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SHRM-CP practice questions

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Question 1People

Which outcome best describes the primary purpose of a job analysis?

  1. It documents the tasks, duties, and required competencies that support HR decisions such as hiring and pay. Correct answer.
  2. It forecasts how many workers the organization will need in future years.
  3. It sets the organization's overall compensation budget for the year.
  4. It rates each employee's performance against annual goals.

Explanation

Job analysis is the systematic collection of information about the content of a job and the worker characteristics needed to perform it. Its outputs, the job description and job specification, feed selection, training, performance standards, and compensation. The other activities rely on forecasts or appraisals rather than on job content data.

Question 2People

Which practice is most likely to improve a new hire's first 90 days?

  1. Waiting until the probationary period ends before assigning a mentor
  2. Delaying performance feedback until the first annual review
  3. Restricting system access until all training modules are complete
  4. Pairing structured orientation with early meaningful work and a designated buddy Correct answer.

Explanation

Effective onboarding accelerates time to productivity by clarifying expectations, building social networks, and giving newcomers real work early. Structured orientation plus a buddy addresses both information needs and socialization. Withholding access, feedback, or mentoring prolongs the adjustment period.

Question 3People

Immediately after a workshop, participants are asked to rate the relevance of the content and the effectiveness of the facilitator. Which level of training evaluation is being measured?

  1. Results
  2. Behavior
  3. Reaction Correct answer.
  4. Learning

Explanation

In the four-level evaluation model, reaction captures participants' affective response to the training experience itself. Learning measures knowledge or skill gain, behavior measures on-the-job application, and results measure organizational outcomes. Satisfaction and relevance ratings belong to the reaction level.

Question 4People

A compa-ratio compares an employee's actual pay to which reference point?

  1. The lowest rate in the pay range
  2. The midpoint of the pay range Correct answer.
  3. The market 75th percentile for the job
  4. The average pay of peers in the same department

Explanation

Compa-ratio is calculated by dividing actual base pay by the midpoint of the assigned pay range. A value of 1.00 means the employee is paid exactly at midpoint, while values below or above indicate position within the range. It is a structural measure, not a peer comparison or a market percentile.

Question 5People

Which feature distinguishes a structured interview from an unstructured one?

  1. The panel is made up of peers rather than the hiring manager.
  2. Questions are chosen mainly to assess whether the candidate fits the culture.
  3. All candidates receive the same job-related questions and are scored with a common guide. Correct answer.
  4. The interviewer follows up freely on whatever topics the candidate raises.

Explanation

Structured interviews standardize both the questions asked and the scoring criteria across candidates. This consistency improves reliability and predictive validity and reduces the influence of irrelevant impressions. Free-form follow-ups and improvised questions are hallmarks of the unstructured approach.

Question 6People

A unit began the year with 500 employees and ended with 480; 60 employees separated during the year. What is the annual turnover rate?

  1. 12.2% Correct answer.
  2. 13.0%
  3. 12.0%
  4. 12.5%

Explanation

Turnover rate equals separations divided by average headcount, multiplied by 100. Average headcount is (500 + 480) / 2 = 490, so 60 / 490 = 12.2%. Using beginning or ending headcount alone as the denominator produces the other answer choices.

Question 7People

An employer value proposition is best described as which of the following?

  1. The legal terms of employment stated in the offer letter
  2. The recruiting slogan used in job advertisements
  3. The pay band assigned to each job family and level
  4. The total set of rewards, culture, and opportunities an employer offers in exchange for employee contribution Correct answer.

Explanation

The employer value proposition articulates the complete deal an employer offers: pay, benefits, work environment, culture, and growth opportunities. It is a substantive promise that must be supported by the actual employee experience. A slogan or an offer letter term captures only a fragment of it.

Question 8People

What is the purpose of a vesting schedule for employer retirement contributions?

  1. It requires employees to retire once they reach a set age.
  2. It guarantees employees a minimum annual return on their retirement savings.
  3. It indexes retirement benefits to inflation each year.
  4. It makes employer-funded contributions conditional on a specified period of service. Correct answer.

Explanation

Vesting gives employees ownership of employer contributions over time, usually through cliff or graded schedules. Because unvested amounts can be forfeited on departure, vesting serves as a retention mechanism. Employees' own contributions are generally vested immediately.

