Taking a Test (Candidate Experience)

Taking a Test (Candidate Experience)

Candidates take Zingalify tests in their browser at https://take.zingasuite.com — a dedicated candidate site, separate from the Zingasuite console. Candidates do not need a Zingasuite login; their invitation link is their access.

Getting invited

You invite candidates from the Delivery area of the console. An invitation:

• Is addressed to a candidate (by email, phone, or both) and tied to a specific test.
• Can be delivered by email or SMS, or shared as a link.
• Carries a personal access link containing a unique code.
• Can set an expiry date and how many attempts are allowed.
• Can be chained — a follow-up test that only unlocks after the candidate finishes a prerequisite step.

The invitation link itself is the credential — anyone with the link can open that invitation, so treat it like a private magic link. When a step in a chain is still locked, the candidate sees a polite "wait for the previous step" screen instead of the test.

Starting and consent

When a candidate opens their link, they see a landing page from the inviting organisation confirming who invited them, roughly how long the test takes, and a consent notice. Nothing about the test's internal scoring or the traits it measures is exposed — candidates only see what they need to answer the questions. Starting the test records their consent.

A server-controlled timer

The countdown is authoritative on the server, not the candidate's device. Time remaining is always computed from when the attempt started plus the test's time limit (and any extension you grant), so changing the local clock, refreshing, or reopening the link cannot buy extra time. Every save and heartbeat returns the true remaining time.

When time runs out, the attempt is finalised automatically according to the test's deadline policy — either submitted for scoring or closed — so nothing is left hanging.

Auto-save and resilience

Candidates never have to remember to save:

• Auto-save — each answer is saved as the candidate moves through the test, and answers are restored automatically on resume.
• Offline buffer — if the connection drops, answers are held locally and synced when it returns, so a brief outage does not lose work.
• Resume — if a candidate closes the tab or loses power, reopening the link picks up the in-progress attempt where they left off, with their saved answers and the correct remaining time.

One live tab at a time

Each attempt is protected by a single-tab lock. When a candidate starts or resumes, that session becomes the only active one. If the link is opened in a second tab or on another device, the newer session takes over and the older one stops accepting answers — preventing accidental double sessions and keeping the attempt consistent.

Fair presentation

To keep tests fair, answer options can be shuffled per attempt, so two candidates rarely see options in the same order. The shuffle is fixed for the duration of an attempt, so resuming shows the same arrangement the candidate saw before. Questions marked to keep a fixed order (for example, "All of the above") are left untouched.

Proctoring during the test

Depending on the test's proctoring tier, the candidate may be asked to stay in fullscreen, be blocked from switching tabs or copying and pasting, or be monitored by webcam or a live proctor. Candidates are told what is required before they begin.

Finishing

When the candidate submits — or when the timer ends — the attempt is finalised and queued for scoring. Objective questions are scored automatically; open-ended answers are held for review. If the invitation is part of a chain, finishing may unlock and send the next step automatically.