Total amount incurred in employing new personnel, including agency fees paid by an employer, advertisements made, onboarding expenses, etc. This metric helps organisations assess the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of their hiring process. It includes both internal costs (e.g. recruiter salaries, employee referral bonuses, onboarding expenses) and external costs (e.g. job advertising, recruitment agency fees, background checks). Lowering the cost per hire without compromising quality is a common objective in recruitment. 