Many remote employers want to see you work before they hire you. They send a short task, ask for a paid trial, or ask for a portfolio or a voice recording. It often decides the offer, yet people prepare for it least.
This guide covers what our own listings say about trial tasks, what employers look for when they mark one, and how to do the task well. On 25 October 2026, Work Remote Jobs listed 1,155 open remote jobs. The numbers below describe that set, which we review by hand, not the whole job market.
Key takeaways
- Only 25 of 1,155 open listings (2.2%) say that the hiring process includes a test, a trial, a work sample or a portfolio. Most listings do not say whether there is a task, so expect to hear about one after you apply.
- Portfolios and writing samples are asked for most often (14 listings), then trial tasks and assessments (10), then a recorded or written example sent with the application (2).
- Data annotation and writing ask for proof of work most often: 16% of open listings in each field. In IT it is 2 of 658.
- Four listings say the trial itself is paid, and one more pays for training during a trial period. Treat a long unpaid "trial" with care.
- The task tests more than skill. It tests whether you follow instructions, ask good questions, keep the deadline and explain your work in writing.
What our listings say
We searched every open listing for trial tasks, tests, assessments, work samples and portfolios, then checked each match by hand. Many hits had nothing to do with hiring, such as "risk assessment" in a security job or "free trial" in a marketing job. After that check, 25 listings from 12 employers clearly describe a step where you show your work.
What open listings ask you to show
Portfolios and writing samples (14). Writers, content designers and marketers are asked for a portfolio, case studies or copy that converts. Five social media roles ask for a portfolio of accounts you grew and content you made yourself. A Webflow developer role asks for live projects, and a technical writer role asks for writing samples.
Trial tasks and assessments (10). Nine are AI evaluation roles for finance, audit, insurance and legal experts, all from one employer. Four of them say "a paid trial gig is required" before you join. Five say you "may need to pass a project-specific assessment or trial task". One content writer role offers paid training and a trial period.
Recorded or written examples (2). Two customer support roles in the Philippines ask for something extra with the application: one wants a 1 to 2 minute voice recording, the other a process-improvement example. Both also ask for an example of an AI tool you use.
Two other listings, not counted above, mention a probation period after hiring (one of 90 days), which is a different thing: you already have the job, but the first months count as a test.
Which fields test you most
Listings that name a test, trial or portfolio, by field
Data annotation and writing stand out. In data annotation, 9 of 55 open listings (16%) name a trial or assessment. That fits the work: AI training projects check accuracy on a sample before they give you real tasks. Our guide to AI training jobs explains how these projects work.
In writing, 5 of 31 listings (16%) ask for a portfolio or samples, and one adds a trial period. In marketing, 7 of 168 (4%) ask for a portfolio. Customer service has 2 of 81 (2.5%), both in the Philippines.
IT is the surprise: only 2 of 658 listings mention a portfolio, and none names a coding test. That does not mean IT hiring has no tests. More likely, engineering employers leave the test out of the listing and bring it up later in the process.
The lesson for every field: expect a task even if the listing does not mention one, and have work you can show before anyone asks.
What employers are really checking
A trial task looks like a test of skill. Skill matters, but the people who mark these tasks usually look at five things.
- Did you follow the brief? The word count, the format, the file type, the tone. Missing a clear instruction is the most common way to fail.
- Did you ask the right questions? One or two sharp questions at the start show judgment. Ten questions show you did not read the brief.
- Did you deliver on time? Remote teams depend on people who finish without being chased. A late task is often a failed task.
- Can you explain your work in writing? Remote work runs on written messages. A short note on what you did and why counts almost as much as the work itself.
- Is it accurate? In AI evaluation, data work and support, one wrong fact or wrong label can outweigh a lot of good work.
Before you start the task
Read the brief twice. The first time, read for what they want. The second time, mark every concrete instruction: length, format, deadline, tools, where to send it.
Ask questions in one message. If something is unclear, write once, early, and number your questions. If you get no answer, state your assumption in your hand-in note and carry on.
Agree on the time and the pay. A fair task takes a few hours at most. If it would take more than a day, or looks like real client work, ask whether it is paid. Four of the listings above say plainly that the trial is paid. Be wary of an unpaid "trial" that runs for weeks or asks for finished work the company could use, and never pay to take a test. Our guide to remote job scams lists the warning signs.
Plan your hours. Many remote teams work in another time zone. Note the deadline in their time zone and in yours, and aim to send the task a few hours early.
While you do it
Do the core task first. Get a complete, correct version done before you polish it. A finished, plain answer beats a beautiful half.
Keep to the format. If they ask for a Google Doc, send a Google Doc. If they ask for 500 words, do not send 1,200.
Show your thinking, briefly. For a writing task, add two lines on who you wrote it for. For a support reply, say which policy you followed. For a data or AI evaluation task, note the cases you were unsure about and why you labeled them as you did.
Check it like an editor. Read it out loud and check every number, name and link.
Use AI tools honestly. Two of the support listings above ask which AI tool you use, so some employers expect you to use them. Use them to check or speed up your work, not to replace it, and say how you used them if the brief allows them. If the brief says no AI, do not use it.
Handing it in
Send the task with a short note. Five lines is enough:
- what you delivered and where to find it;
- any assumption you made and why;
- what you would do next with more time;
- the time it took you;
- a line of thanks and your availability for a call.
Name files clearly (your name, the role, "trial task"), and check that links open for anyone, not only you. If they asked for a voice recording, record in a quiet room, keep it within the time limit and listen to it once before you send it.
Prepare before anyone asks
Since most listings do not mention the task, the best preparation happens before you apply.
- Keep three pieces of work ready. One listing asks for up to three portfolio pieces in one place, and another for three or more case studies. A writer needs three short articles; a marketer, a campaign with results; a support agent, a few model replies to tricky customer messages; a data annotator, notes from a practice labeling task.
- Put them in one link. A single page or folder that opens without a login.
- Record a short voice note about yourself and a problem you solved, if you apply for support or sales roles.
- Practise under a timer. Pick a task from a real listing and do it in two hours.
Our guide to standing out in a remote application shows how to turn this work into a CV and a cover note.
If you do not pass
Ask for feedback in one polite line. Many employers will not reply, but some will, and one useful sentence is worth the ask. Then keep the task. With the brief removed, a task you did well is a new portfolio piece.
What to do next
- Browse all remote jobs and note which ones in your field ask for samples or a trial.
- Build your three-piece portfolio this week.
- If you are looking at AI evaluation, see data annotation jobs; if you write, see remote writing jobs.
- Before you accept any trial, check the time, the pay and the warning signs.
