How to Run a Paid Trial Task Without Burning Bridges

Paid trials are one of the strongest signals for hiring remote talent, but poorly designed trials damage employer brand and waste candidate time. This guide helps you design a fair paid trial: appropriate scope, compensation norms, rubrics, and feedback practices. Follow these principles to maximize signal and minimize harm.

Why paid trials work

Paid trials show a candidate's ability to do role-specific work and offer a mutual evaluation: candidates see how you give feedback, and you see how they work in your context. Compensation demonstrates respect, increases completion rates, and makes applicants more likely to accept offers.

Design principles

1. Keep scope bounded: 4-8 hours for mid-level roles, 8-20 hours for senior roles.
2. Make tasks realistic: use a simplified version of a real problem you face.
3. Pay fairly: price the trial at a competitive hourly rate relative to the role and location.
4. Provide a rubric: candidates should know how they'll be evaluated.
5. Offer timely feedback: provide constructive, specific feedback within 7 days.

Sample paid trial structures

For a front-end engineer: 6-hour task to implement a small component based on a design spec; submit a short readme explaining trade-offs. For a content marketer: a 4-hour task to draft a 700-word pillar post outline and two short sections. For a designer: an 8-hour task to craft a landing page concept with one screen and responsive variations.

Pricing guidelines

Pay market-appropriate hourly rates. For mid-level technical roles, this might mean $25-50/hr depending on region; for senior roles, $50-100+/hr. If budgets are tight, offer a smaller scope but keep rates fair. Never ask candidates to complete long unpaid work as a trial.

Review rubric template

Use a 1-5 rubric across four categories: delivery (timeliness and completeness), technical quality, communication (clarity of assumptions and decisions), and collaboration (receptiveness to feedback). Assign weights and calculate a composite score.

Giving feedback

Provide written feedback addressing strengths, areas to improve, and whether you'll proceed. If rejecting, a short paragraph helps candidates learn and preserves employer brand.

'Paid trials are a two-way interview; approach them like a short contract and treat candidates like collaborators, not testers.'

Common pitfalls

• Scope creep: avoid open-ended tasks
• Poor feedback: leaving candidates in limbo harms reputation
• Underpaying: cheap trials reduce completion and skew the talent pool

Wrap-up

Paid trials, when thoughtfully designed, are one of the most reliable hiring signals for remote roles. Keep them short, fair, and actionable. Use rubrics to standardize reviews, and always compensate candidates for their time.