Results, with the method
Numbers about job search tools are easy to make up. Ours come with the count behind each one, what was counted, and where the comparison figure comes from.
The short version. Of 432 applications Hackly sent to 295 employers, 19 (4.4%) were answered with a test or an interview. In sales and commercial roles it was 7 of 122 (5.7%), and at startups 4 of 28 (1 in 7). The typical rate is about 3 interviews per 100 applicants (CareerPlug, 2025).
Replies by kind of job
| Kind of job | Sent | Test or interview | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Startups | 28 | 4 | 14.3% (1 in 7) |
| Sales and commercial | 122 | 7 | 5.7% |
| Every application | 432 | 19 | 4.4% |
| Typical, any job board (CareerPlug 2025) | n/a | n/a | about 3% |
What was counted
- Sent means submitted and confirmed: Hackly counts an application only when the employer's confirmation page or confirmation email was found, not when a button was pressed.
- Test or interview means the employer answered that application with an online test, an assessment or an invitation to interview. Acknowledgements ("we have received your application"), automated "next steps" emails and rejections do not count.
- Employers. The 432 applications went to 295 different employers.
- Period. Applications sent by Hackly up to 14 October 2026, when these figures were published. They will be updated here as the count grows, with the date.
The comparison figure
CareerPlug's 2025 Recruiting Metrics Report, built on 2024 hiring data, puts the applicant-to-interview rate at about 3%: for every 100 people who apply to a job, about 3 are invited to interview. It is a broad benchmark across employers and roles, not a controlled comparison with Hackly's applications, and should be read that way.
Who answered
Employers that answered an application Hackly sent with a test or an interview include GSK, Shell, Tripadvisor, Lidl, Attio, Mercor, Lendable, Plural Strategy, Van Lanschot Kempen, Kernel, Omnea, RotaGeek, Pareto and RCK Partners. They are named only because they replied to an application. Hackly is not linked to them and they do not endorse it.
What these numbers do not show
- They are not a promise. Your rate depends on your field, level, location and right to work.
- The startup figure rests on 28 applications; small samples move a lot.
- A test or interview is not an offer. Hackly does not claim offer rates.
Why we publish the method
The job-search tool market is full of round numbers with nothing behind them: a share of users who "get an interview in the first month", with no definition of interview and no count. We think a candidate choosing a tool deserves the count, the definition and the source, so that is what this page gives. If you find an error, write to support@hackly.me and we will correct it here.
Sources
- Hackly application records, confirmed submissions and employer replies, to 14 October 2026.
- CareerPlug, 2025 Recruiting Metrics Report (2024 data), applicant-to-interview rate.