How Trust Scores Work

Every job on TIERHIRES receives a deterministic trust score computed from verifiable signals.

The Formula

Each job's trust score is a weighted composite of four pillars:

Score = (Org × 0.35) + (JD × 0.30) + (Behavior × 0.20) + (Recruiter × 0.15)

Same inputs always produce the same score. No black boxes.

The Four Pillars

Organization Trust

35%
  • Domain verification status
  • Company age and employee count
  • Verification receipt count
  • Historical job trust averages

JD Legitimacy

30%
  • Description completeness and structure
  • Required skills and responsibilities listed
  • Salary transparency and market alignment
  • SOC code matching confidence

Posting Behavior

20%
  • Repost frequency (ghost job indicator)
  • Ghost job probability score
  • Behavioral flags (e.g., evergreen posting)
  • Time since original posting

Recruiter Trust

15%
  • Email and identity verification
  • Association verification
  • Response rate to candidates
  • Agency vs. direct hire flag

Trust Bands

Scores are grouped into five bands for quick assessment:

Tier One0.90 - 1.00

Exceptional. Fully verified employer, well-structured JD, market-aligned salary.

Trusted0.75 - 0.89

High confidence. Verified employer with strong posting behavior and salary transparency.

Provisional0.60 - 0.74

Acceptable with caveats. Some signals are missing or unverified.

Watch0.45 - 0.59

Proceed with caution. Multiple signals missing or concerning patterns detected.

Blocked0.00 - 0.44

Significant trust issues. Multiple red flags or known bad actor.

Candidate Trust Scores

Candidates also receive trust scores based on their verification status. Each verification (identity, employment, education, credentials) contributes to an overall trust score. Higher scores signal to employers that the candidate is verified and reliable.

Verification results are sent directly to the candidate — TIERHIRES never sees the underlying data. Employers only see the trust score and verification status, not personal details.

Ready to see trust scores in action?