Before you begin
Open the Tests section from the left-hand navigation in your Colare dashboard. This is where every assessment lives, and where every new hiring flow starts.
From here, you can see your existing tests, search and filter them by activity or status, and create new ones. To start a new assessment, click into the test creation flow , you'll be given two options for how to build it:
Generate from a job description
Colare extracts the relevant skills from a JD and assembles a draft assessment for you to review.
Path 1 →Create from scratch
Browse your content library and assemble the assessment question by question.
Path 2 →Whichever path you choose, you'll land in a preview page that shows the number of questions and the estimated time for a candidate to complete the test. You can rename the test and modify any question by clicking Edit. Editing gives you full configuration over each property , constraints, problem, load case, assumptions, writing prompts, and estimated time.
When you click Create test, you'll see the test duration, a Preview button to view the candidate experience, and a checkbox to Skip proctoring during test previews.
Path 1: Generate from a job description
The fastest way to build an assessment when you already have a JD on hand.
Choose "Generate from a job description"
Paste the job description text directly into the input field, or upload a PDF.
Let Colare build the draft
Colare reads the JD, extracts the skills the role requires, pulls matching questions from the internal content library, and assembles a draft. Each question is tagged with the specific skills it tests, so you can trace the connection between what your JD asked for and what the assessment will measure.
Review and edit the draft
Use the arrow controls to reorder, click Edit to adjust content, click Replace to swap in a different question, or Remove to drop one. Rename the assessment at the top at any point. Nothing is final until you save.
Save the test
The assessment is now live in your Tests section and ready to send to candidates.
Generate from Job Description
Paste or upload a job description. We will extract the assessed skills and build a draft you can review.
Test Preview
Path 2: Create from scratch
If you'd rather assemble the assessment yourself, this path gives you full control from the start.
Choose "Create from scratch"
This opens your content library, where you can browse and select the questions you want to include.
Browse and select questions
The library includes a range of question types: multiple choice, long answer, voice response, and more. Click any question to add it , it'll appear in the test preview on the right.
Watch the test preview build
As you add questions, the preview updates the total count and expected duration. Use it as a running check on the size and scope of what you're building.
Save the test
When the assessment looks complete, save it. It'll appear in your Tests section, ready to send.
Adding or creating custom questions
You can add questions to any assessment after it's been created. Open the assessment from the Tests section and click Add question.
Add from library
Pick any question from your content library and add it to the current assessment.
Create custom
Write a brand new question tailored to this role.
Creating a custom question
Choose the question type , voice, multiple choice, project, or long answer , then configure the content.
Multiple choice
Configure title, estimated time, assessed skills, short description, candidate instructions, context, objective, prompt, and up to four answer choices labeled A–D. Mark one as correct using the Correct toggle, or add more with + Choice. Choose between a Generated rubric (Colare creates a baseline from the prompt and skills) or a Custom rubric where each row pairs a scoring criterion with a description and weight.
Long answer
Same configuration as multiple choice, plus a long-answer prompt and an optional answer placeholder , a writing hint shown inside the candidate's response box, useful for nudging structure or starting points.
Voice
Choose a voice interface: Q&A, where Colare's voice agent Claro asks each question in order and moves on, or open-ended, where Claro follows the candidate's response with probing follow-ups (well-suited for exploring experience and behavior). Set a Topic as the opening question, and provide an Answer key to guide Claro's probing.
Bulk import. You can import voice questions in bulk via CSV. The provided template includes a column for the overview question and a column for the ideal answer. Once configured, click Save task , the question is saved to your library to add to any test.
Editing assessments after creation
Assessments aren't locked in once they're saved. From the Tests section you can rename, archive, or delete any assessment, and you can open any assessment to add new questions, swap existing ones, or update its configuration. Changes apply to candidates invited after the change is saved.
General settings: renaming an assessment
Every assessment has a Settings tab where you can manage its configuration. The General sub-tab is where you rename the test. Open the assessment, click Settings → General, update the test name, and save. Renaming is safe to do anytime, even after candidates have been invited , the assessment URL and ID remain the same, so existing invitation links continue to work.
Sharing your assessment for internal review
Before sending an assessment to candidates, you may want internal teammates to preview it and weigh in on the content. Open the assessment, click Settings → Test Invites, and click Create link to generate a shareable preview link. Anyone with the link can experience the assessment the way a candidate would , without affecting your candidate data or the test's metrics. Create as many preview links as you need and revoke them later.
What's next
Once your assessment is built, you're ready to start inviting candidates. For more on how invitations work, see Inviting candidates in the Quick Start Guide. For deeper guidance on tailoring assessments to your team's needs, watch the Building your own assessment video.