Question 9People

A training needs assessment has already confirmed a company-wide gap in data literacy and has drafted learning objectives. What should be determined next to decide who actually attends the training?

  1. Whether the training supports the business strategy
  2. Which individuals currently lack the required competencies Correct answer.
  3. Whether the training budget covers the planned course
  4. Which tasks the target job requires and in what order

Explanation

Needs assessment operates at three levels: organizational, task, and person. With the strategic gap and the task content already established, person analysis identifies which employees have the deficiency and therefore need the intervention. Skipping this step risks training people who already meet the standard.

Question 10People

A requisition drew 200 applicants, 50 of whom were interviewed; 10 received offers and 8 were hired. Which calculation represents the yield ratio from applicants to interviewed?

  1. 10 ÷ 50 = 20%
  2. 8 ÷ 200 = 4%
  3. 50 ÷ 200 = 25% Correct answer.
  4. 200 ÷ 50 = 4.0

Explanation

A yield ratio expresses the percentage of candidates at one stage who advance to the next, so it is the later-stage count divided by the earlier-stage count. Applicants to interviewed is therefore 50 ÷ 200 = 25%. Ratios such as hires divided by applicants describe selection rate instead.

Question 11People

A distribution center has heavy first-year turnover among order pickers, who report being surprised by the pace and the cold working conditions. Which recruiting change addresses the root cause most directly?

  1. Raising the starting wage above the local market
  2. Shortening the online application to reduce abandonment
  3. Adding a signing bonus paid after ninety days
  4. Providing realistic job information during recruitment, including pace and working conditions Correct answer.

Explanation

A realistic job preview gives candidates accurate information about both attractive and unattractive aspects of the role, allowing informed self-selection and reducing unmet expectations after hire. The problem described is a mismatch of expectations, not of pay or application effort. Pay interventions would not change the daily experience that drives the exits.

Question 12People

Which activity is the core of succession planning for a critical finance role?

  1. Identifying and developing a ready bench of internal candidates for critical roles Correct answer.
  2. Outsourcing the function to a staffing agency on a contract basis
  3. Posting the role externally each time the position becomes vacant
  4. Documenting the retiring executive's daily tasks in detail

Explanation

Succession planning builds a pipeline of capable internal replacements for pivotal positions through talent review, targeted development, and readiness assessment. Its distinguishing feature is proactive development of candidates before a vacancy occurs. Documenting tasks or relying on external replacements is contingency staffing rather than succession.

Question 13People

Which set of elements best reflects a total rewards approach?

  1. Compensation, benefits, work-life effectiveness, recognition, and development opportunities Correct answer.
  2. Salary benchmarking and market pricing
  3. Bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing
  4. Base pay, health insurance, and statutory benefits

Explanation

Total rewards deliberately integrates pay, benefits, work-life programs, performance recognition, and career development into one value proposition. The approach recognizes that employees are attracted and retained by more than cash. The other options describe isolated pay components or analytic practices.

Question 14People

Why might a company add a performance bonus on top of base pay instead of raising base salaries by the same amount?

  1. Bonuses tie cost to results and do not permanently raise fixed payroll Correct answer.
  2. Bonuses always improve engagement more than base pay increases do
  3. Bonuses remove the need to maintain a salary structure
  4. Bonuses are exempt from employer payroll taxes

Explanation

Variable pay is contingent and self-funding: payouts occur when performance targets are met and can be adjusted in weak years. Base pay increases, by contrast, are permanent and compound through future merit and benefit calculations. This distinction makes variable pay a cost-control and performance-alignment tool.

Question 15People

Which design choice best supports transfer of training back to the job?

  1. Assessing participants only with end-of-course knowledge tests
  2. Combining realistic practice during training with manager coaching afterward Correct answer.
  3. Limiting practice to instructor demonstrations
  4. Delivering all content in a single full-day session

Explanation

Transfer depends on practicing tasks that closely resemble the job, plus a work environment that reinforces and permits the new behavior. Supervisor support and follow-up coaching are among the strongest predictors of on-the-job application. Front-loaded content and knowledge tests alone rarely produce sustained behavior change.

Question 16People

A company needs a rare machine-learning specialist for a product line launching in eight weeks, and no current employee has the skill. Which sourcing approach fits best?

