Copywriting test for hiring writers

Why test copywriting skills before you hire?

Every writer sends their best three pieces, and you never know how many rounds of editing went into them or who did the editing. What you need to know is whether this person can turn a vague brief into clear copy that makes the reader act, without introducing errors or unsupported claims. A short test of editing judgement and grammar gives you an even comparison between candidates before you spend time on paid writing tasks.

What this template covers

• Persuasion: benefits over features, strong calls to action and judging copy against its goal.
• Editing: cutting wordy sentences, active voice and fixing a dangling modifier.
• Grammar: common mistakes such as its and it's.
• Accuracy: which statistics, quotes and superlatives must be checked before publishing.
• Web and product writing: writing for scanners, natural keyword use and helpful error messages.

How to run it well

Twelve questions with a 15 minute limit is enough. Set the pass mark at about 70%, since a writer who stumbles on basic grammar will create extra work for your editors. Shuffle question order and answer options so that candidates cannot compare notes easily.

Pair the test with a short written exercise for people who pass. Ask them to rewrite a real paragraph from your website or a product description in 150 words. The test tells you who has the fundamentals; the exercise tells you whose voice fits your brand. In the results, pay attention to the fact-checking question, because publishing an unsupported claim can cause real trouble.

Who this test is for

It fits copywriters, content writers, content marketers, UX and product writers, editors and proofreaders, and marketing assistants who write emails and social posts. Agencies use it to build a bench of reliable freelance writers they can call on at short notice, and in-house teams use it when someone from customer service or sales moves into a writing-heavy role and needs a fair starting point.

Make it yours

Add questions from your style guide: how you write numbers, dates, headings and product names, and which words your brand avoids. Industry matters too, so a health, finance or technical company should add questions about writing accurately for that audience. The AI generator can produce more grammar or editing questions in seconds, and you can edit them before publishing. Keep the questions that most candidates get wrong, since those are the ones that separate careful writers from the rest.