There’s a reason that bonus questions are often offered on tests. It’s hard to be perfect under pressure.
Even strong candidates make mistakes when they’re nervous or if the test is difficult or time-constrained. As one teacher wrote: “I give 3–5 points of bonus to students who answer more than half of the questions correctly. It’s not a grade booster; it’s just a way to reward those who do well.” That kind of approach could work in hiring assessments as well, although employers would have to weigh whether such an adjustment would help them get a better sense of candidate abilities.
What Are Bonus Questions in Hiring Assessments?
But what exactly does a bonus question mean? In school, a bonus question can offer extra credit, but in a hiring assessment, a bonus question is a chance for a candidate to demonstrate skills, creativity, or deeper understanding than is required by the main test.
For example, a technical assessment might include a particularly challenging task that is optional. Or a situational judgment test might end with a hypothetical scenario that goes beyond what is expected.
Bonus questions can provide insight into a candidate’s thinking that the core test doesn’t capture. But designing bonus questions is tricky because they must be relevant to the job and not just clever or quirky. If you’re testing someone for a position that requires problem-solving, for instance, a bonus question about how many ways you can tie a shoelace is probably irrelevant.
Bonus questions may be useful when the primary test is high-pressure or time-limited. A candidate who slips up slightly might still have the ability to go above and beyond, which is especially valuable in roles requiring creativity or problem-solving.
Bonus points should not outweigh the requirements of the test, though. If they’re too easy or too hard, they’ll dilute the overall assessment.
Examples of Bonus Questions for Tests
Here are some examples of how to use bonus questions effectively. For a coding test, you might ask for an explanation of why a particular piece of code works or challenge the candidate to optimize their code. For customer service representatives, you might present a particularly thorny situation that isn’t covered in the standard test. For creative positions, you might ask candidates to come up with a new brand name.
The key to making bonus questions effective is that they should encourage people to think more deeply about the material, not just regurgitate what they’ve learned. They also should be relevant to the job itself. And they should be clearly marked as optional.
Some educators use bonus questions to make tests more fun, but I’d caution against using them to assess cultural fit or other qualities that aren’t directly tied to the job. Candidates shouldn’t feel like they’re being tested on trivia.
Bonus questions can engage candidates and reveal unexpected strengths, but they shouldn’t overshadow the requirements of the test. If they’re going to be used, they need to be clear about their role and weight in the overall assessment.
When designed thoughtfully, bonus questions can be a great addition to hiring assessments. But they shouldn’t be relied upon to fix a flawed assessment.
If you want to experiment with bonus questions, start small and see how they work. Monitor candidates’ reactions and check how much they affect scores. Make sure each bonus question is clearly related to the job and that participation is truly optional.