Ask for typical, basic things you need done, not made-up scenarios or what-if case studies. Dig in to a typical day at work and from there, make asks that are truly reflective of what a future employee would be carrying out on a normal day. Doing this ensures that at the end of the trial, whether you hire the Wannabe or not, you’ll have valuable, relevant, completed research, presentations and insights, not hypothetical trash. This also shows a Wannabe the non-glamorous, day-to-day reality of the role, so both of you can make a decision based on truth, not fairytale.

You don’t just hire a person, you hire how they’ll elevate your team.

And if the first day of work is the first your team meets a new hire, we beg you to reconsider your process. With Wannatrial, test team dynamics, personality fit and general vibe before you commit. Pick tasks during the trial that require the Wannabe to work together with key team members they’ll be rocking with day-to-day. Why should a job trial be a premeditated, solo endeavor when a job position is actually all about solving problems dynamically in a team?

So, what kind of tasks should you schedule during a trial period? Here are some ideas:

Attend a sprint or planning meeting.
Complete company research and readingsIdentify specific problem and generate solutions.
Attend client meetings and shadow teammates.
Join All-Hands and other company-wide meetings.
Participate in a team brainstorm or jam session