Sample shortlist · candidates written by us, real screener output
Content Marketer
This is what every search delivers: finalists screened against the brief, each with a score, screening notes, structured answers, and a graded work sample. These sample candidates were written by us and run through the real screener — the scores and notes are its unedited output, not a mock-up.
The brief they were screened against
Role: Content Marketer · Band: $900–1,600/mo
Must-haves: SEO-grounded long-form writing, research-first keyword-to-outline process, copy that reads human not AI-generated, newsletter production
Nice to have: content repurposing across formats, basic GA4 interpretation, brand voice adaptation
Scored by the same rubric the production screener runs on real applicants (content-marketer, claude-sonnet-4-6), on 2026-09-21. Nothing below was edited afterwards — including where it went against a candidate. The rubric and weights are published.
Aisha R.
SCREEN 84/100Screening notes
The work sample is the strongest signal: it leads with real price ranges, differentiates by geography with a concrete reason, exposes the hidden-margin problem in managed-service pricing, and ends on a decision framework — all in under 250 words with no filler sentences, which is exactly the 'human not AI' standard the role demands. The scenario answer demonstrates a genuine keyword-to-outline process with trade-specific vocabulary research (r/plumbing, Facebook groups), a structural insight that none of the ranking articles use (three-size framing), and a link-building rationale that is specific rather than formulaic — the migration-pain section addition shows real editorial judgment about buyer psychology. The quantified track record is unusually specific: 4,200 to 19,800 GA4 sessions in 11 months, 3,800-subscriber newsletter, 8–12 articles across four named verticals, all grounded in named tools (Ahrefs, Surfer, GSC, GA4) — no adjectives standing in for evidence. The one concern is that all claimed results come from a single in-house role and an agency with no verifiable client names attached, so reference or portfolio verification is essential before hire; at $1,050 against a $900–1,600 band this is a straightforward yes-to-interview.
Experience
4 years writing long-form SEO content for US B2B SaaS clients through a Manila content agency, then 18 months as the in-house content lead for a $3M ARR project management software company. At the agency I owned 8–12 articles a month across 4 clients — HubSpot, fintech, HR tech — and every piece was held to a ranking standard, not a word-count one. At the software company I built the editorial calendar from scratch, reduced publishing from monthly-ish to 12 pieces a month, and drove organic traffic from 4,200 to 19,800 sessions in 11 months measured at the GA4 property level. I also ran the biweekly newsletter (3,800 subscribers) and handled all content repurposing: one pillar piece became a LinkedIn thread, newsletter section, and 2–3 shorter derivative posts.
Scenario answer
"Best CRM for plumbers" is a commercial-intent query with a buyer at the end. My process: 1. SERP read — all ten, not just titles. I want to know who is actually ranking and why. On a query like this it will be generic "best CRM" listicles with plumbers grafted on, and a few field-service vendors writing about themselves. Neither type serves the actual searcher, which tells me where the gap is. 2. Vocabulary audit. Plumbers do not search 'CRM pipeline management'. They search 'job scheduling', 'invoice from the van', 'dispatch from phone'. Any article using sales-team vocabulary fails the instant they recognise it was not written for them. I read r/plumbing and a few Facebook groups for trade businesses to collect the real terms. 3. Actual pricing. This is the query where every ranking article says 'contact for pricing' on ServiceTitan. I would get real numbers — published pricing where available, and clearly label the ones I had to call to get. An article with real prices outranks one without, because it is the thing the searcher came to find. 4. Differentiation angle — the three-size framing. The right CRM for a solo plumber, a 3-van operation, and a 15-van business are genuinely different answers. No current ranking article makes that distinction cleanly. I would structure the piece around it rather than writing one more undifferentiated listicle. Outline: intro that names the real problem (quoting from a van, chasing payment from the driveway), a 200-word decision guide by business size, then the main comparison with a table near the top showing real prices, then a section specifically on the switching cost and migration pain because that is what stops people acting on a decision they have already made. For ranking: keyword in title, H1, URL, and first 100 words. Related terms in subheadings naturally. The pricing table is genuinely link-worthy so I would pitch it to the two or three trade newsletters that cover software for contractors — not spray-and-pray outreach, specific people with a reason to care.
