A work sample asks the candidate to do a small, realistic piece of the job under conditions close to the real thing. Examples include drafting a reply to a customer email, prioritising a delivery schedule or completing a short coding task. Each sample is scored against criteria set in advance, such as accuracy, tone and whether the outcome would satisfy the customer.
Work samples are among the most job-relevant assessments available, since they test the work directly instead of inferring it from background. Candidates also get a realistic preview of the role. Keeping tasks proportionate to the role, giving everyone the same task and instructions, and scoring to a rubric that a person reviews keeps them fair and respectful of candidates' time.