  1. Fill the role through an internal job posting open to all employees
  2. Target external recruitment for the specialty while building internal capability over time Correct answer.
  3. Promote a high-potential engineer and rely on on-the-job learning
  4. Delay the launch until a tuition reimbursement program produces the skill

Explanation

A short time frame combined with an absent internal skill base makes external sourcing the only viable near-term option. A parallel build strategy reduces future dependence on a scarce market. Relying on internal development alone cannot close a capability gap within eight weeks.

Question 17People

A pay range for a job runs from $40,000 to $60,000. What is the range spread?

  1. 50% Correct answer.
  2. 20%
  3. 33%
  4. 150%

Explanation

Range spread equals the maximum minus the minimum, divided by the minimum. Here ($60,000 - $40,000) / $40,000 = 50%. Spread indicates how much pay opportunity exists within the grade and typically widens for higher-level or more variable jobs.

Question 18People

A company spent $120,000 on recruiting in a year, covering advertising, agency fees, recruiter salaries, and referral bonuses, and made 30 hires. What is the cost per hire?

  1. $4,800
  2. $3,600
  3. $4,000 Correct answer.
  4. $12,000

Explanation

Cost per hire divides total recruiting costs by the number of hires made in the same period. Here $120,000 / 30 = $4,000. Including all recruiting-related spend makes the metric comparable across sources and periods.

Question 19People

An engagement survey shows low scores on career growth among high performers, who are leaving at twice the rate of other employees. Which action follows most directly from this evidence?

  1. Re-running the survey with additional items before taking action
  2. Raising base pay across all job families
  3. Building visible internal mobility and development paths for high performers Correct answer.
  4. Adding a company-wide calendar of social events

Explanation

When a specific driver is linked to a specific outcome in a specific segment, the response should target that driver for that group. Career growth scores paired with elevated high-performer turnover point to mobility and development as the lever. Broad initiatives unrelated to the identified driver dilute resources without addressing the cause.

Question 20People

What is the primary function of an individual development plan?

  1. Recording an employee's career goals, strengths, and agreed development actions Correct answer.
  2. Setting the annual merit increase percentage
  3. Replacing the annual performance appraisal form
  4. Documenting disciplinary actions and improvement timelines

Explanation

An individual development plan is a forward-looking document that links the employee's aspirations with assessed strengths and gaps, and commits to specific development actions. It complements rather than replaces performance appraisal, which evaluates past results. Discipline and merit budgeting are separate processes.

Question 21People

A selection procedure is passed by 60% of White applicants, 44% of Black applicants, and 50% of Hispanic applicants. Under the four-fifths rule, which statement is accurate?

  1. Adverse impact exists only if the overall pass rate falls below 50%
  2. Adverse impact cannot be assessed without a much larger applicant pool
  3. The Black applicant rate is below 80% of the highest rate, indicating adverse impact Correct answer.
  4. No group shows adverse impact because every rate exceeds 40%

Explanation

The four-fifths rule compares each group's selection rate with the rate of the highest-scoring group; a ratio below 0.80 signals adverse impact. The Black applicant ratio is 44 / 60 = 73%, which falls below the threshold, while the Hispanic ratio of 50 / 60 = 83% does not. Absolute pass rates are not the test.

Question 22People

A manufacturer projects a 15% shortfall in skilled maintenance technicians within two years. The local labor market is tight and a full apprenticeship takes three years. Which response is most appropriate?

  1. Delay action until the shortfall appears in the operating budget
  2. Reduce production levels to match the available workforce
  3. Rely solely on overtime from current technicians
  4. Blend external hiring and contractors now with an apprenticeship pipeline Correct answer.

Explanation

When the gap arrives before internal development can close it, workforce planning pairs a buy strategy for the near term with a build strategy for the long term. A blended approach covers the two-year exposure while reducing future scarcity. Single-mechanism responses either cannot close the gap in time or sacrifice capacity.

Question 23People

In a nine-box talent review, an employee is rated high on performance and low on potential. What is the typical interpretation?

  1. An employee who should be placed on a performance improvement plan
  2. A strong contributor in the current role who is best retained through role enrichment Correct answer.
  3. A new hire who should not yet receive a rating
  4. A candidate ready for promotion within the next year

Explanation

The nine-box grid separates current performance from assessed potential, so high performance with low potential identifies a proven specialist rather than a future leader. Retaining these employees usually involves enriching the current role, recognition, and expertise-based career paths. Promoting them into management can remove them from the work they do well.

