How to Design and Evaluate a Test Assignment for IT Recruiters: A Practical Guide

Recruiting the right recruiter is a challenge in itself. As an IT HR professional, I’ve learned that a well-crafted test assignment can reveal not just a candidate’s skills, but also their approach to problem-solving and communication. In this article, I’ll walk you through my process for designing test assignments for recruiter candidates, share evaluation criteria, and provide practical tips to help you find the best fit for your team.

Why Use a Test Assignment in IT Recruitment?

Not every candidate is willing to complete a test assignment, and that’s understandable. However, including this step in your hiring process can offer valuable insights:

Assess real-world skills: See how candidates handle tasks they’ll face on the job.
Understand their thinking: Learn about their decision-making and communication style.
Identify training needs: Spot areas where additional support or onboarding may be required.

While you might lose some candidates by adding this step, the benefits often outweigh the risks—especially when you need someone who can hit the ground running.

Step 1: Define the Role’s Key Responsibilities

Before writing any assignment, clarify what you’re looking for. Here’s how I approach it:

List all potential responsibilities. Brainstorm every task the recruiter might handle.
Highlight 2-3 core duties. Focus on daily tasks and add one occasional responsibility. For example:
- Sourcing candidates independently
- Daily communication with candidates (calls, messages, handling objections, making offers, sending rejections)
- Salary analytics upon client request
Determine the required experience level. Decide if you have resources to train a junior or need someone more independent (middle or senior level).

Step 2: Create Realistic Test Assignments

Base your assignments on actual tasks from your team. Here’s a sample set I’ve used for a middle-level recruiter:

Assignment 1: Candidate Sourcing

Task: Review two job descriptions (e.g., Product Manager and Full Stack Developer). Find three relevant resumes for each using any sources. For each resume, explain why you chose it, any concerns, and what you’d clarify in a call.

Assignment 2: First Contact Message

Task: Draft an initial outreach message for a Product Manager candidate, as if you’re contacting them via Telegram. The message should introduce the opportunity and invite further discussion.

Assignment 3: Candidate Rejection

Task: Two candidates have interviewed; one will receive an offer, the other will not. Write a rejection message for the unsuccessful candidate, ensuring professionalism and empathy.

Assignment 4: Salary Market Analysis (Bonus)

Task: A client asks for current salary benchmarks for mid-level testers. Outline your research process step-by-step, suggest a salary range, and explain your reasoning—even if you lack direct experience.

Step 3: Set Clear Evaluation Criteria

To ensure fairness and objectivity, define what you’ll look for in each assignment. Here are my criteria:

General Criteria

Timeliness: Ask candidates to set their own deadline. Meeting it shows reliability.
Presentation: Well-formatted, clear documents reflect professionalism and attention to detail.
Grammar and Structure: Communication should be clear, with minimal errors.

Assignment-Specific Criteria

Assignment 1: Sourcing

Relevance of selected profiles
Awareness of red flags (e.g., frequent job changes)
Depth of reasoning (not just surface-level matches)
Following instructions (exact number of resumes)
Use of diverse sourcing platforms

Assignment 2: Outreach Message

Clear structure (greeting, context, offer, call to action)
Candidate-centric approach (links to job description, concise language)
Professional tone and boundaries (no pushy requests)
Personalization (not overly generic or insincere)

Assignment 3: Rejection Message

Compliance with labor laws and best practices
Personalized, non-generic response
Professional, empathetic tone
Maintaining a positive relationship for future opportunities

Assignment 4: Salary Analysis

Variety and credibility of sources
Logical, step-by-step approach
Well-argued conclusions
Asking clarifying questions (e.g., region, type of testing)

Step 4: Compare and Decide

To make your decision process transparent and data-driven:

Create a scoring table. List candidates and rate their performance on each criterion.
Look for patterns. Who consistently meets or exceeds expectations?
Balance strengths and weaknesses. No candidate is perfect—decide which gaps you’re willing to address with training.

Practical Example: Evaluation in Action

Let’s say a candidate submits their assignment:

They source relevant resumes but only use one platform.
Their outreach message lacks a greeting and job link.
The rejection message is polite but generic, missing a specific reason.
The salary analysis is brief and lacks structure.

Assessment: This candidate shows potential but needs guidance on communication and research depth. If you’re hiring for a junior+ or middle role and can provide some mentorship, they could be a good fit.

Quick Checklist: Implementing Test Assignments for Recruiters

List all responsibilities for the role.
Decide on the required experience level (junior, middle, senior).
Design assignments based on key duties.
Define clear evaluation criteria for each task.
Use a scoring table to compare candidates objectively.

Conclusion: Finding the Right Recruiter for Your Team

A thoughtful test assignment process helps you identify recruiters who not only have the right skills, but also align with your team’s values and communication style. Remember:

Tailor assignments to real job tasks.
Set clear, fair evaluation criteria.
Be realistic about which skills you can train and which are non-negotiable.

By following these steps, you’ll improve your chances of hiring a recruiter who will thrive in your organization—and help you build an even stronger team.

Tip: Always provide feedback to candidates, even if they’re not selected. It leaves a positive impression and strengthens your employer brand.