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Based on dictionary definitions, as a noun, incumbent is generally defined as a person who holds a position (e.g. Webster, Oxford).

I've encountered corporate job postings that refer to the person seeking the job as the incumbent; I would be inclined to call them an applicant or candidate.

Is it appropriate to describe a job applicant as an incumbent?

Edit: position is currently vacant

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  • In Romance languages, a similar noun is used as "someone who's responsible for a task" (the application, in this case). This could be a case of poor translation, I believe.
    – Ramon Melo
    Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 13:51
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    The more usual language predicates employer expectations of "the successful candidate" for a position that at present lacks an incumbent. But formulating those expectations requires the employer to imagine the position well filled and up to speed, i.e., with an incumbent. I suspect this is behind a piece of terminological slippage.
    – Brian Donovan
    Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 13:52
  • If they are reapplying they are both applicant and incumbent. I could seem them being called the 'incumbent applicant' just as job applicants or candidates are classified in other ways such as 'inside candidate' or 'outside candidate' (or 'internal' or 'external') to suggest if they are being considered from within the company or if they do not currently work for the company.
    – Tom22
    Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 17:12
  • Possibly related: Can the word “incumbent” be used to describe a company?
    – herisson
    Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 17:29

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As you point out, the incumbent is the one who holds the position. Ordinarily, that would mean that an application is by definition not the incumbent.

However, there are cases where staff are made to reapply for their own positions:

  • Employees can be shocked when they find themselves in the position of having to reapply for a job they already have. - thebalance.com

  • What are your views on some companies making staff reapply for their own jobs? - The Telegraph

  • The "spill and fill" process - where certain positions are made redundant and the employees who held them can then reapply for a smaller number of positions - has become a "relatively common" scenario. - hrdaily

In these cases, the applicant might indeed be the incumbent.

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Minnow can you give a link to one of the job postings? Sometimes job postings mention incumbent because there's someone already in the position or sometimes the incumbent is the one doing the hiring. Also, sometiems the duties listed are those of the incumbent, as an example of what the work might be like (but they also might be hoping for someone who can expand the role). Without seeing the job listing(s), I can't give much more help. Here is how incumbent is used correctly, though:

Yet when a search involves an incumbent (i.e., someone who currently occupies the position for which you are searching and who will be replaced by the person you hire) or an internal candidate (i.e., an applicant who is already employed by the institution, but in a different capacity), the complexity of the process increases exponentially.

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  • I can't provide the listing, but it is a vacant position, so I think you're right about the "what they would do" aspect. Sloppy wording though in the job posting...
    – Minnow
    Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 15:25

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