Completed a hiring assignment but didn’t get the job? It might have been used anyway

Amid increased uncertainty and competitiveness in the job market, the latest hiring practice has many potential candidates scratching their heads.

In another blow to job applicants, new research from Indeed has revealed that almost 50 per cent of companies that ask candidates to complete an assignment or sample have repurposed submitted work.

The Interview Tasks 2026 survey also revealed that more than 55 per cent of participating workers have been asked to complete an interview task during the recruitment process, and more than a third overall believe the interviewing organisation has reused their work.

The assignments take, on average, two hours to complete.

According to Kate Furey, a career insights specialist at Indeed, the findings highlight a growing tension in the employment market, whereby “employers are seeking deeper insight into candidates’ skills, while jobseekers are increasingly questioning what’s being asked of them”.

And the statistics back this up, with two-thirds withdrawing from job applications, or not applying at all if asked to complete a task, 82 per cent of workers classifying the tasks as unfair or very unfair – and on the other end of the scale, 73 per cent of employers have lost a candidate as a consequence of assigning them a task.

The study also found there is near 100 per cent agreement by candidates that they should be paid for assignments that take three hours or more to complete, and perhaps this sentiment is paying off, with more than a third claiming they have been paid in full for a task. Of the sectors that are most likely to compensate candidates, IT and media and communications were the most likely, while personal services, retail, and health and education ranked least likely.

IT, media and communications and professional services professionals were the most likely to request a task.

Shockingly, men were 16 per cent more likely to be paid.

Generationally speaking, younger workers are the most likely to be presented with recruitment tasks, suggesting it is a practice most commonly applied to those entering the workforce.

“Indeed’s findings highlight that it’s important for recruiters to be realistic and reasonable with tasks they set,” Furey said.

“Interview tasks are an important aspect of the recruitment processes, but when they are too onerous, unpaid, or plagiarised, [they] can negatively impact both the job seeker and the employer.”

And for recruiters looking to establish a clear understanding of their candidates, recent coverage of candidate fraud and AI in hiring practices found that human insight is the most important tool to establish whether applicants demonstrate the judgement, decision making, and morality that today’s labour market values the most.

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