See how a $100m+ deep-tech fund cut hiring time by 50%

Recruiting template

Assessment Invitation Email Template

An assessment invitation email asks a candidate to complete a test, task or recorded interview, and tells them what it covers, how long it takes, the deadline and how to ask for adjustments. Pick the version for your assessment below, add your details and copy it.

Assessment Invitation Email Template

Fill in your details

Every version below updates as you type. A field left empty stays as a [placeholder] in the text you copy.

Email versions open straight in your email app with the subject and text filled in. You add the recipient there.

Your company and sender details are remembered, so the next template starts with them filled in.

Note

If software scores or screens the assessment, some places require advance notice or consent (for example New York City and Illinois), and disability law covers adjustments for tests: check local rules before you send. This template is not legal advice.

Online skills assessment invitation

When to use it: An untimed online assessment the candidate completes in their own time before a deadline.

SubjectNext step for the [Job title] role at [Company name]: an online assessment

Hi [Candidate name], Thank you for applying for the [Job title] role at [Company name]. We'd like you to move to the next stage: a short online assessment. What it covers: [What it covers] Skills we're looking at: [Skills assessed] Time it takes: [Time it takes] Complete it by: [Deadline (date, time and time zone)] Link: [Assessment link] You can start it at any time before the deadline. Choose somewhere quiet where you won't be interrupted, and use a laptop or desktop if you can. If you need any adjustments, such as extra time or a different format, reply to this email before you start and we'll arrange them. The same goes if the link doesn't work. Once we've reviewed your work, we'll be in touch about the next step, which is [What happens next]. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

Timed online test invitation

When to use it: A test that must be finished in one sitting once started, so the candidate needs to plan the time.

SubjectOnline test for the [Job title] role at [Company name]

Hi [Candidate name], Thanks for your interest in the [Job title] role. The next step is an online test. What it covers: [What it covers] Time limit: [Time it takes] Complete it by: [Deadline (date, time and time zone)] Link: [Assessment link] The test is timed and has to be finished in one sitting, so please start it only when you have the full time free. The timer starts [When the timer starts]. Before you begin: - Check your internet connection. - Close other tabs and apps, and silence notifications. - Have a pen and paper to hand if you'd like them. If you need adjustments, such as extra time, a screen reader or a break, please reply by [Reply by] so we can set them up before you start. If something goes wrong during the test, such as a dropped connection, email me straight away at [Your email] and we'll sort it out. Good luck. We'll let you know the outcome once we've reviewed your results. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

Work sample or job simulation invitation

When to use it: A practical task based on the real work of the role, such as a short case, a draft or a simulated working day. For a longer task done over several days, use the take-home assignment template.

SubjectA practical task for the [Job title] role at [Company name]

Hi [Candidate name], Thanks for your interest in the [Job title] role. The next stage is a short practical task based on the work the team does every day. The task: [What it covers] Skills we're looking at: [Skills assessed] Time it should take: [Time it takes] Complete it by: [Deadline (date, time and time zone)] Link: [Assessment link] Please don't spend longer than the time above. We're interested in how you approach the problem and explain your thinking, so a clear, finished answer is better than a perfect one. If you make assumptions, write them down. This task is only for assessing your application. We won't use your work for anything else. If you need adjustments, or have a question about the task, reply to this email. After we've reviewed your work, the next step is [What happens next], where you'll have the chance to talk it through. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

Recorded video interview invitation

When to use it: A one-way video interview, where the candidate records answers to set questions with no interviewer present.

SubjectRecorded video interview for the [Job title] role

Hi [Candidate name], Thank you for applying for the [Job title] role at [Company name]. The next step is a short recorded video interview, which you can do at a time that suits you. Number of questions: [Number of questions] For each question: [Thinking time per question] to think, then [Answer time per question] to answer Time it takes overall: [Time it takes] Complete it by: [Deadline (date, time and time zone)] Link: [Assessment link] You'll see each question on screen, then record your answer. If there's a practice question, use it to check your camera and microphone and get used to the format before anything is recorded. Please record somewhere quiet and well lit. You don't need to dress formally or prepare slides; we want to hear how you think about the work. If you'd prefer a live call instead, or need an adjustment such as captions or more time, reply to this email by [Reply by] and we'll arrange it. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

Assessment invitation with an automated-scoring notice

When to use it: An assessment scored or screened by software, where you need to tell candidates in advance and explain how to ask for an alternative or an adjustment. For candidates who live in New York City, the notice must reach them at least 10 business days before the tool is used. Either send this email that far ahead of the deadline, or put the notice in the job posting or on your careers page.

