Recruiting candidate list calculator
For agency recruiters, staffing firms and in-house talent teams calling or texting out of an ATS or candidate database: estimate how much of the phone data is still reachable and what the dead numbers cost in recruiter time or text budget. Every rate is editable; nothing is stored.
Why candidate phone data goes bad
- An ATS keeps every applicant indefinitely, but the phone number is only as current as the day the candidate applied.
- Candidates change jobs, move and switch numbers, and nothing updates the old record when they do.
- Sourced and imported contacts can arrive with office lines or numbers that were never confirmed with the candidate.
- A share of any database is landline or VoIP, which matters if your first touch is a text.
How to get your real numbers
- Export a random sample of 500 to 1,000 candidate phone numbers from your ATS.
- Validate it against live carrier data (TrueSearch for Business does this in about 30 seconds per 1,000).
- Enter the dead, landline and VoIP percentages you get back above.
- Repeat by source or by record age to see which pools give your recruiters the most reachable candidates.
See phone validation for recruiters and staffing firms, check single numbers with the free carrier lookup, or read the phone list cleaning guide.
Start 7-day free trialQuestions
Are the default rates typical for candidate databases?
No. They are editable placeholders, not recruiting industry statistics. Rates vary a lot by how old the records are, where they came from (applications, job boards, sourcing tools, referrals) and how often your team re-confirms contact details. Validate a sample of your own database and enter what you find.
How should I set list age for an ATS export?
Use the months since the candidate last confirmed their phone number, not since the record was created or last touched. A candidate who applied three years ago and was never re-contacted counts as three years old.
Why do landlines and VoIP numbers matter for recruiting?
Many recruiting teams text candidates first. Landlines cannot receive text messages, so every text sent to one is wasted, and some VoIP numbers do not reliably receive texts. For calling, a landline can still reach a person, so only dead numbers count as wasted dials.
Does this check consent to text candidates?
No. The calculator only estimates reachability, and TrueSearch for Business checks validity, line type and carrier. It does not verify consent, confirm who owns a number today, or scrub against Do Not Call registries or litigator lists. Follow your own compliance program for TCPA and texting rules.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. TrueSearch for Business checks validity, line type and carrier from licensed telecom data. It does not check the National Do Not Call Registry, state DNC lists or the FCC Reassigned Numbers Database. Not a consumer reporting agency; not for FCRA purposes.