdated An active candidate is a person who's already decided to find a new job. Maybe they're unemployed, maybe they're unhappy, maybe their contract is ending. Either way, they're typing things into job boards and Google, reading ads, and applying.
That changes how they read your ad. They're comparing. They've probably seen ten similar vacancies today, so they're scanning fast for the things that decide it: the title, the pay, the location, what the job actually is, and how much work it is to apply. A job board ad that's clear and complete works well for them.
The catch is that active candidates are only part of the market, and everyone else is fishing in that same small pond. If your whole plan is built around people who are searching, you're competing for the same people as every other employer, and you miss everyone who would switch but isn't looking. That's the passive side.
Example
A mechanic gets laid off when his garage closes. That evening he searches "mechanic jobs near me," opens six ads, and applies to the two that show the hourly rate and let him apply from his phone. He's an active candidate: he came to you, and you had about a minute to win him over against the other five.