Esteme.

The methodology

The Recruitment Performance Operating System

RPOS brings onboarding, performance measurement and progression into one structured framework — built around your agency’s existing KPIs, targets and expectations. It turns the judgement your best managers already apply into a system the whole organisation can use.

The five components

One framework, five working parts

01

Onboarding

What it is
A 30/60/90-day progression framework that sets out what a new starter should know, do and deliver at each stage.
What it contains
Stage-by-stage expectations, knowledge and activity milestones, and the checkpoints managers use to confirm progress.
What it gives you
A consistent onboarding experience regardless of which manager a new starter reports to — and an early signal when someone is off track.
02

Performance

What it is
Weekly and monthly KPI visibility mapped to the metrics your agency already runs on.
What it contains
The leading and lagging indicators that matter at each career stage, and the cadence for reviewing them.
What it gives you
A shared, current picture of performance — so conversations are based on evidence rather than impression.
03

Scorecards

What it is
Clear expectations by career stage, from new starter to established consultant.
What it contains
Defined indicators of what good looks like at each stage, expressed in language your managers and consultants recognise.
What it gives you
A common standard the whole team can be measured against — making progression explicit rather than assumed.
04

Governance

What it is
A consistent structure for management visibility across the team.
What it contains
Review rhythms, reporting formats and the questions leadership should be asking of the data.
What it gives you
Confidence that performance is being managed consistently — not left to the habits of individual managers.
05

Implementation

What it is
A practical rollout framework for putting the system into day-to-day use.
What it contains
A sequenced plan, leadership workshops and the artefacts your managers need to run RPOS themselves.
What it gives you
A system that is actually adopted — embedded in how the agency works, not filed away after the engagement ends.

The three intelligence layers

One question at each stage of the lifecycle

01

New Starter

Are they progressing?

  • Knowledge
  • Skills
  • Activity
  • Early performance

In the first weeks, the question is whether a new starter is building the knowledge, skills and activity that lead to early performance. RPOS makes that progression visible against a defined benchmark, so a manager can act on drift within weeks rather than months.

02

Developing Consultant

Are they moving toward independent productivity?

  • Consistency
  • Performance
  • Behaviour
  • Development

As a consultant develops, the question shifts to consistency and independence. RPOS tracks whether performance and behaviour are trending toward reliable, self-sufficient billing — and highlights where development effort will have the most effect.

03

Established Team

Is the wider team performing consistently?

  • KPIs
  • Performance trends
  • Manager visibility
  • Progression

For the established team, the question is organisational. RPOS surfaces KPI and performance trends across the group and gives managers a consistent view — so leadership can see where the business is strong, where it is exposed, and how progression is moving overall.

Why the system exists

From founder knowledge to organisational system

In most growing agencies, the real understanding of what drives performance lives in a few heads — usually the founder’s and a handful of senior managers. They know what a strong first ninety days looks like, what separates a developing consultant from a stalled one, and when to intervene.

That knowledge is valuable, but it is fragile. It doesn’t scale, it isn’t consistent between managers, and it walks out of the door when people leave. RPOS exists to convert that judgement into defined indicators, structured assessment and visible performance — so the standard is the organisation’s, not one person’s.

  1. Founder judgement
  2. Defined indicators
  3. Structured assessment
  4. Performance visibility
  5. Consistent management

Is RPOS the right fit?

RPOS is deliberately scoped. It works well for some agencies and not for others — and it is more useful to be clear about that up front.

RPOS is designed for you if…

  • You are a growing agency with consistent hiring needs.
  • You recognise that performance is currently managed through relationships and individual judgement rather than a structured framework.
  • You want expectations and progression to be explicit and measurable across the team.

It is probably not for you if…

  • You are a solo recruiter or have fewer than five consultants.
  • You are looking for a recruitment methodology — how to source or place — rather than a performance framework.
  • You want a consultant to manage your managers and make people decisions on your behalf.

See what RPOS would look like for your agency

The framework is tailored to your KPIs, structure and stage. The first step is a conversation.

Talk to Esteme