SubjectAssessment for the [Job title] role at [Company name]: please read before you start

Hi [Candidate name], Thank you for applying for the [Job title] role at [Company name]. The next step is an online assessment. What it covers: [What it covers] Time it takes: [Time it takes] Complete it by: [Deadline (date, time and time zone)] Link: [Assessment link] How we use an automated tool We use an automated tool to help assess this stage. It looks at these job qualifications and skills: [Skills assessed]. How it works: [How the automated tool works]. If you would like a reasonable adjustment, or would prefer to be assessed another way, reply to this email by [Reply by] and tell us what you need. Asking will not count against your application. Please reply to confirm you have read this notice and agree to be assessed this way. We won't use the tool to assess you until you do. If you have questions about the tool or the data it uses, email me at [Your email]. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

Assessment reminder email

When to use it: A follow-up to a candidate who has not started or finished the assessment as the deadline gets close.

SubjectReminder: your [Job title] assessment closes [Deadline (date, time and time zone)]

Hi [Candidate name], A quick reminder that the assessment for the [Job title] role at [Company name] closes on [Deadline (date, time and time zone)]. It takes [Time it takes]. Link: [Assessment link] If something has got in the way, such as the link not working or a busy week, just reply and let me know. If you need more time or an adjustment, I'd rather hear about it now than after the deadline. If you've decided not to go ahead with your application, that's fine too. A one-line reply helps us keep everyone else updated. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

How to use this template

  • 1Pick the version that matches the assessment: an untimed online assessment, a timed test, a work sample or job simulation, a recorded video interview, or the version with a notice if software scores or screens the answers.
  • 2Fill in the fields above. The time it takes and the deadline matter most; give the deadline with a time and time zone, so there is no doubt about when it closes.
  • 3Say what the assessment covers and which skills you are looking at, so candidates know why they are being asked to do it.
  • 4If you use the notice version for candidates in New York City, send it at least 10 business days before the tool is used, or give the notice in the job posting or on your careers page. Set {{reply_by}} and the deadline to fit.
  • 5Test the link yourself before you send it, from a browser where you are not logged in.
  • 6Send the reminder version a day or two before the deadline to anyone who has not finished, and keep the original email in the same thread.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Not saying how long the assessment takes, so candidates either rush it or put it off.
  • Giving a deadline with no time zone, which is easy to misread when candidates are in different places.
  • Setting a task that takes far longer than you say, or that looks like unpaid work on a real project.
  • Leaving out how to ask for adjustments, so candidates who need them have to raise it unprompted.
  • Using software to score answers without telling candidates first, where local rules require notice or consent.
  • Sending the assessment and then going quiet: tell candidates what happens next and roughly when.

Questions

What should an assessment invitation email include?

The role, what the assessment covers, the skills you are looking at, how long it takes, whether it is timed, the deadline with a time zone, the link, how to ask for adjustments, who to contact if something goes wrong and what happens next.

How do I write an online test invitation email?

Say that the test is timed and has to be finished in one sitting, give the time limit and the deadline, and tell the candidate to start only when they have the full time free. The timed online test version above covers this.

How long should candidates have to complete an assessment?

Long enough to fit it around a job and other commitments, so a few days rather than a few hours. Set a specific deadline in the email, and say who to contact if they need more time.

Can I ask candidates if they need adjustments for a test?

Yes. In the US, EEOC guidance says an employer may describe the hiring process, including a timed test, and ask whether the applicant will need a reasonable accommodation for it. In the UK, asking whether someone needs help to take part in a selection test is one of the allowed reasons to ask about health or disability.

Do I need to tell candidates if AI or software scores the assessment?

In some places, yes. New York City requires notice to candidates who live in the city, 10 business days before an automated employment decision tool is used, and Illinois requires notice, an explanation and consent before AI analyses a video interview. Check the rules where you and your candidates are.

What should a skills assessment email subject line say?

The role, the company and the step, for example "Next step for the Data Analyst role at Northwind: an online assessment". For a reminder, put the deadline in the subject.

Related templates

Free tool

Cohesyve · Skill assessments for hiring

Send candidates a job simulation of the real work

Cohesyve builds an AI job simulation of the role from your job description, finds candidates and reaches out to them, then returns a ranked shortlist. Ten candidates free, no card.

1,500+

assessments completed

50%

faster time-to-hire

5 min

from JD to assessment

Try it free →Book a 30-min demo

No credit card · 10 free candidates · Plans sized to your hiring volume

Case study: Indago Research went from 10–15 interviews per role to 3–4 →Plans from $199/month, sized to your hiring volume →

See Cohesyve in action

Free 30-min walkthrough

See it on your role