Order fill rate

Definition

The share of a client's job orders the agency actually fills, which decides who calls next.

Why It Matters

Clients rarely use one agency, so the order goes to whoever fills it, and a falling fill rate is the first sign of a book about to leave without anyone cancelling anything. Revenue lags it by a quarter or two. Ask for orders received against orders filled by client for two years, and ask what the recruiter headcount did over the same period, because the two move together.