think differently. take action. discover hiring breakthroughs.
The result shows what the market sees, not what you hope it sees.
The categories with the most friction and what to do about them.
Nine categories, each weighted by where searches actually break. Scores run from 1 (major blocker) to 5 (strong market advantage). The weighted average converts to a placement probability on a 25% to 100% scale.
Why Role Scope and Hiring Process carry the most weight. Package gets a candidate to the table. A compelling brief and a clean process close them. More importantly, a well-run process with a strong brief surfaces candidates who were not actively looking and converts passive interest into genuine engagement. A slow process or a weak brief loses those candidates before salary ever enters the conversation. These are the two areas a client controls entirely, which is why they sit at the top.
Why Salary sits at 13%. Compensation is cited most often as the reason candidates decline offers, not as the reason searches fail. Searches fail earlier, at the engagement and shortlist stage. That is where Role Scope and Hiring Process operate. The weighting reflects where the probability of placement is actually determined.
Location is the only category scored automatically. Enter miles to the nearest relevant talent hub and the score calculates from the distance bands below.
| Category | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Role Scope | 20% | Brief quality, ownership clarity, reason to engage |
| Hiring Process | 20% | Speed, decision ownership, stage count |
| Skillset Availability | 15% | Active candidate pool depth in the UK market |
| Working Model | 13% | Onsite requirements vs current candidate expectations |
| Salary & Benefits | 13% | Package alignment against current market rates |
| Location | 8% | Miles to nearest talent hub, auto-scored |
| Progression & Appeal | 4% | Career story the role offers a strong candidate |
| Company Reputation | 4% | What candidates find when they research the business |
| Manager Appeal | 3% | Hiring manager credibility and ability to sell the role |
Formula: weighted score = sum of (score × weight) ÷ 100. Probability = 25 + ((weighted score − 1) ÷ 4 × 75). Range: 25% (maximum friction) to 100% (exceptional brief, strong market).
| Distance | Score | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Under 10 miles | 5 | Strong local pool, minimal commute friction |
| 10 to 24 miles | 4 | Good commute range for most candidates |
| 25 to 49 miles | 3 | Manageable but a factor. Flexibility helps. |
| 50 to 74 miles | 2 | Commutable for very few. Most will decline. |
| 75 miles or more | 1 | Likely requires relocation. Pool shrinks significantly. |