Requesting Work Samples, Projects, or Scenarios From Candidates
Requesting work samples, projects or scenarios from candidates is one way to deepen your understanding of a potential new hire’s capabilities and can drastically improve the outcome of your hiring decisions.
It’s All In The Delivery
When requesting work samples or scenarios, be mindful of the candidate’s time and try to limit the exercise to two hours. Explain to them, in a complimentary way, that you are in the process of narrowing down the talent pool to the most promising candidates, and that work samples will make the interview process more meaningful for both parties.
Here are some examples of what you can ask candidates for to get a better feel for their abilities.
Portfolio - this is a common request for positions such as Graphic Designers, Photographers, Marketing/Advertising Professionals, etc.
Products developed, processes they’ve used/implemented in current and/or past roles
Formal email communications with their team
Written proposals or anything they find relevant that will give the hiring manager a sense of how they think or operate.
Let candidates know they are free to redact copy that they don’t feel comfortable sharing.
When asking candidates for work examples, deliverables should never be used for anything other than employment purposes. You might consider giving your candidates questions about how they would handle certain projects and phrasing them in a way that doesn’t require them to do the full project.
If a larger, more time-intensive assessment is needed, consider compensating your candidates for their time.
