Candidate experience
A walkthrough of what your candidate sees, so you can set expectations, prepare instructions, and support candidates who get stuck.
Candidate experience
Understanding what candidates go through helps you write clearer instructions and support them if they get stuck. Candidates never create an account. They open their private link.
Step-by-step
1. Open the link
The candidate clicks the link in their invitation email and lands on the candidate app. The link is tied to a specific assessment for a specific candidate, so there is no sign-up or password to manage.
2. Briefing
They see instructions: what the test covers, how long it takes, the rules, and any preparation (browser, quiet environment, camera and microphone permissions).
3. Camera check
If video proctoring is enabled, the candidate grants camera and microphone access and completes a short camera calibration. The app confirms their face is visible and centered. This baseline is used later to spot anomalies.
4. Solve the problems
The candidate works in an in-browser code editor with starter code for their language. Their code is auto-saved as they type, and they can run it against test cases to check their work. A live timer shows the remaining time.
5. Proctoring runs in the background
While they work, the app records the webcam video and detects paste events and tab or window switches, and monitors whether a face is present and visible. These signals feed the integrity report you will see later.
6. Submit or auto-submit
The candidate submits when finished. If the time runs out, the test auto-submits with their latest code, so no one can extend their time by changing the browser.
Set candidates up to succeed
The single biggest predictor of a calm, fair assessment is whether the candidate was prepared. Tell candidates in advance that they need:
- A working camera and microphone.
- A quiet, well-lit space with their face clearly visible.
- A stable internet connection and a modern browser.
- Roughly 15 minutes of buffer before the window to complete the camera check.
- That the session is monitored. This is reassuring to genuine candidates and unambiguous to anyone considering inappropriate help.
What to tell candidates
A short paragraph in the invitation email and in your job post works well. The candidate app's briefing page repeats the rules, but candidates who already know what to expect are calmer and perform better.