ENGLISH
REFERENCE

recruiting

v. · n.
US //ɹəˈkɹutɪŋ// UK //ɹɪkɹˈuːtɪŋ// re·cruit·ing
  1. 1 finding new people (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of looking for new people to join a company, a sports team, or the army.

    the present participle of 'recruit', describing the active process of enlisting or hiring new members or employees.

    Example

    The tech company is currently recruiting software engineers from all over the world.

    Example

    The department is actively recruiting senior researchers to lead the new biotechnology initiative, focusing on candidates with extensive publication records.

    Usage

    Often used in the continuous tense to describe ongoing company growth.
  2. 2 the hiring process (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the whole process of finding, interviewing, and choosing new workers.

    the systematic process of recruitment, often used as a gerund to describe the industry or a specific business function.

    Example

    Recruiting is a difficult task when there are not enough skilled workers available.

    Example

    The firm has overhauled its recruiting strategy to better appeal to recent graduates who value flexible working arrangements.

    Usage

    Commonly functions as an uncountable noun or a modifier before another noun.
    Pitfall
    The recruiting of new staff is very expensive.
    Recruiting new staff is very expensive.

    When using 'recruiting' as a gerund, you usually do not need 'the' and 'of' unless you want to sound very formal; 'Recruiting new staff' is more natural.

Last updated June 20, 2026