Question 24People

A company's merit matrix awards its largest increases to employees rated 'exceeds' regardless of their position in the pay range, and after three years most high performers sit above the range maximum. What is the most likely consequence?

  1. Pay compression across the organization will be reduced
  2. Internal equity will improve automatically
  3. High performers will end up paid below the external market
  4. Payroll costs rise without a matching performance gain and the range loses credibility Correct answer.

Explanation

Sound pay-for-performance design combines performance rating with position in the range, so that employees near the maximum receive lump sums or smaller permanent increases. Ignoring range position pushes strong performers past the maximum, creating red-circle rates and compounding fixed cost. The result is cost drift without a proportionate return.

Question 25People

Training on a new CRM system produced strong post-course test scores, but six months later sales representatives are still using the old process. Which factor best explains this result?

  1. The training included too little lecture time
  2. The course content was not learned by participants
  3. Managers and system access did not support the new process after training Correct answer.
  4. The knowledge test was invalid and should be discarded

Explanation

Strong post-course scores indicate learning occurred, so the breakdown is at the behavior level, where transfer climate governs application. Supervisor reinforcement, tools, and the opportunity to perform determine whether new skills are used on the job. Absent that support, learning decays regardless of course quality.

Question 26People

Which interview approach asks every candidate the same predetermined questions in the same order and scores answers against a common rating scale?

  1. Group interview
  2. Stress interview
  3. Unstructured panel interview
  4. Structured interview Correct answer.

Explanation

A structured interview standardizes both the questions and the scoring criteria, which reduces interviewer bias and improves reliability and predictive validity. Panel, stress, and group labels describe who participates or the tone of the questioning rather than standardization.

Question 27People

Which conversation is designed to learn why valued employees stay and what might cause them to leave?

  1. Skip-level meeting
  2. Pulse survey
  3. Stay interview Correct answer.
  4. Exit interview

Explanation

A stay interview is conducted with current employees to learn what keeps them engaged and what might prompt them to leave, so HR can act before a resignation. Exit interviews occur after the decision to leave, and pulse surveys are broad, periodic measures rather than a targeted conversation.

Question 28People

A distribution company has never documented the duties, tools, and required qualifications of its warehouse roles. Which activity should HR complete first so that job descriptions and pay grades rest on accurate information?

  1. Conducting job analysis Correct answer.
  2. Drafting interview guides
  3. Reviewing performance ratings
  4. Market pricing against local warehouses

Explanation

Job analysis is the systematic gathering of information about duties, tasks, tools, and required worker characteristics; it is the foundation for job descriptions, job specifications, and job evaluation. Market pricing, performance ratings, and interview guides all depend on knowing the job's content first.

Question 29People

An employee is paid $52,000 and the midpoint of the pay range for the job is $50,000. What does a compa-ratio of 1.04 indicate?

  1. Pay is slightly above the midpoint Correct answer.
  2. The employee is paid at the range minimum
  3. The employee's pay exceeds the range maximum
  4. The employee is paid below the midpoint

Explanation

Compa-ratio equals salary divided by range midpoint, so $52,000 divided by $50,000 is 1.04, meaning pay is 4% above midpoint. A ratio above 1.00 indicates pay above midpoint, and only a salary above the maximum would exceed the range.

Question 30People

At which level of training evaluation does an HR team measure whether participants found the program relevant, engaging, and useful?

  1. Results
  2. Learning
  3. Reaction Correct answer.
  4. Behavior

Explanation

In Kirkpatrick's model, reaction is Level 1 and captures participants' satisfaction and perceived relevance. Learning measures knowledge and skill gains, behavior measures on-the-job application, and results measure organizational outcomes.

Question 31People

A firm wants most leadership development to occur through challenging assignments, supplemented by mentoring and a smaller amount of formal coursework. Which model matches this design?

  1. Kirkpatrick's four levels
  2. ADDIE
  3. Bloom's taxonomy
  4. The 70-20-10 model Correct answer.

Explanation

The 70-20-10 model holds that roughly 70% of development comes from challenging on-the-job experience, 20% from relationships such as mentoring and feedback, and 10% from formal courses. The other options are instructional design or evaluation frameworks.

Question 32People

Which practice is most likely to improve a new hire's productivity and retention during the first 90 days?

