The Hiring Difficulty score helps you assess how challenging it is to hire specific talent across different regions. It's currently available in the US and Global Talent Analyst, specifically in the reports Geography Explorer and Global Dashboard.
The score ranges from 0 (least difficult) to 5 (most difficult) and is comparative, meaning a region’s score depends entirely on the set of locations you’re analyzing. For example, New York might score a 5 in a small set of metro areas but a 2 when compared to a larger set of metros. The score is designed to help you quickly answer the question: “Where is it easier or harder to hire for this role?”
The score is calculated using a weighted combination of three labor market factors:
Supply (primary factor, 50% weight). This metric adapts based on your search context. In the US, it uses government-reported workforce counts. In Global, it uses Lightcast’s modeled workforce estimates (see WEMo for more detail). If your search includes filters where workforce data isn’t available (e.g., skills-based searches), the score uses the number of relevant online profiles as a second-best proxy.
Demand (secondary factor, 25% weight). This metric is measured by the number of unique job postings over the past 12 months. It's the most straightforward of the three factors and is consistent whether in the US or Global.
Compensation (tertiary factor, 12.5% weight). This also adapts based on your search context. In the US, it uses either government-reported median salaries or Lightcast’s compensation model (which blends government data and job posting salaries). In Global, it uses advertised salaries from job postings when available. If fewer than 50 postings include salary data, the factor is neutralized to prevent skewing the score due to unreliable data.
These weights signify the relative importance of influence on hiring difficulty. For instance, supply is the most important factor and is twice as important than demand; demand is twice as important of a factor than compensation; compensation is important but half as important as demand and a fourth as important as supply.
The formula intentionally emphasizes regions where talent is relatively available, less sought after, and more affordable—a combination that typically signals lower hiring difficulty.
Because this score is relative, it’s most useful when comparing regions side-by-side in a specific hiring scenario. It’s not meant to be interpreted as an absolute measure of difficulty but rather as a directional indicator to support market planning, talent sourcing strategies, or competitive benchmarking.