LinkedIn assessments are designed to validate your skills and expertise in a particular area. They serve as a way for recruiters and hiring managers to evaluate candidates more objectively. While no one wants to fail an assessment, it does happen from time to time.
Why do people fail LinkedIn assessments?
There are a few common reasons why someone may fail a LinkedIn assessment:
- Insufficient knowledge or experience in the topic being assessed
- Not enough preparation and practice for the specific test format
- Test anxiety or nervousness affecting performance
- Unfamiliarity with the testing platform and interface
- Running out of time and rushing answers
Failing an assessment doesn’t necessarily mean you lack skills or can’t do the job. It may indicate gaps in your knowledge or need for more targeted practice with that type of test.
What happens right after you fail?
Immediately after completing a failed LinkedIn assessment, you’ll get feedback indicating your score and how you performed compared to others who have taken the test. You may see details on which types of questions you struggled with.
At this point, LinkedIn will lock your ability to retake the same assessment for 7 days. This cooling-off period gives you time to learn from your mistakes before reattempting the test.
During the 7-day waiting period, you can still apply for other roles and take assessments in unrelated skill areas. The failure only blocks retakes for that specific assessment.
Does a failed assessment go on your profile?
The results of LinkedIn assessments are not public and do not get posted directly on your profile. Your network and connections will not be notified or see that you failed.
However, if you include the LinkedIn assessment in your list of accomplishments, skills, or endorsements, it will show as “Failed” until you retake and pass the test.
Potential employers also cannot see if you failed an assessment. However, if you apply for a job requiring that assessment, the company will only see that you have not yet passed it.
So a failed assessment is not broadcast widely or shown on your profile, but recruiters will be aware if you apply to jobs necessitating that skill.
Can you retake after failing an assessment?
Yes, LinkedIn allows you to retake assessments after initially failing them. There are no limits on the number of times you can retry an assessment.
However, you do have to wait 7 days before retaking the same test. This mandatory waiting period is designed to prevent cheating and ensure adequate time to prepare.
It’s a good idea to use the 7 days after failing to review the material and practice for the assessment. Come back when you feel ready to succeed.
Does the assessment get harder after failing initially?
LinkedIn has not publicly indicated that their assessments increase in difficulty after an initial failure.
The pool of questions is very large for each assessment, so retaking likely surfaces different questions rather than harder ones.
The questions themselves have a range of difficulty mixed in, even when taking the test for the first time.
So you may perceptionally feel the retest is more difficult because you are answered the questions you are less familiar with. But in reality, the level has likely stayed consistent.
How long do failed assessments stay on your record?
Failed LinkedIn assessments do not expire and can stay on your record indefinitely.
There is no set period after which previous fails disappear. As long as that assessment product exists on LinkedIn, your fail status remains.
The fails only clear once you retake and pass that particular assessment. At that point, the fail is removed and no longer applies to you.
So if you think you may apply to jobs requiring that skill in the future, it’s worthwhile to retake and pass the assessment to clear the record.
Does a fail negatively impact your LinkedIn profile?
For the most part, a failed LinkedIn assessment does not hurt your overall profile. It does not get posted publicly or notify your network.
However, having a failed required assessment can damage your candidacy when recruiters filter applicants. You may be overlooked because you have not passed the expected tests.
It also looks worse to have failed multiple assessments, even if in unrelated areas. Too many fails signal general unpreparedness.
Lastly, if you previously included an assessment in your accomplishments that now shows as failed, it reflects poorly by being visible to connections.
So focus on learning, retesting, and passing the assessment. A single fail likely won’t destroy your candidacy but don’t let it linger.
How can you recover from a LinkedIn assessment failure?
Here are some tips to bounce back after bombing a LinkedIn test:
- Analyze what went wrong and identify your weak areas
- Study the concepts you struggled with and practice similar questions
- Use online courses, tutoring, or videos to improve skills
- Retake practice tests until scoring over 90% consistently
- Simulate the real testing experience for timing and pressure
- Keep applying to roles but consider removing the failed assessment from your profile for now
- Stay confident in your abilities while acknowledging areas for growth
With some targeted preparation, you can pass the assessment on your next try. Failing simply means you need more work in a few areas or better test-taking skills.
Conclusion
Failing a LinkedIn skills assessment is discouraging but not the end of the world. You have unlimited retries to pass eventually, and the fails are not widely publicized. Use the feedback to strengthen your weak areas and testing abilities. With some grit and persistence, you can recover quickly from the misstep.