Work sample
How much does a virtual assistant actually cost in 2026? Full-time, experienced, from the Philippines: $700 to $1,300 a month. From Colombia or Argentina: $1,000 to $1,800 — you are paying for someone who works your hours without working the night shift, and Latin American VAs charge for that. Those are salaries, not the number that hits your bank account. A placement agency adds 25–35% of first-year salary as a one-time fee — so a $1,100/month hire costs you $3,300 to $4,600 extra in year one. Managed-service providers (BELAY, Wing, Boldly) bundle everything into one monthly invoice between $1,100 and $1,800 and never break out what the VA actually earns, which means you are paying margin and cannot see it. Hire directly from Onlinejobs.ph or LinkedIn and the cost is your own time: 15–20 hours to write the post, read the applications, and run interviews — and no placement fee ever. The right answer depends on how much your own time costs and how often you have hired this role before. Below: what each model actually costs over 24 months, and when to use which.
Prakash V.
SCREEN 82/100Screening notes
Work sample is the clearest signal: the VA cost article is specific (named geographies, real salary ranges, agency markup percentages, model comparisons), reads genuinely human, and structures information the way a strong SEO writer should — answer up front, layered detail after. The scenario answer demonstrates a real keyword-to-outline process with a concrete differentiating angle (mobile-first field use) rather than generic SEO platitudes, and the 'who should NOT use this' gap observation shows actual SERP literacy. Experience claims are credible and specific — CRM and project management ranking positions, 1,800–2,200 word average, named tools (Ahrefs, Surfer, GSC), four direct clients after going independent — and the framing of ranking as a signal rather than the goal is a mature, non-beginner take. Primary concern is that no newsletter or content repurposing evidence appears anywhere in the application, which are explicit role requirements, and the work sample, while strong, is a single data point that could have been polished for submission; a live brief test would be warranted before hire.
Experience
3 years writing SEO content for US and UK clients, working from Pune. Started at a content agency writing 8–10 articles a month across e-commerce, SaaS, and fintech niches, then went independent 18 months ago and now manage 4 clients directly. My strongest vertical is SaaS tools and productivity software. Average article length is 1,800–2,200 words. I have ranked pages in positions 1–5 on Google for competitive queries in the CRM and project management space, though I track ranking as a signal rather than the goal — traffic and conversions are what I report.
Scenario answer
My process for 'best CRM for plumbers' would be: 1. Keyword research first — I would check the monthly search volume, the top-ranking pages, and the SERP features (featured snippets, People Also Ask, image packs). For a keyword like this I would expect 1,000–4,000 monthly searches in the US, moderate difficulty, and mostly comparison-style articles ranking. 2. Competitor analysis — I would read the top three to five articles in full to understand what they cover well and where there are gaps. Common gaps in comparison articles are missing real pricing information, no explanation of who each tool is best for, and no honest 'who should NOT use this' section. 3. Outline — I would structure it as: intro with the key recommendation up front, a comparison table near the top, then sections on each tool with pros, cons, pricing, and ideal user, followed by a buying guide with criteria for plumbers specifically. 4. Differentiation — I would find one original angle. For this keyword the angle is probably the mobile-first requirement: plumbers work in the field and need tools that work on a phone without a good signal. I would call out which tools are actually designed for mobile and which are desktop-first. 5. For ranking — proper on-page optimisation: keyword in title, H1, first paragraph, subheadings, and meta description. Schema markup for the comparison table if possible. I would also research what questions people actually ask about CRMs for plumbers and make sure the article answers them. I would aim for 2,000–2,500 words, with a clear recommendation at the end so the reader knows what to do.
