Why You Should Always Do a 1 Week Trial (When Hiring in the Philippines)

When expanding your team to include talent from the Philippines, making the right hiring decision is tricky. Churn sucks. While resumes and interviews provide valuable insights, they rarely tell the complete story.

We’ve added trial tasks on HireTalent that you can assign to shortlisted applicants to further prevent this, but if you’re hiring someone for a consistent position, you should have everyone do a contingent one-week trial to see how they perform on a daily basis.

This will keep the stakes higher, and someone will put extra effort into securing the position.

Could they stop trying as hard when hired? Yeah, but why would they do that? They’ll get fired. If their productivity goes down after they get hired, there would be no point in keeping them either.

Skills Beyond the Resume

The gap between what candidates claim on paper and what they can actually deliver can be significant. A trial period allows you to observe candidates tackling real projects and challenges specific to your business. But doesn’t make them feel like they’ve secured the job until they prove they can actually do what they’ve said throughout the interview process.

Many employers (myself included) have discovered that candidates who seemed perfect on paper struggled with actual tasks, while others who had less impressive credentials excelled when given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities directly.

Cultural Fit and Communication

The Philippines has a unique work culture that blends professionalism with strong interpersonal connections. During a trial week, you’ll be able to assess how well a candidate integrates with your team’s communication style and work rhythms. Filipinos are shy, so sometimes you’ll have killer candidates that don’t have the best resume/interview skills but can do the job incredible.

They write and operate a lot in English but don’t always speak it at home.

Tests Reliability Before Committing

One of the most valuable aspects of a trial period is the opportunity to evaluate dependability. Does the candidate show up on time for meetings? Do they meet deadlines? Can they maintain focus throughout the workday?

Filipino professionals are known for their strong work ethic, but a trial week helps you confirm this reputation with individual candidates (especially if they work async). You’ll gain insight into their time management, attention to detail, and commitment to quality work.

Provides a Two-Way Assessment

A trial period isn’t just beneficial for employers—it also gives candidates the chance to determine if the position is right for them. This mutual evaluation period leads to better job satisfaction and lower turnover in the long run. You don’t want people walking out if they weren’t prepared.

By the end of the week, both sides have a much clearer understanding of expectations, working styles, and whether there’s potential for a productive long-term relationship.

Best Practices

To make the most of your trial period:

• Set clear expectations and deliverables for the week
• Provide necessary tools and access from day one
• Assign meaningful work that reflects actual job duties
• Schedule daily check-ins to provide feedback and answer questions (and encourage questions)
• Compensate candidates fairly (their rate prorated) for their time during the trial

Start implementing trial periods in your hiring process with HireTalent today, and experience the difference that real-world assessment makes in building your remote team in the Philippines.