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Anonymous User
Bowl Leader
Do cover letters matter at all anymore?
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One interesting thing I've read about related to this is a company doing "super days". They hire you for one single day, paid 1000$, and you need to do and demonstrate that you are cut for the job. I haven't experienced it myself, and it must be exhausting. But I think it really tells about someone and that workplace. They want people that are focused on doing, not people who can pretend well.
Mentor
This trend worries me. I get the intent—test people in real environments—but a contract-to-hire still feels like a high-risk filter for candidates, especially those from less privileged backgrounds who can’t afford 90 days of uncertainty. I’d love to know if it actually improves hiring outcomes or just avoids the hard work of making the interview process more equitable and meaningful.
I don’t think this is about hiring outcomes.
90 day contract to hire is a more rigid form of the 90 day trial period that is written into many full time employment agreements. Yes, both are about risk management on the part of the company. The 90 day trial period employer handbookese or legalese usually makes it easy for you to be fired in the first 90 days if you do not perform to expectations. Good managers will be clear on those expectations and may even give you a small starter project to own and deliver.
From what I’ve seen, contract-to-hire trials often lead to better fit and retention because you’re evaluating real work, not just algorithm skills. It can scare some passive candidates, but the ones who thrive in that environment tend to stick around longer and contribute more meaningfully.