Work trials aren’t brand new, especially in more technical fields, but companies are increasingly leaning on them to find qualified candidates in a job market flooded with AI-optimized résumés and cover letters:

• It could be an unpaid mock task you complete off-site that mirrors what you’d do on the job.
• On the other end of the spectrum, the work trial might be a week in the office with the team you could potentially join. If the work you complete on trial benefits the company, the candidate generally has to be paid for it.
• About two-thirds of companies use some form of skill-based hiring for entry-level roles, according to a 2025 survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

In theory, a trial is great for checking a candidate’s skills and collaboration style while weeding out folks who are just really good at interviewing. But they can be a barrier to employed workers who can’t afford to take a full week off work for a long test that might not end in a job offer. And they can quickly turn exploitative when they’re unpaid.

Applying for a job feels like screaming into the void. Companies have spent the last few years downsizing after pandemic-era overhiring. With AI supercharging the hiring process from both sides, an in-person element could make finding a job more human…if a candidate can make it past the bots to get to that round.—MM

This report was originally published by Morning Brew.