Work sample
How much does a virtual assistant actually cost in 2026? If you are hiring your first virtual assistant, the number you are probably quoted is somewhere between $5 and $15 an hour. That range is real, but it hides more than it shows. The actual cost of a virtual assistant depends on four things: where they are based, how experienced they are, how you hire them, and how much work it takes to manage them once they start. A full-time VA in the Philippines with two to four years of experience earns $700 to $1,200 a month on a direct hire — that is the equivalent of roughly $4 to $7 an hour for a 40-hour week. A VA in Colombia or Mexico with the same experience costs $1,000 to $1,600 a month, and a US-based VA with comparable skills charges $2,500 to $4,000 or more. An agency placement adds 20 to 35 percent to the first year's cost as a placement fee. A managed service provider wraps the salary, management, and benefits into one number — typically $1,100 to $1,600 a month — and absorbs the HR overhead you would otherwise carry. Here is how those models compare across a typical two-year engagement.
Lorraine M.
SCREEN 63/100Screening notes
Strongest evidence is the scenario answer, which shows a logical keyword-to-outline process and correctly identifies G2/Capterra as review sources — the most concrete tool-naming in the submission. The work sample is readable and avoids obvious AI cadence, but it is structurally incomplete (buries the lede, ends mid-setup rather than delivering the full breakdown promised), lacks specificity on agency fee structures or platform comparisons beyond one name, and word count is too thin to judge long-form capability. Experience claims are almost entirely adjective-driven ('natural, readable', 'getting more comfortable') with no article URLs, traffic numbers, client names, or measurable outcomes to verify two years of work. Newsletter production and content repurposing — both must-haves or nice-to-haves in the brief — go entirely unmentioned, which is a material gap. Borderline advance: worth a short async writing test before committing to an interview, not a confident first-round present.
Experience
2 years of content writing. I started doing product descriptions and blog posts for a local Philippine e-commerce site, then moved to a US client in the home improvement niche where I write 4–6 articles a month. My articles are researched from Google and industry sites, and I always make sure to write in a natural, readable way. I have a degree in Communication Arts and I am a strong writer in English. I have been learning about SEO over the past year and I am getting more comfortable with keyword research and on-page optimisation.
Scenario answer
For 'best CRM for plumbers', here is how I would approach it: First, I would do keyword research to find out how many people are searching for this and related terms. I would look for related keywords I could also include to make the article more comprehensive. Then I would do research by reading the top articles that already rank for this keyword. I would take note of what they cover and try to make my article more thorough and better organised. I would also research the actual CRM tools that plumbers use. I would look at their websites to understand what they offer and how much they cost, and read reviews on sites like G2 or Capterra to understand what users like and dislike about each one. For the outline, I would write an introduction explaining why plumbers need a CRM, then cover the top CRM options with the pros, cons and pricing for each, and finish with a recommendation section. To help the article rank I would include the keyword in the title, the first paragraph, and naturally throughout the body. I would also make sure the article is well-structured with clear headings. I would aim to write around 1,500 to 2,000 words to match what is already ranking.
Work sample
How much does a virtual assistant actually cost in 2026? Hiring a virtual assistant can be a great way to grow your business without the cost and commitment of a full-time employee. But before you start, it is important to have a clear picture of what you will actually spend. The cost of a virtual assistant varies widely depending on where they are based and what kind of work you need them to do. Virtual assistants in the Philippines typically charge between $4 and $10 an hour, making them one of the most affordable options for US businesses. In Latin American countries like Colombia and Mexico, rates are usually between $8 and $15 an hour, which is higher but still very competitive compared to US-based assistants. Beyond the hourly rate, you also need to consider whether you are hiring through an agency or directly. Agencies often charge a fee on top of the assistant's salary, while hiring directly through platforms like Onlinejobs.ph can save you money. In this article we will break down all the costs involved so you can make the best decision for your business.
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