Maturity Tiers
Using each company's scores, we assigned every organization to one of three maturity tiers: Getting Started, Middle of the Pack, and Leading the Pack. Tiers are based on fixed-percentage brackets of the maximum possible score, not percentile ranking.
The same tier thresholds apply uniformly to Attraction, Engagement, and Conversion (AEC), Hiring Automation, and the Overall Score, enabling direct comparison across dimensions.
AEC Maturity Tiers
Getting Started
0–33% of criteria met
Organizations in this tier have significant gaps in their candidate experience across attraction, engagement, and conversion. Career sites may lack basic search functionality, mobile optimization, or clear navigation. There is little to no personalization, chatbot presence, or dynamic content. Application forms are lengthy, lack progressive disclosure, and offer limited mobile support.
Example Characteristics:
- Long, multi-step application processes with no mobile optimization.
- No chatbot or conversational experience on the career site.
- Static career site content with no personalization, job recommendations, or dynamic filtering.
Middle of the Pack
34–66% of criteria met
Organizations in this tier have invested in core capabilities but have not yet connected them into a cohesive candidate experience. Career sites include some search functionality and mobile optimization. A chatbot may be present, but limited to FAQs or basic job search. Application flows are functional, but lack polish. Social apply, cloud document upload, or streamlined mobile completion may be missing. Personalization exists in pockets, but is not consistent across the journey.
Example Characteristics:
- Career site with basic search and some filtering, but limited semantic or faceted search.
- Chatbot available for initial queries, but not integrated with screening, scheduling, or personalization.
- Partial mobile optimization of the application process.
Leading the Pack
67–100% of criteria met
Organizations in this tier deliver a seamless, personalized candidate experience from first visit through completed application. Career sites feature intuitive navigation and dynamic content tailored to the candidate. Chatbots provide job recommendations, answer FAQs, screen candidates, and personalize the experience for returning visitors. Application forms are clean, mobile-optimized, support social apply and cloud uploads, and communicate status back to the candidate.
Example Characteristics:
- Fully personalized career site with dynamic job recommendations, video content, and employee testimonials.
- Chatbot integrated across the candidate journey with screening, FAQs, and scheduling capabilities.
- Mobile-first application flow that is complete in three steps or fewer with social apply and cloud document upload.
- Automated, personalized communication at each stage of the application process.
Hiring Automation Maturity Tiers
Getting Started
0–33% of Hiring Automation criteria met
Organizations in this tier have very few, if any, inline qualification tools deployed in the apply flow. Candidates complete an application and enter a manual review queue. There are no pre-apply screeners, no inline assessments, no credential verification during the application, and no automated interview scheduling. Qualification happens outside the application flow. Recruiters spend the majority of their time on coordination rather than evaluation.
Example Characteristics:
- No pre-apply screener or inline qualifying questions.
- No pre-hire assessment during the application process.
- No credential or license verification prompted during the apply flow.
- No automated interview scheduling offered inline to qualified candidates.
- Qualification deferred entirely to post-apply workflows.
Middle of the Pack
34–66% of Hiring Automation criteria met
Organizations in this tier have begun deploying some qualification tools but have not yet connected them all inline. A pre-apply screener may exist, but uses generic questions rather than role-specific or industry-specific criteria. Interview scheduling may be available, but is not presented to qualified candidates at the point of application. The building blocks exist, but the candidate still experiences gaps, handoffs, and delays between steps.
Example Characteristics:
- Basic pre-apply screener with minimum qualification questions, but no personalized inline feedback.
- Some credential verification, but not tailored by role or industry.
- Interview scheduling available, but not triggered automatically for qualified candidates.
- Chatbot supports apply, but does not integrate screening or scheduling.
Leading the Pack
67–100% of Hiring Automation criteria met
Organizations in this tier have built a connected, inline qualification experience that compresses the timeline from application to hiring decision while candidate engagement is at its highest. Pre-apply screeners use quick-select, role-specific questions with inline feedback. Pre-hire assessments are industry-specific, role-aligned, branded, can be completed in under 10 minutes, and embedded directly in the apply flow. Credential verification is prompted by role and industry during the application. One-way video interviews open in the browser without redirecting. Qualified candidates are presented with interview scheduling on the spot, including available slots within five days of the application date.
Example Characteristics:
- Inline pre-apply screener with role-specific questions, realistic job previews, and personalized fit feedback.
- Pre-hire assessment embedded in the apply flow: industry-specific, branded, under 10 minutes, and with next steps communicated inline.
- Credential and license verification prompted during application, tailored by industry and role type.
- One-way video interview offered inline, under 8 minutes, in the browser, and with company branding.
- Automated interview scheduling presented to qualified candidates immediately, and with time slots within five days of application.
