Got a test invite email? What to do first

Short answer: read the email fully, find the test name and the deadline, check your device, and look for a practice link. Then ask the employer if you need more time or an adjustment. For most timed tests, what helps most is getting familiar with the format, not weeks of study.

Last checked: 15 October 2026. Employers and test publishers change their rules. Your invitation is the final word on your test.

In the first hour

  1. Read the whole email. Note the deadline, any time limit, and whether the test is supervised (proctored).
  2. Find the test name or the publisher’s name. It may be in the email, on the login page, or both. Publisher names you may see include SHL, Criteria, Wonderlic, Pearson TalentLens, Saville, Korn Ferry and Predictive Index.
  3. Use your own link. Test platforms issue each candidate a personal link or login. Saville, for example, says there is no general login page and your personal link is the only way into your own assessments (Saville). Do not share your link.
  4. Check the email for a practice or sample link. Predictive Index says its sample questions are found in the employer’s invitation, if the employer chose to include them (Predictive Index).
  5. Note the device and browser requirements. Korn Ferry, for example, recommends a PC or laptop for its ability tests (Korn Ferry FAQ).
  6. Check your spam folder if the email has not arrived, and ask the employer to resend it. Saville and Korn Ferry both say this (Saville, Korn Ferry FAQ).

Which test is it?

The test name decides what the questions look like and how long you get. Our guides cover several publishers’ tests:

Look up the exact name in your email on the publisher’s own candidate page. If you cannot tell, ask the recruiter which publisher’s test it is. It is an ordinary question.

Deadline, extra time and adjustments

  • Deadline: if your link has expired, Criteria says you must contact the employer, because its support team cannot extend links on behalf of employers (Criteria FAQ).
  • Extra time or other adjustments: SHL says time extensions need approval from the company you are taking the test for, and that you may be asked for evidence (SHL support). Korn Ferry says candidates with special requirements are considered case by case (Korn Ferry FAQ). Ask before you start the test.
  • Who to ask: the recruiter or contact named in your invitation. The test publisher usually cannot grant it for the employer.

A short, polite request is enough. For example:

> Hello, thank you for the invitation to complete the online assessment. I would like to ask about [more time / an adjustment] for the test because [one short reason]. Could you let me know how to arrange this before I start? Thank you.

You choose how much to share. Keep a copy of what you send.

How much preparation is worth it

  • Start with the free official practice. Saville says its practice tests are there to familiarize you with the format and working to strict time limits, and you can complete them as many times as you like (Saville practice tests). Korn Ferry offers a free practice account that looks the same as the live one apart from red text (Korn Ferry FAQ).
  • Timed tests reward pacing. Criteria’s own advice for the CCAT is to read the instructions, guess rather than stall, and move on from a question that takes too long (Criteria).
  • Personality questionnaires are different. Hogan’s advice on preparing is that there are no right or wrong answers, so just be honest (Hogan FAQ).
  • Paid prep is optional. Look at how we compare providers in how we rank and start with the free options.

What to avoid

  • Sharing your personal test link or taking the test for someone else.
  • Leaving the test page. Saville says that if you press Back or leave an aptitude test, you may need an administrator’s permission to reset, and you restart from the beginning with no previous responses saved (Saville practice tests).

Test-day checklist

  • Quiet room, door closed, phone silent.
  • Charger plugged in, stable internet, one browser open.
  • Calculator, paper and a pen if your test allows them. Korn Ferry says Elements Numerical needs them. Check your invitation for your test.
  • If you used a practice account, make sure you are in your live assessment. Korn Ferry’s practice account shows red text in the top left corner.
  • If something fails mid-test, do not start again. Criteria says that if your connection drops you can return to the assessment center and enter your Test Event ID to continue (Criteria FAQ). Korn Ferry lets you log back in once to an ability test. Contact the administrator named in your invitation if it happens again.

After the test

Criteria says results are emailed directly to the company you applied to, and its support team does not have your results or any status updates (Criteria FAQ). Ask the employer how and when you will hear back. Saville says results go to a trained feedback provider, who contacts you to discuss them (Saville).

FAQ

How long do I have to finish? It depends on your invitation. Check the deadline. If it has passed, contact the employer.

Can I do it on my phone? It depends on the test. Korn Ferry recommends a PC or laptop for ability tests. Check your invitation.

Can I take a break? Some personality questionnaires let you pause and resume. Hogan says you can stop at any time and your answers are saved. Timed tests usually do not. Check your invitation.

Can I ask for more time? Yes. Ask the employer before you start.

Do I need to pay for prep? No. Start with the free official practice.

What if I do badly? Retake rules depend on the employer. Ask them.

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