In the ever-evolving landscape of human resources, companies are constantly seeking better ways to make confident hiring decisions. One tactic that’s gaining ground is offering “tryouts” or “ride-alongs” before extending a permanent job offer. You may also hear this called a working interview or a trial shift.
This practice involves providing candidates with a conditional job offer, typically ranging from a day to a week, to evaluate their suitability for the role, and to let the candidate see the job up close before they fully commit.
Why Tryout Periods Are Trending
Hiring is expensive, even before you factor in the time drain on owners and managers. The financial burden of recruiting, hiring, and onboarding a new employee can be substantial, with the average cost-per-hire sitting at a whopping $4,700 in 2022 according to SHRM.
And once someone starts, the “is this going to work out?” window is shorter than most employers want to admit. On average, companies have 44 days to influence a new hire’s long-term retention. However, 44% of employees report having regrets or second thoughts about their new job within the first week. That’s why tryout periods are appealing, they give both sides a real-world look before you invest deeper into onboarding and training.
Tryout Periods, What They Are and What They Are Not
A tryout period is a short, structured evaluation window where both sides can confirm fit before making a longer-term commitment.
It’s also important to be clear about what a tryout period is not. It’s not “free help,” it’s not a workaround for hiring paperwork, and it’s not something you do informally and hope for the best.
If a candidate is on-site (or otherwise working with your team) during a tryout period, treat the time like work time, even if they are mostly training, shadowing, observing, or learning the ropes. In other words, don’t hang your compliance decisions on whether they were “good at the job yet,” or whether you got immediate output on day one.
The safer, more consistent approach is to plan for a tryout period as a real, paid, documented employment arrangement from the start.
Benefits of a Tryout Period
Tryout periods can be a win for employers and candidates, when they’re set up thoughtfully and handled consistently.
For Employers
- Skill verification. Managers can observe whether the candidate has the skills to do the job well in a hands-on setting.
- Reduced hiring risk. A tryout period can reduce the chance you invest weeks of onboarding time into a match that was never going to work.
- Cultural fit. You get a more realistic read on how the candidate communicates, takes feedback, and interacts with the team.
For Candidates
- Practical experience. Candidates get to try the role, meet potential coworkers, and experience your day-to-day environment before committing.
- More confident decisions. A tryout period helps candidates say “yes” with clarity, or bow out early without months of frustration on both sides.
What Employers Need to Know If They Plan to Offer a Tryout Period
Before you roll this out, it helps to treat a tryout period like a mini hiring process, not a casual experiment. Here are the key considerations employers should keep in mind.
- Compensation and benefits
Legally, a tryout period must be paid time and count toward seniority and eligibility for company benefits and paid time off (PTO), based on your plan rules and standard policies. Candidates working on a trial basis are subject to all labor regulations (federal and local) regarding pay and worker classification. Additionally, the employer must have workers’ compensation coverage for all workers. - Use normal hiring practices and paperwork
The individual being considered for employment should be hired under your normal hiring practices, including completing an employment application and the regular new hire documentation (I-9, W-4, and state tax withholding forms, etc.). This is one of the easiest ways to keep the process consistent and defensible. - Pay rules still apply, even if it’s “just a few days”
Individuals hired under this scenario must be compensated at minimum wage or above for each hour worked in the week, and time and a half for any time worked over 40 hours in the workweek. - Put the tryout period in writing
Have an agreement (signed and dated by all parties) that spells out the term, expectations, and compensation. It should clearly state that the offer is for a tryout period only, and that there is no stated or implied guarantee of continued employment beyond the trial period. It should also clarify that management retains discretion regarding continued employment. - Decide how it connects to your probationary period
Upon completion of the trial period, an evaluation should be made as to the worker’s continued employment. The trial period may or may not be considered part of the company’s normal probationary period (for example, 60 days). If it does count, the employee must successfully complete the remainder of the probationary period after the tryout. - Back it up in your handbook
Consider adding an addendum to your handbook stating that, on occasion, the company may decide to hire an applicant on a trial basis at management’s discretion. The purpose is to determine job fit and to provide the employee a first-hand view of the position. The final decision on continued employment rests with management upon completion of the trial period. - Keep your standards consistent
Applicants hired on a trial period basis are subject to the same state and federal regulations as all other employees relating to employment law and nondiscriminatory policy and practice. Employers should regularly monitor the use of this practice to ensure it continues to meet the standards above, and to ensure it’s being used consistently across roles and locations.
How Seay HR Can Help
Tryout periods can be a smart hiring tool, but only when they’re structured properly. Where employers get into trouble is usually not the idea itself, it’s the informal execution, unclear expectations, inconsistent paperwork, or a manager making up rules on the fly.
Seay HR can help you set up a tryout period process that’s simple, consistent, and aligned with how you already hire. That usually means tightening up the basics, what the tryout is meant to measure, how long it runs, what the expectations are for both sides, what needs to be documented, and how managers should run the same process every time. We can also help you think through how it connects to your existing probationary period and handbook language, so you’re not reinventing the wheel for every role.
If you’re going to use ride-alongs or working interviews, it’s worth setting it up correctly once, then running it the same way every time, with fewer surprises and fewer messy “wait, are we doing this right?” moments.
Please contact us today to discuss how a tryout period could help you find the right candidates.
Please note: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Seay HR makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the information contained herein.
Seay HR disclaims all liability for any actions taken or not taken based on the information in this article. Readers are solely responsible for their own interpretation and use of this information.
