LESSON 4 OF 6 · INTERMEDIATE
Use work samples proportionately
A work sample should reflect relevant tasks, require reasonable effort and avoid extracting unpaid productive work. Define the evaluation criteria and explain the exercise. Consider accessibility and obtain HR guidance where needed. Do not casually deploy tests or assume a vendor’s assurance removes the employer’s responsibilities.
Design a 20-minute fictional exercise and its scoring criteria.
About 2 minutes reading + 12 minutes practice. Take longer when needed.
Apply the method
Use a bounded fictional task that resembles relevant work without extracting unpaid productive work. Give consistent inputs, instructions, time expectations and evaluation criteria. Explain what the exercise assesses and how to request appropriate accommodations through the organization. Avoid tasks that reveal confidential information or require access to unavailable tools. Ask a qualified owner to review whether the exercise is proportionate and appropriate. A polished work sample is not automatically valid for every hiring decision, and a vendor’s claim does not remove the employer’s responsibilities.
A worked application
Fictional example: A marketing analyst reviews a small invented campaign table and explains which result needs investigation. The task is limited to 20 minutes and does not ask for the employer’s real launch strategy. A maintenance role instead uses an appropriate fictional prioritization scenario reviewed by a technical specialist. The underlying principle is relevant evidence, not reusing the same business case across unrelated roles.
Common mistake to avoid
Do not reward familiarity with an expensive tool when the role does not require it or when candidates were not given comparable access.
Work through the case
FICTIONAL SCENARIO
A marketing candidate analyzes a fictional campaign using a supplied dataset rather than designing the company’s real launch strategy for free.
Make it practical
Design a 20-minute fictional exercise and its scoring criteria.
Compare your reasoning with a worked response
Keep inputs equal, scope limited and outcomes relevant. Explain what help or accommodations are available through the appropriate process.
Takeaway
Use the method to explain your decision, identify what you still need to verify and choose an accountable next step.
Treat the response as a model for reasoning, not the only possible wording. Adapt it to the role, evidence and appropriate organizational guidance.