A hiring signal is evidence that a candidate can solve the problem a role exists to address. It is based on outcomes achieved in comparable situations, not titles held, tools listed, or keywords matched.
A hiring signal is not a proxy
Most hiring systems rely on proxies.
- Job titles
- Years of experience
- Tool familiarity
These are indirect indicators. They suggest exposure, not capability.
A hiring signal is direct. It answers a single question: has this person already delivered results that resemble what this role requires?
Outcomes are the core of real signal
Outcomes show what actually happened.
They include:
- The problem that needed to be solved
- The constraints that existed
- The result that was achieved
Outcomes reveal judgment, decision making, and execution. They show whether someone can navigate complexity, not just describe it.
Without outcomes, hiring relies on assumptions.
Comparable problems matter more than identical roles
Hiring signal does not require the same title or industry.
What matters is whether the problems are comparable.
Comparable problems share:
- Similar scope
- Similar stakes
- Similar tradeoffs
A candidate who has solved a related problem in a different context often brings more signal than someone with the same title but no clear results.
Evidence turns claims into signal
Anyone can claim experience.
Signal requires evidence.
Evidence can take many forms, but it must connect actions to results. It shows not just what someone was responsible for, but what changed because they were involved.
When evidence is present, qualification becomes easier to assess and harder to fake.
Why most systems fail to surface signal
Signal is harder to standardize than keywords.
It requires understanding context and outcomes, which does not scale easily with traditional filters. As a result, many systems ignore signal entirely and optimize for what is easy to measure.
That tradeoff favors speed over accuracy and creates consistent blind spots.
The takeaway
A hiring signal is proof, not pattern matching.
Outcomes, comparable problems, and evidence provide far more insight into future performance than resumes or keywords ever can. When hiring systems fail to surface signal, they miss the candidates most capable of doing the work.
FAQ
How is a hiring signal different from experience?
Experience describes exposure to work. A hiring signal shows evidence of results achieved while doing the work.
Can hiring signals be standardized?
They can be structured, but not reduced to simple filters. Signal requires context to remain meaningful.
Why don’t most hiring tools use hiring signals?
Because signal is harder to evaluate than proxies. Many systems prioritize speed and scale over accuracy and decision quality.