Paid Trial Work Before Hiring: What Automattic Does Differently
Paid trial work before hiring: Automattic pays candidates for trial projects, even if they are rejected. Here is what to agree in writing before you start any trial.
Yes, a hiring trial project should be paid, and one software company already does it: Automattic, the company that runs WordPress.com, pays candidates for trial work whether or not they get the job. A candidate gives evenings or a weekend, so unpaid assignments cost them real time. Here is how the trial works and what to agree before you start one.
TL;DR- Automattic gives candidates who clear screening and interviews a trial project on the kind of work the job involves.
- The trial is part-time, so a candidate can do it after work or on weekends without leaving their job.
- Payment for the trial is separate from the hiring decision. It is paid even if the candidate is rejected.
- The trial also lets the candidate judge the team: how feedback comes, how questions get answered.
- Before any assignment, ask in writing: what to build, how much time, how much payment, and whether it is paid if you are not hired.
What is a paid trial project in hiring?
A paid trial project is a short piece of real work, of the same kind the job involves, that a candidate does for pay before an offer is made. It replaces guesswork. Instead of asking someone to describe how they would work, you watch them work. In my video I took the example of Automattic, the software company behind WordPress.com, where people build websites. The idea is simple: show the work, get paid for the work, and let the hiring decision happen separately.
How does the Automattic trial actually work?
In the Automattic example, candidates who get through the early screening and interviews receive a trial project. The project is explained to them, and a teammate is available to answer questions. The candidate works, writes about their progress, and the team gives feedback, which the candidate uses to improve the work. It is part-time work, so nobody has to quit a running job. The same setup works for other roles too; I cover how I run such sessions on my corporate training page.
| Agree before you start | Ask the company this | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| The assignment | What exactly should I build or deliver? | Stops open-ended work that grows into a free project |
| The time | How many hours should I spend, and by when? | Protects your evenings and weekends |
| The payment | How much will I be paid, and is it paid if I am not hired? | Keeps your effort separate from the job decision |
Why should a rejected candidate still be paid?
Think about what an unpaid assignment asks for. The candidate gives their evening or weekend, and if the company never pays for hiring assignments, that effort is free. Automattic pays for the trial whether the person gets the job or not. As I said in the video, नौकरी का फैसला अलग है, मेहनत का पैसा अलग. In English: the job decision is one thing, payment for effort is another. A company that keeps these apart treats candidates with respect before they are even employees.
What does a candidate learn about the company during a trial?
The trial works both ways. By working with the team, the candidate sees how feedback is given and how questions are answered. That tells them, before they change jobs, whether they will enjoy working there. For a company, this is also a signal: candidates remember how they were treated. A fair, clearly explained and paid trial shows your culture better than any careers page, and I often tell HR heads that this is the cheapest employer-branding step they can take.
What three things should you agree before starting trial work?
Before substantial trial work, ask in writing for three things. First, what exactly you are expected to build. Second, how much time you should give it. Third, how much you will be paid, and whether that payment still comes if you are not hired. Get agreement on all three before you start. If the answer to the payment question is vague, that tells you something about how the company values your effort. Treat it as part of your own evaluation of them.
Two managers, two assignments: which company would you trust?
Picture two managers. One asks a candidate for a full campaign but leaves time and payment unclear. The other sets a small, paid task with the time fixed up front. The candidate learns very quickly how each company views their effort. The second manager gets better work too, because the candidate knows the limits and can plan. Which team would you want to join? If your answer is the second, ask yourself which manager your own hiring process looks like.
How can HR teams add paid trials to their hiring process?
Start small. Pick one role where you already use an assignment, and make it a short, paid, clearly scoped task with a fixed time and a named teammate for questions. Agree the payment in advance and keep it independent of the final decision. Give feedback, as Automattic does. Track the quality of hires over a few cycles before widening it. If you want your HR and hiring managers to practise this, talk to me about a session or write to connect@avinashchate.com. See also how to check on a hiring decision after you make it.
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Avinash Chate TEDx Speaker · Founder, The Future Corporate · 11+ yrs experience Avinash has trained Indian Army, BRO, RBI, BARC, JSW Steel and 1000+ corporate leaders across India. His work focuses on leadership development, communication skills, and behavioural training rooted in Indian values and modern business needs. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a hiring assignment be paid?
If the assignment is substantial real work, yes. A candidate gives their own time, and payment for effort should be separate from the hiring decision. Automattic follows this by paying for trial work.
What is Automattic's paid trial process?
Candidates who pass early screening and interviews get a trial project similar to the real job. A teammate answers questions, the candidate writes about progress, the team gives feedback, and the work is paid even if the candidate is not hired.
Do I need to quit my current job to do a trial project?
No. In the Automattic example the trial is part-time work that can be done after your job or on weekends, so you do not need to leave your current role.
What should I ask before starting a trial assignment?
Ask in writing what you are to build, how much time to give, and how much you will be paid, including whether you are paid if you are not hired. Agree on all three before you begin.
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