Over the past year, we analysed assessment activity across our clients (including some of the world's largest and most established employers) to understand how candidates actually engage at scale.
You can read the full report here.
Below is a summary of what we found.
📊 Engagement
60% of invited candidates start an assessment (6 in 10 click “begin”)
Engagement consistently peaks mid-week, particularly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Wednesday around 2:00 PM is one of the busiest completion moments
Candidate activity follows working rhythms rather than late evenings or weekends.
What this means for TA teams:
Engagement is not random, which means that timing and communication strategy matter. Mid-week, during working hours, appears to be when candidates have both the capacity and intent to engage. Optimising invitation and reminder timing can support stronger participation without changing the assessment itself.
✔️ Completion
Nearly 90% of candidates complete once they start
The largest drop-off happens before the assessment begins
This suggests early self-selection plays a significant role in the process.
What this means for TA teams:
The critical moment is the invitation stage. Once candidates decide to engage, completion is rarely the issue. Clear positioning, transparency about what the assessment measures, and relevance to the role may have more impact than marginal changes to assessment length.
⏱️ Time on Task
The average assessment completion time is ~19.8 minutes
Long enough to generate meaningful insight, short enough to respect candidates’ time.
What this means for TA teams:
There is often concern that assessments are “too long.” The data suggests that when designed well, a 20-minute assessment does not create significant friction. Perceived value and relevance are more important than shaving a few minutes off the process.
📱 Device Behaviour
Mobile engagement has grown significantly in recent years
Candidates continue to complete assessments across both desktop and mobile
Assessment design must reflect real device behaviour, not assumptions.
What this means for TA teams:
Candidates expect flexibility. Assessment experiences that function seamlessly across devices are increasingly important, particularly for early-career or high-volume hiring.
⏳ Efficiency at Scale
Over the course of a year, assessment activity across our clients equated to the equivalent of 200 recruiter years saved
This is based on a conservative estimate of 30 minutes of manual screening per candidate
Small efficiencies compound .
What this means for TA teams:
Structured assessments meaningfully shift recruiter time away from repetitive screening and towards higher-value conversations and decision-making.
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