How Work Sample Tests Help You Hire Better

Your goal as a hiring manager is to select the candidate most likely to succeed in your role. But can you really determine that by looking at a resume or having a free-flowing, conversational interview? Probably not. Research shows that those approaches are poor predictors of success on the job.

Instead, the Staffing Advisors team recommends using a succession of skills-based assessments that increase in rigor as the hiring process moves forward.

• Written prompts asking candidates to describe their experience in defined key competency areas.
• Structured interviews that explore those same competencies in-depth, focusing on how the candidate created impact, collaborated with others, and measured results.
• Work sample tests (sometimes called performance tasks or a case study interview) to assess these competencies in a real-world context, allowing candidates to demonstrate their skills rather than talking about past experiences.

Work sample tests are one of the most reliable ways to gather measurable data about candidates’ competencies and working styles and validate what they say about themselves. Once you’ve evaluated candidates in different ways—writing and talking about past work and demonstrating their skills during the work sample—you’ll have a rich set of data to compare against your organization’s needs.

Download our guide to developing an effective work sample test with examples from real clients (no email or sign-up required).

What Are Work Sample Tests in Hiring?

Work sample tests involve giving candidates a small work assignment to discuss in their next interview. The best work sample assignments mirror a real business challenge and reflect the complexity and demands of the role. If the role is strategic, present a scenario that requires strategic thinking and problem solving. For more task-oriented positions, design an assignment that allows the candidate to demonstrate their ability to execute and manage relevant tasks.

How To Design a Work Sample Test

The content of your work sample exercise will vary by career level and functional area. Here is a basic structure to follow:

1. Decide what you want to learn. Consider the 3-5 skills most essential to the role. What do you want to see in action? What will convince you that this person has the skills to do the job and collaborate with your team?
2. Identify a challenge this person may face in their day-to-day work. Choose a task that is similar to what they will encounter on the job and that a candidate could complete in about two hours.
3. Include some constraints and resources. Set parameters and be specific. Give candidates real information to work with to simulate your work environment. Examples include standard operating procedures, a sample portfolio of products, an org chart, membership surveys, sales analyses, etc.
4. Develop evaluation criteria. How will you measure success? Are there multiple viable approaches to the work? Remember, you aren’t looking for the “right” answer. You’re looking for thought processes that will benefit your team. Use the same criteria for every candidate.
5. Ask candidates to come prepared to discuss. A deliverable alone tells you nothing about how a candidate arrived at their conclusion or how they will pivot when something new comes up. Even if a deliverable is part of the assignment, explain that your goal is to understand the thinking behind their work.

How To Discuss a Work Sample Test

The discussion is the most important part of the work sample assignment. Think of it this way: AI tools can now create a wide range of deliverables—from SWOT analyses to slide decks—with impressive quality. Simply reviewing a project that technology could replicate may not reveal much.

The real value comes from a conversation where the candidate can demonstrate how they collaborate, how well they understand the issues, and how their perspective would complement your team’s strengths. Think of this like doing some work together, just as you would with a team member.

During the discussion, ask the candidate to present their approach then follow up with detailed questions. Propose a roadblock. Ask what they would change if different stakeholders were involved. Ask them to explain judgment calls. Challenge their thinking.

The Business Benefits of Work Sample Testing

Higher Quality Hires and More Diverse Teams

Interviews favor candidates who are good at talking about work, while skills-based assessments favor candidates who are good at working. Including both in your process reduces the potential for bias toward candidates with easy confidence or familiar credentials, invites candidates from various backgrounds to showcase their skills, and leads to better quality hires and more diverse teams.

More Accurate at Predicting Success on the Job

Extensive research shows that work sample testing is a more accurate predictor of success than the interview itself. A skills test allows you to see a candidate’s cognitive style, how they solve problems with a given set of resources, and how they organize their thinking.

Builds Commitment and Trust With Candidates

Candidates appreciate the opportunity to visualize themselves in the position and think about how their skills align and whether the work is something they want to do. They also want to demonstrate their strengths and increase their chances of getting hired. And for candidates from groups that are underrepresented in a functional area or industry, skills tests send a clear signal that you evaluate everyone consistently and fairly.

Improves Your Onboarding and Training

Skills assessments will reveal each candidate’s strengths and weaknesses in the context of your specific job and organization. This insight can be invaluable in structuring onboarding and training to give them the support they need to succeed in the role, leading to a better employee experience and long-term retention.

Saves Time and Resources

While developing work sample tests requires effort for your hiring team, these assessments save time and resources in the long run by helping you avoid hiring the wrong person. The additional information you gain helps you more clearly identify the tradeoffs you would make with one candidate over the other.