How to Manage Candidates on Testlify

Before you begin

To manage candidates in Testlify, you must hold the Owner, Admin, or Recruiter role on your account. You will also need at least one active assessment before you can send invitations. If you do not yet have an assessment, create one first from the Assessments page.

This guide walks you through the entire candidate lifecycle on Testlify — from sending invitations to evaluating results, sharing scores, rejecting applicants, and permanently deleting candidate records.

Inviting Candidates

Testlify offers three methods to invite candidates to an assessment:

• Email — Send personalized invitation links to candidates one at a time, or upload a CSV to invite many candidates at once. Both options are available on all plans.
• Public link — Share a single link in your job post. Candidates enter their own details and receive a Testlify invitation email automatically. This is the fastest method for high-volume hiring.
• ATS integration — If you have an Applicant Tracking System connected to Testlify, you can trigger invitations from the ATS. In this case, the invitation email is sent from your ATS, not from Testlify.

Regardless of which method you use, a candidate appears on the Candidates page as soon as they click their link and begin the assessment.

Invite by Email — Individual

Use this method when you want to invite a single candidate directly from Testlify. The candidate receives a personalized link that takes them straight to your assessment.

1. Go to the Assessments page and click the assessment you want the candidate to take.
2. You are taken directly to the Invitation page. At the top, you will see the option to invite candidates.
3. Enter the candidate's First Name, Last Name, and Email Address.
4. Click Invite. Testlify sends a personalized invitation link to the candidate's email address.

Invite by Email — Bulk

Use this method to invite multiple candidates at once by uploading a CSV file. A template is available on the invitation page if you are unsure of the required column format.

1. Go to the Assessments page and click the target assessment.
2. On the Invitation page, scroll below the individual invite section and click Bulk Invitation.
3. Click Select CSV File and upload your prepared file from your device.
4. Once the file is uploaded, click Invite. Each candidate on the list receives a personalized invitation link.

Invite by Public Link

A public link lets candidates self-register for an assessment. Each assessment has one unique public link that you can copy and paste into any job posting or career page. When a candidate opens the link, they enter their name and email address, and Testlify sends them an invitation automatically.

1. Go to the Assessments page and click the target assessment.
2. On the Invitation page, click Bulk Invitation.
3. In the pop-up, locate the Public Link option on the left side.
4. Click it to generate the link. It is copied to your clipboard automatically.
5. Paste the link into your job post or career page.

Tip: Public links are ideal for roles with a high number of applicants. Because candidates self-register, you may receive more submissions than with direct email invites. Keep in mind that you will not be able to identify each candidate until they complete the registration step and Testlify sends them their personal assessment link.

Managing Candidate Stages

The Candidate Stage lets you track each applicant's position in your hiring pipeline and keep your team aligned. You can update the stage at any time from either the Candidates page or the Assessment page. There are 13 stages to choose from:

• Not Yet Evaluated
• Evaluated
• Invited for Assessment
• Enrolled for Assessment
• Assessment Completed
• Invited for Interview
• Reference Verified
• Offer Sent
• Offer Declined
• Candidate Withdrew
• Candidate Unresponsive
• Rejected
• Hired

To update a stage from the Candidates page:

1. Go to the Candidates page and click the candidate whose stage you want to update.
2. On the candidate's profile page, find the stage selector in the center of the screen.
3. Click the selector to open the drop-down menu. The default value is Not Yet Evaluated.
4. Select the appropriate stage. The change is saved immediately.

To update a stage from the Assessment page:

1. Go to the Assessments page and click the relevant assessment.
2. Find the candidate in the list. Their current stage is displayed on the right side of the row.
3. Click the stage to open the drop-down and select a new value.

Evaluating Results

After candidates complete their assessments, you can review their answers and scores from the Candidates page. All plans include full access to results.

1. Go to the Candidates page and click the candidate you want to review.
2. At the top of the profile, review key details: the date and time of the invitation, the date and time of completion, and the total time the candidate spent on the assessment.
3. Below the summary, view skill test answers and the candidate's percentile score relative to all other candidates who have taken the same test.
4. Scroll further down to review responses to any custom questions and qualifying questions. This section displays all answer types — text, uploaded files, audio recordings, and video responses.
5. On the right panel, review the candidate's trust score and any proctoring snapshots captured during the session.
6. At the bottom of the page, add your rating and any written feedback for internal reference.

Sharing Results with Candidates

You can send candidates their assessment results directly from Testlify. When you share results, candidates see only their scores — not your internal ratings, reviewer notes, or any anti-cheating data.

From the Candidates page:

1. Click the candidate's name to open their profile.
2. In the top-right corner, click the email icon.
3. Review the confirmation pop-up and click Send.

From the Assessment page:

1. Go to the Assessments page and click the relevant assessment.
2. Find the candidate in the list and click the three-dot menu next to their name.
3. Select Share results from the drop-down.
4. Click Send to confirm.

Rejecting Candidates

When you reject a candidate on Testlify, the platform automatically sends them a personalized, professional rejection email. This keeps communication respectful and saves your team time. This option is available on all plans.

From the Candidates page:

1. Click the candidate's name to open their profile.
2. In the top-right corner, click the Rejection icon (located next to the email icon).
3. In the confirmation pop-up, click Confirm. A rejection email is sent to the candidate automatically.

From the Assessment page:

1. Go to the Assessments page and click the relevant assessment.
2. Click the three-dot menu next to the candidate's name.
3. Select Reject from the drop-down.
4. In the confirmation pop-up, click Confirm. A rejection email is sent automatically.

To skip the rejection email, uncheck the option "A rejection mail will be sent to this candidate" in the confirmation pop-up before clicking Confirm.

Deleting a Candidate

You can delete a candidate to permanently remove all their data from Testlify — including their results, proctoring snapshots, and anti-cheating records. Common reasons include correcting an incorrect email address or fulfilling a candidate's data removal request.

Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. Candidates are not notified when they are deleted.

1. Go to the Assessments page and click the assessment that contains the candidate.
2. Find the candidate in the list and click the three-dot menu next to their name.
3. Select Delete candidate from the drop-down.
4. In the confirmation pop-up, click Confirm.

If the candidate had not yet started or had not finished the assessment, they immediately lose access to their invitation link. You can re-invite them at any time to give them a fresh attempt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I see some candidates on the Candidates tab?

There are two likely reasons. Either you do not have access to the assessment those candidates were invited to, or those candidates have not yet started the assessment. Candidates only appear on the Candidates tab once they click their invitation link and begin the assessment.

Can I share a candidate's results with someone other than the candidate?

Yes. From the Assessments page, click the assessment you want to export, then use the download option in the top-right corner to export a CSV or Excel file containing all candidate results. You can then share that file with anyone — a hiring manager, a recruiter, or an external stakeholder.

Can a candidate retake an assessment they did not finish?

No. Once an assessment is left midway — whether due to a technical issue or any other reason — it cannot be resumed. To give the candidate another chance, delete them from the assessment and re-invite them. They will receive a fresh invitation link and can start the assessment from the beginning. Note that no previous answers or progress will be carried over.

Need help? Contact support.