What is a requisition number? Req IDs explained for hiring managers and candidates

A requisition number (also called a req number, Req ID or requisition ID) is the unique identifier an employer gives to an approved request to fill a position. It ties everything about that hire to one record: the approval and budget, the job posting, every applicant and interview, and the offer. Hiring managers use it to track the hire through recruiting, finance and HR; candidates see it on the job posting and can quote it when applying or following up so the recruiter knows exactly which opening they mean.

This page explains what the number looks like, where it comes from, how it differs from the other IDs on a job, and why it matters. The form that creates the requisition is in the job requisition form template.

What does a requisition number look like?

There is no standard format. Each employer's applicant tracking system (ATS) or HR system sets its own. Invented examples of common patterns:

Greenhouse's help center, for example, describes a Req ID as "a unique alphanumeric identifier" that helps the organization and its other systems tell one requisition from another, and lets each opening under a requisition carry its own Opening ID (Greenhouse, "Requisition and openings", checked October 2026).

Requisition number vs. job ID, posting ID and position number

A single hire can carry several identifiers. They mean different things:

The last one matters to agencies: a client's VMS gives each contingent order its own number, and every submittal, timesheet and invoice refers to it. See what is a VMS in staffing.

Where does the number come from?

1. A need is identified: a resignation, growth, or a new project.
2. The hiring manager raises a requisition with the title, level, pay range, location and reason, usually against an approved headcount plan; see the headcount planning template.
3. The system assigns the number, either when the request is created or when it is approved, depending on the setup. Some companies let a recruiter type it in to match a budget or position system.
4. Approvers sign off: typically the manager's leader, finance and HR.
5. Recruiting opens the requisition, posts the job and starts sourcing, all under that number.
6. The requisition closes when the offer is accepted, or is cancelled or put on hold, with the reason recorded.

Why does the requisition number matter to a hiring manager?

• It proves the hire is approved. A recruiter should not post or source without one; a posting before approval is how roles get filled that finance never funded.
• It is how progress is measured. Time to fill, source of hire and cost per hire are all reported by requisition. Reviewing a closed one is easier with the requisition retrospective template.
• It keeps priorities straight. When a recruiter carries many open roles, the list is ranked by requisition; see how to prioritize open requisitions.
• It holds the hiring record together. Applications, interview notes, scorecards and the reason each candidate was or was not selected are filed against the requisition. Federal contractors covered by VEVRAA must keep job postings, applications and interview notes for at least a year, and two years for larger contractors, under 41 CFR 60-300.80; the requisition is how those records are found. See the Internet Applicant rule for how applicants are counted per requisition.

One requisition, several openings: how do you count?

A requisition can cover several identical positions, such as three customer support hires for one team. Count openings, not requisitions, when you report. OFCCP's VEVRAA FAQ makes the same point for federal contractors' annual data: a requisition that lists several positions counts as several openings, so one requisition for five positions that produces four hires is five job openings and four jobs filled. If your ATS supports opening IDs, use them; otherwise record the number of positions on the requisition and update it as each is filled.

What happens to the number when a role is paused, reopened or backfilled?

Whatever your company's rules are, write them down once. Inconsistent handling of paused and reopened requisitions is a common reason time-to-fill reports disagree between recruiting and finance.

Do staffing agencies use requisition numbers?

Agencies usually keep two numbers for one job. The client's requisition number identifies the job inside the client's systems; the agency's own job order number identifies it in the agency's ATS. Record both on the job order and put the client's number on every submittal, because the client's hiring manager and HR team search by their own number, not yours.

Where the client runs a vendor management system, the VMS requisition ID is the one that counts: submittals, interview requests, timesheets and invoices are all matched to it, and a submittal against the wrong ID can be rejected. Retained and contingency search agreements sometimes name the client's requisition too, which helps when a fee dispute later turns on which role a candidate was introduced for.

What should a candidate do with a requisition number?

• Note it when you apply. Companies often post the same title for several teams or locations; the number tells you, and them, which one you applied for.
• Quote it when you follow up. "I applied for Senior Analyst, Req ID 48213 (example), on March 3" gets a faster answer than the title alone.
• Give it to your referrer. Internal referral forms usually ask for it, and a referral to the wrong requisition may not be credited.
• Do not read too much into it. A high number does not mean a job is new, and an open number does not always mean the role is actively being filled; requisitions can be paused without the posting coming down.

Common requisition number mistakes

A clean requisition is also the start of a clean interview: the brief on the requisition becomes the question guide and scorecard criteria, so every interviewer is assessing the same job. The job requisition form template includes the fields that make that possible.