  1. A single orientation day with no follow-up
  2. Training deferred until probation ends
  3. Milestones with an assigned buddy Correct answer.
  4. A handbook mailed before the start date

Explanation

A structured onboarding plan with milestones and a buddy accelerates socialization, clarifies expectations, and reduces early turnover. A single orientation day, delayed training, or a mailed handbook leaves the new hire without the support and feedback that drive early productivity.

Question 33People

An employee referral program produces fast, high-quality hires, but the workforce it generates remains largely homogeneous. What is the most appropriate HR response?

  1. Eliminate the referral program entirely
  2. Keep referrals but broaden sourcing channels Correct answer.
  3. Lower referral bonuses to reduce volume
  4. Restrict referrals to executive openings

Explanation

Referral programs draw from employees' existing networks, which can reproduce the current demographic profile; adding other sourcing channels broadens reach while retaining referral strengths. Eliminating referrals, cutting bonuses, or limiting them to executives does not address the homogeneity.

Question 34People

A plant wants to reward all production employees when they reduce scrap and raise output per labor hour, using a formula tied to plant-level results. Which plan fits best?

  1. Stock options
  2. Individual commission
  3. Gainsharing Correct answer.
  4. Profit sharing

Explanation

Gainsharing shares the financial gains from measurable improvements in productivity, quality, or cost with the group that produced them, which suits plant-level results. Profit sharing depends on overall company profit, commissions reward individual sales, and stock options tie reward to share price.

Question 35People

What characterizes a defined contribution retirement plan?

  1. A set monthly benefit is guaranteed for the employee's lifetime
  2. Benefits are based on final salary
  3. The employer bears all investment risk
  4. Contributions are set; benefits depend on returns Correct answer.

Explanation

In a defined contribution plan, the employer commits to a specified contribution, such as a 401(k) match, and the retirement benefit depends on investment performance and the account balance. Investment risk sits with the employee, and no lifetime monthly benefit is guaranteed.

Question 36People

Which job evaluation method assigns points to compensable factors such as skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions to establish internal job worth?

  1. Market pricing
  2. Ranking method
  3. Point-factor method Correct answer.
  4. Classification method

Explanation

The point-factor method assigns points to compensable factors and sums them to rank jobs by internal worth, producing a defensible structure. Ranking orders jobs as a whole, classification slots jobs into predefined grades, and market pricing uses external survey data rather than internal factors.

Question 37People

What is the primary purpose of participating in a compensation survey?

  1. To document job duties
  2. To benchmark pay against the labor market Correct answer.
  3. To set individual merit increases for each employee
  4. To determine benefits eligibility

Explanation

Compensation surveys provide market data on pay levels and practices so an employer can position its ranges competitively for a defined labor market. Merit increases, benefits eligibility, and job documentation are handled through other processes.

Question 38People

An interviewer says, "Tell me about a time you resolved a disagreement with a coworker." Which type of question is this?

  1. Behavioral Correct answer.
  2. Situational
  3. Stress
  4. Hypothetical

Explanation

Behavioral questions ask about past experience on the premise that past behavior predicts future behavior. Situational and hypothetical questions pose a future scenario, and stress questions deliberately create pressure.

Question 39People

A requisition is approved on January 10, an offer is accepted on February 20, and the employee starts on March 1. Measured from requisition approval to offer acceptance, what is the time to fill?

  1. 71 days
  2. 41 days Correct answer.
  3. 49 days
  4. 59 days

Explanation

Time to fill from requisition approval to offer acceptance runs from January 10 to February 20: 21 remaining days in January plus 20 days in February equals 41 days. Using the start date would add the notice period and extend the measure beyond offer acceptance.

Question 40People

An engagement survey shows a low score on recognition while all other drivers are strong. What should HR recommend first?

  1. Share results and build recognition action plans Correct answer.
  2. Re-survey employees to confirm the result
  3. Purchase a new recognition platform immediately
  4. Benchmark against competitors' engagement scores

Explanation

Survey results should be shared with employees and converted into focused action plans on the specific driver, because acting on results builds trust and improves engagement. Re-surveying, buying tools, or benchmarking without action does not address the identified issue.

Question 41People

Which relationship pairs a less experienced employee with a senior person who offers guidance, sponsorship, and career support?

