HOW OPTIO WORKS
How Optio turns candidate intent into better hiring intelligence
Optio captures what candidates want, what employers need, and what offers could work — then turns that into explainable matching intelligence.
THE PATHWAY
The Optio intelligence pathway
Optio is built around six connected layers. Each layer turns fragmented recruitment data into clearer, more useful hiring decisions.
Candidate reality
Who the candidate is today — role, skills, location, and availability.
Candidate intent
What would make their next move worth considering.
Employer demand
Structured view of what the employer needs from the role.
Employer offer
What is offered today — and what could be offered for the right candidate.
Matching
Direct, potential, and expandable matches with clear reasons.
Insight
Market intelligence that informs strategy beyond a single hire.
STEP 1
Candidate reality
The foundation of every match is a structured profile of who the candidate actually is.
This is the starting point — but on its own, it is not enough to create a good hiring conversation.
- Current role type — job title, sector, responsibilities
- Skills and qualifications — technical skills, certifications, licences
- Location and geography — current base, commute range, patch coverage
- Availability — actively looking, open to conversations, not currently available
- Salary context — current earnings, expectations
STEP 2
Candidate intent
This is what makes Optio different.
Candidate intent captures what the candidate actually wants from their next move. Not just their job title preferences, but the specific conditions that would make a change worth making.
Pay
Minimum salary, total package expectations.
Travel
Maximum patch size, acceptable commute, willingness to relocate.
Training
Funded qualifications, development investment, career support.
Work-life balance
Hours, shift patterns, on-call tolerance, overtime preferences.
Progression
Career path clarity, promotion prospects, leadership development.
Culture
Management style, team environment, company stability.
Conditions
Site type, working environment, equipment and tools.
This data is captured through Optio’s candidate wish list — a structured, voluntary process that candidates control entirely.
STEP 3
Employer demand
On the employer side, Optio captures a structured view of what the employer needs.
Structuring this properly is what makes meaningful matching possible.
- Role requirements and responsibilities
- Qualification and skills criteria
- Location and geography requirements
- Experience and seniority level
- Urgency and timeline
STEP 4
Employer offer
Just as important as what an employer needs is what they are currently offering — and what they could potentially offer.
Current salary range
What is being offered today.
Benefits and package
Vehicle, fuel card, pension, healthcare, bonus.
Training and development
Funded qualifications, career pathways, CPD.
Working hours and patterns
Shifts, start and finish times, flexibility.
On-call and overtime
Requirements, frequency, compensation.
Travel and patch
Geographical coverage expectations.
Culture and environment
What the working environment is actually like.
Optio also captures potential offer — the changes an employer could make if the right candidate required them. This unlocks a broader range of matching conversations.
STEP 5
Matching
Optio produces three types of match.
Direct match
The candidate’s reality meets the employer’s demand, and the employer’s offer meets the candidate’s intent. This is a strong, ready conversation.
Potential match
The candidate is well-suited to the role, but one or more offer elements do not fully meet their stated intent. Optio identifies the gap — for example, salary is slightly below the candidate’s minimum. The employer can decide whether to adjust their offer.
Shadow signals
Optio also surfaces soft signals — candidates whose intent data suggests they may be closer to a move than their profile indicates, or whose wish list overlaps strongly with what you offer.
STEP 6
Insight
Every match, every gap, every wish list update generates insight.
Market positioning data
How your offer compares to candidate expectations.
Supply-side signals
Where relevant candidates are located and what they want.
Offer simulation
What changes to your package could open up which candidate segments.
Trend data
How candidate priorities are shifting over time in your sector.
This transforms Optio from a matching tool into a strategic intelligence platform — helping employers make better decisions not just about individual hires, but about long-term talent strategy.
THE RESULT
From fragmented signals to better decisions
Candidate reality + Candidate intent
→
Employer demand + Employer offer
→
Explainable matching
Talent market insight
See Optio in action.
Book a Talent Strategy Call to see how candidate intent, employer offer intelligence, and explainable matching can support better hiring decisions.