Glossary · Recruiting, vetting, and hiring terms

Work sample test

A work sample test asks a candidate to complete a small, realistic piece of the actual job, such as drafting a client email, reconciling a short ledger, or editing a clip, before an offer. It shows real ability better than interviews alone. Keep it short and clearly scoped, and pay for longer tasks.

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What it means in practice

Good work samples mirror the hardest common task in the role, come with the same instructions a real assignment would, and are scored against criteria you decided in advance. That keeps the comparison fair across candidates.

A trial period is the natural next step: a week of real work in your real tools. Rekruuto combines both, with top 2% vetting before you meet candidates and a 1-week trial after you choose one.

Our role pages and job description generator are a good source of task ideas.

How to design a fair work sample

  • Choose a task the person would really do in their first month.
  • Keep it short enough to finish in an hour or two, and pay for anything longer.
  • Give the same written instructions and materials to every candidate.
  • Decide the scoring criteria before you see any answers.
  • Review the work without the candidate's name to keep the comparison fair.
  • Candidate vetting

    Candidate vetting is the process of checking that an applicant can really do the job before you hire them.

  • Trial period

    A trial period is a set time at the start of a hire when both sides test the fit on real work before fully committing.

  • Role scorecard

    A role scorecard is a one-page definition of what success looks like in a job: the mission, three to five measurable outcomes, and the competencies needed to deliver them.

  • English proficiency

    English proficiency is how well a person reads, writes, speaks, and understands English for work.

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Every Rekruuto hire is a full-time professional based in the Philippines who works your hours. Most roles are $1,800 a month, software developers start at $2,500 a month, and an AI Implementation Specialist is $2,500 a month. Candidates pass top 2% vetting, hiring takes 14 days, and every hire starts with a 1-week trial with a replacement or refund.

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