Candidate Guide to Work Sample Tests

For employers, asking candidates to complete a sample of work is one of the most effective ways to assess on-the-job potential. As organizational psychologist Adam Grant said, “the easiest way to gauge whether I want you to fly my plane is to watch you fly a plane.” For candidates, the exercise can be equally useful—the easiest way to learn what it’s like to work with a future employer is to do a bit of work with them. Here’s how to get the most value out of this step in the hiring process.

(The guidance below is specific to Staffing Advisors’ hiring approach, but the concepts can help any candidate asked to complete a sample of work during the interview process.)

Work Sample Tests Are Not All Created Equal

First, we want to acknowledge the controversy surrounding the practice of asking candidates to complete work during interviews. Every hiring organization has a different approach, and some can be off-putting. If you’ve been interviewing in recent years, you or someone you know has probably been asked to complete an assignment that is too in-depth for the interview stage or involves creating a fully developed work product. We disagree with any approach that shows a lack of respect for your time and intellectual property.

At Staffing Advisors, we design the work sample test as more of a collaborative exercise that allows you and the hiring manager to talk through the work, just like you would with a colleague.

What to Expect When Working With Our Team

We work closely with clients to develop a tightly scoped assignment that reflects the responsibilities and challenges of the role. For example, an assignment for an operational support role could involve thinking about workflow prioritization, while one for a top leadership position could involve thinking through a business model challenge.

For mid-level and senior staff positions, the assignment will require about 2-4 hours of your time in addition to the discussion. For C-suite roles, the exercise will be more involved, as appropriate to the position’s seniority. Our team has designed hundreds of these exercises with clients, so we understand what’s realistic for candidates to complete while still getting deep enough into the work to generate a productive discussion.

After you’ve been selected to move forward as a finalist, you’ll be given the assignment and supporting materials that provide additional context about the role and organization. You’ll develop a response and share your thinking with the hiring team during your next interview.

The assignment itself serves as a starting point for the discussion about your approach, so prepare to talk about your process. How did you arrive at your conclusion? Which factors did you consider or intentionally exclude? What would you do differently if a variable changed? What kind of pushback do you think you’ll get, and how might you handle it?

The Key Elements of a Strong Work Sample Response

The hiring manager does not expect a perfect solution to the business challenge presented in the assignment; they understand that you are working with limited information about the organization and role. They want to see evidence that you can think through the right kinds of problems, are adaptable, and understand the context of the job. Focus on the following:

• Make sure your response is relevant. What have you learned from the position description and interviews so far? What’s the common thread? How does this assignment reveal the larger business problem this organization wants to solve, and how can you demonstrate your understanding of it?
• Tie in your past experience. What elements from projects or initiatives in your former work would apply to this assignment? Do you see any patterns that you could pull forward?
• Be intentional about the skills you want to show. If it’s a relationship-building role, ask for the perspectives of others and show how you would incorporate them. If it’s a strategic role, show how you can connect this small assignment to larger trends in the industry or sector. If it’s an operational role, show your methodical approach and ability to anticipate potential roadblocks.

If You Use AI, Do So Ethically

It’s up to each individual to decide whether to use AI. Our rule of thumb is to work however you authentically work. If AI is part of that, that’s fine unless the hiring team prohibits it.

Be aware that if you are using AI to generate ideas, you’ll be working with the same generic ones that AI could offer to anyone. Don’t let it replace your thinking. Develop your own approach, work through the problem from start to finish, and then use AI to help you identify any gaps, test assumptions, and catch any grammar mistakes or lightly polish your writing. Show that you know how to use AI appropriately for the job.

For some roles, AI could be an explicit part of the exercise, and the assignment will include parameters and expectations.

Use the Work Sample Test to Evaluate Your Potential Team

This is the clearest look you’ll get at what it’s like to work with these leaders before you accept the role. A few things to pay attention to:

• Is the assignment appropriately scoped so it makes you think but isn’t unrealistic to complete in the allotted timeframe?
• Does the assignment reflect the kind of work you’ve discussed in interviews so far? Is this work you’d like to do? (The assignment should feel like a natural culmination of the interview process.)
• How does the hiring team offer feedback? Is it given in a way that you can work with?
• If you made any incorrect assumptions, how do they bring that to your attention? Do they give you the opportunity to course-correct with new information?
• Does your working style complement the team, or is there friction that would raise a red flag?

The Work Sample Informs a Two-Way Decision

The purpose of the interview process is for both parties to explore a future working relationship, and the work sample provides data that neither can get through interviews alone. Lean into the opportunity to experience the team’s culture, show your unique skills and perspective, and determine if the role is right for you.