How to Manage Candidates on Testlify

Before you begin

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

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

Inviting Candidates

Testlify offers three ways to invite candidates to an assessment:

• Email — Send personalized invitation links to candidates one at a time, or upload a CSV to invite many at once. Available on all plans.
• Public link — Share a single link in your job post. Candidates enter their own details and Testlify sends their invitation email automatically. Best for high-volume hiring.
• ATS integration — Trigger invitations directly from your connected Applicant Tracking System. The invitation email is sent from your ATS, not from Testlify.

Regardless of the method used, 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 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. Testlify opens 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.
4. 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 you can paste into any job posting or career page. When a candidate opens the link, they enter their name and email address, and Testlify sends their 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. Testlify copies it to your clipboard automatically.
5. Paste the link into your job post or career page.

Tip: Public links work best for roles with many applicants. Because candidates self-register, you cannot identify them individually until they complete registration and Testlify sends 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 the Candidates page or the Assessment page. There are 13 stages available:

• 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, find the stage selector in the center of the screen.
3. Click the selector to open the drop-down. The default is Not Yet Evaluated.
4. Select the appropriate stage. The change saves 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 appears 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, 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, check key details: invitation date and time, completion date and time, and total time 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 down to review responses to custom questions and qualifying questions. This section shows 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 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 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, Testlify automatically sends them a personalized, professional rejection email. This keeps communication respectful and saves your team time. 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 (next to the email icon).
3. In the confirmation pop-up, click Confirm. Testlify sends a rejection email 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. Testlify sends a rejection email automatically.

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

Deleting a Candidate

Deleting a candidate permanently removes all their data from Testlify — including results, proctoring snapshots, and anti-cheating records. Common reasons include correcting an incorrect email address or fulfilling a data removal request.

Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. Candidates are not notified when 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 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: 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 with all candidate results. You can share that file with a hiring manager, recruiter, or 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 from the beginning. No previous answers or progress will be carried over.

Need help? Contact support.