In this article:
What retakes do
Choose the right retake limit
Where to adjust retakes
What retakes do
Retakes let candidates record their answer multiple times and submit their best version. Only the final take is saved and sent to you for review.
Retakes help candidates:
Recover from technical glitches like audio problems or interruptions.
Fix stumbles or awkward phrasing.
Deliver a more polished response.
You never see the discarded attempts or how many takes were used, only the candidate's chosen final answer.
Choose the right retake limit
Match retakes to how much polish matters for the role.
No retakes
Candidate experience: High pressure, authentic first take.
Hiring signal: Shows how candidates perform under pressure with no safety net.
Best for: Customer-facing roles where thinking on your feet matters. Sales representatives, support agents, receptionists.
Trade-off: Technical issues or nerves can derail a good candidate. Use this setting only when spontaneity is critical to the role.
1 retake (default)
Candidate experience: Safety net if tech glitches or they stumble badly.
Hiring signal: Balanced authenticity with reasonable accommodation.
Best for: Most roles across all functions.
Why it works: One retake gives candidates a do-over for genuine mistakes without letting them rehearse endlessly. This is the recommended setting for 90% of interviews.
2 to 3 retakes
Candidate experience: Encourages polished, well-crafted responses.
Hiring signal: Shows attention to detail and communication quality.
Best for: Roles where delivery quality matters. Marketing managers, video content creators, executive presenters, public-facing spokespeople.
Trade-off: Multiple retakes can feel less authentic. Candidates may over-rehearse and lose spontaneity.
Where to adjust retakes
Open the Add questions step of your interview.
Scroll to the Response configuration section.
Click Configure if the settings are collapsed.
Find Retake limit under Response Settings.
Select your preferred number from the dropdown.
Changes apply to all questions in the interview. Save your settings before moving to
the next step.
Best practices for setting your retake limit
Default to 1 retake. This balances candidate comfort with authentic responses.
No retakes for rapid-response roles. If the job requires quick thinking under pressure, test that skill in the interview.
Multiple retakes for presentation roles. If candidates will create polished videos or present to executives in the role, let them demonstrate that skill with 2 to 3 retakes.
Tell candidates about retakes. Include this in your invitation email. Example: "You can re-record each answer once if needed."