  1. Job shadowing
  2. Mentoring Correct answer.
  3. Coaching
  4. Job rotation

Explanation

Mentoring provides career guidance, sponsorship, and psychosocial support from a more senior person. Coaching is typically short-term and skills-focused, while shadowing and rotation are work-based learning methods rather than a supportive relationship.

Question 42People

Which development method moves an employee through several roles over a defined period to build cross-functional knowledge?

  1. Job enrichment
  2. Job enlargement
  3. Job crafting
  4. Job rotation Correct answer.

Explanation

Job rotation moves an employee through a series of roles to build breadth and cross-functional understanding. Enlargement adds tasks, enrichment adds responsibility and autonomy, and crafting is employee-initiated redesign of one's own job.

Question 43People

A hospital's newly hired nurses now earn nearly as much as nurses with 15 years of service because entry pay has risen sharply. Which problem is this, and what is a typical remedy?

  1. Pay compression; raise experienced staff pay Correct answer.
  2. Compa-ratio drift; freeze all increases
  3. Pay inversion; eliminate the pay structure
  4. Range penetration; reduce the midpoint

Explanation

Pay compression occurs when pay for new hires approaches or exceeds that of experienced employees, often because market rates rose faster than internal ranges. A common remedy is adjusting experienced employees' pay or the range structure to restore differentials.

Question 44People

What is the main purpose of a personalized total rewards statement?

  1. To replace the pay range for each job
  2. To show the full value of pay and benefits Correct answer.
  3. To set the annual merit budget
  4. To satisfy federal wage reporting rules

Explanation

A total rewards statement communicates the full value of compensation and benefits, helping employees understand and appreciate the package. It does not replace ranges, satisfy wage reporting, or set merit budgets.

Question 45People

A learning objective states only that participants will "understand the safety policy." Which element makes this objective weak?

  1. It addresses the wrong audience
  2. It uses a vague, unmeasurable verb Correct answer.
  3. It sets an unattainable standard
  4. It specifies too many conditions

Explanation

Effective objectives use observable, measurable action verbs and specify conditions and standards; "understand" cannot be observed or measured. Vague verbs make it impossible to assess whether learning occurred.

Question 46People

Which design choice best supports long-term retention of a new safety procedure?

  1. Written test only at the end of training
  2. A recorded lecture with no practice
  3. Brief practice sessions spaced over several weeks Correct answer.
  4. One intensive session followed by no review

Explanation

Spacing practice over time with repeated retrieval and application produces stronger long-term retention than massed, one-time training. A single session, passive lecture, or end-of-course test alone does not sustain the behavior.

Question 47People

What is a primary benefit of posting openings internally before recruiting outside?

  1. It removes the need for interviews
  2. It guarantees workforce diversity
  3. It supports retention at lower cost Correct answer.
  4. It lowers the pay range for the job

Explanation

Internal posting supports career growth, retention, and lower recruiting cost, while still allowing a fair selection process. It does not eliminate interviews, guarantee diversity, or change the job's pay range.

Question 48People

An employer repeatedly promises development opportunities but never grants requested transfers. Which concept is most directly damaged?

  1. The collective bargaining agreement
  2. The psychological contract Correct answer.
  3. The nondisclosure agreement
  4. The employment at-will doctrine

Explanation

The psychological contract is the set of unwritten mutual expectations between employee and employer; repeated broken promises about development erode trust and engagement. It is distinct from formal contracts, union agreements, and at-will doctrine.

Question 49People

A high-potential program is creating resentment and turnover among employees who were not selected. Which response is most effective?

  1. Develop everyone but target critical-role investment Correct answer.
  2. Discontinue development spending entirely
  3. Expand the high-potential list to include everyone
  4. Keep the list confidential from all employees

Explanation

The most effective response is to broaden development access while continuing targeted investment in critical roles, which reduces resentment without abandoning talent strategy. Including everyone on the high-potential list dilutes the concept, secrecy breeds distrust, and ending development harms the organization.

Question 50People

Which metric best indicates whether a recruiting source produces effective employees?

  1. Time to fill measured from requisition to start
  2. Quality of hire based on performance and retention Correct answer.
  3. Cost per hire, including advertising and agency fees
  4. Applicant volume generated by each source

Explanation

Quality of hire captures whether a source produces employees who perform well and stay, which is the outcome recruiting should optimize. Cost per hire, time to fill, and applicant volume measure efficiency or activity, not the value of the hire.