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37signals (Basecamp)37signals (Basecamp)

Paid Work Trial

Universal

What it tests

Whether the candidate can actually do the work — not whether they interview well — by paying them to complete a real, bounded project before any offer is made.

Format

  1. 1After initial screening, finalist candidates are invited to a paid trial — typically 1–2 weeks, part-time, at a fair hourly rate
  2. 2Candidate is given a scoped, real project from the team's actual backlog — not a toy problem or hypothetical
  3. 3They work independently, communicate asynchronously with a point of contact, and deliver an output (a design, a document, a code PR, a proposal)
  4. 4The hiring team reviews the output and the process: how they asked questions, managed ambiguity, and communicated progress
  5. 5A debrief call closes the trial — candidate reflects on what they'd do differently, team gives feedback

What to look for

  • Quality of the actual output — does it meet professional standards for the role?
  • How they handled ambiguity: did they ask smart clarifying questions or disappear and guess?
  • Communication style: async-friendly, concise, proactive — or requiring hand-holding?
  • Self-awareness in the debrief: can they identify what they'd improve without prompting?
  • Whether their working style fits the team's rhythm — this is the single best predictor of culture fit

Adaptation guide

Scope the trial to no more than 10–15 hours of work. Pay market rate. Use a real task that will be useful even if the candidate isn't hired — this signals respect and eliminates ethical concerns about unpaid labor. Have the same person manage all trial candidates for consistency.

Full description

Format:

  1. After initial screening, finalist candidates are invited to a paid trial — 1–2 weeks, part-time, at a fair hourly rate
  2. Candidate receives a scoped, real project from the team's actual backlog — not a toy problem or hypothetical
  3. They work independently, communicate asynchronously with a designated point of contact, and deliver an output (design, document, code PR, or proposal)
  4. The hiring team reviews both the output and the process: how they asked questions, managed ambiguity, and communicated
  5. A debrief call closes the trial — candidate reflects on what they'd do differently, team shares feedback

Time: 1–2 weeks (part-time, paid)

What to look for:

  • Quality of actual output — does it meet professional standards for the role?
  • How they handled ambiguity: smart clarifying questions or silent guessing?
  • Communication style: async-friendly, concise, proactive — or requiring hand-holding?
  • Self-awareness in the debrief: identify improvements without prompting
  • Whether their working style fits the team's rhythm — the single best predictor of cultural fit

Adaptation: Scope the trial to 10–15 hours of real work. Pay market rate. Use a task that will be useful even if the candidate isn't hired — this signals respect and eliminates ethical concerns. Have the same person manage all trial candidates for consistency.