Certification FAQ

When can I take the interview?

You can interview from 20 of 25 on your build, with at least 3 in every area and its required checks met. Passing still needs 23 of 25 on both the build and the interview.

If your build is close, you can discuss it in the interview or revise first. A passing interview does not change your build score. Your best build and best interview still need to meet the full passing standard.

How many attempts do I get?

As many as you want. Reopen your build and submit again whenever you’re ready, and your highest scores count.

What’s free?

Re-sharing a link we couldn’t open. We ask you to share it again, and the build is graded once it opens.

An interview redo when the interview broke on our side or a question you needed never came up.

What do I need to pass?

23 of 25 on the build and 23 of 25 on the interview, with at least 3 of 5 in every area.

Your brief is a short scenario, with no checklist. The build is scored on how well it solves that scenario, shown in your table and test rows, and the interview on how you explain and defend the choices you made.

Started on an older brief with must-haves? Show each one in your table or test rows. One that isn’t shown yet still leaves room to pass.

Which scores count if I submit more than once?

Your highest build score and your highest interview score from any attempt. They don’t have to come from the same attempt, and a lower score later never replaces a higher one.

On an older brief with must-haves, they’re read on the build with your highest build score, so show them in that build.

Do credits I spent by mistake count against me?

No. We grade the finished build, not your credit history.

We check that excluded rows can’t reach a paid column. A row that turns bad after a paid step is normal: count it in your cost per qualified account.

Do I need run IDs for a table build?

No. Run IDs only matter if you build a Clay workflow. For a table, your table link and your test rows are enough.

Can I use AI?

Yes. Use AI tools and templates as you like. In the interview, tell us what you built, what you used and why.

Can I use my own project or a job take-home?

Yes. At the end of the brief you can bring a real project from work or swap in a job listing. We turn it into a short scenario like the practice one, and your build is scored the same way.

What if my ad platform doesn’t show a match rate?

Paid Ads needs a platform that tells you how many of the people you uploaded it matched. LinkedIn and Google Customer Match both show this on the audience once it finishes processing.

If your platform only shows an estimated audience size, pick another platform for this project.

What if the interview glitches?

That interview didn’t count because of a problem on our side. Your redo is free. Start it again from your project page when you’re ready.

Is the score final?

Yes. No one signs off a pass, so the score you see is your result.

Two exceptions. If something broke on our side (we couldn’t read your build, or the interview glitched or skipped a question), you get a free redo. If you think the grader missed something your build shows, ask for a manual review.

How do I ask for a manual review?

To ask for one, open your project page, choose Ask for a manual review under History, and tell us what to look at. A second grader reads your result again, usually within the hour, and you see its answer under History. Its read replaces this result if it scores you higher, or passes you where the first read did not. Otherwise this result stands. Either way, your highest scores across attempts count. Once it has answered, a new request gets the same answer unless you ask for a person.

If your request names Steven or needs a person, or someone on the Clay team set your score, a person on the Clay team answers it, usually within two business days.

When do I get my certification?

As soon as your build and your interview both pass. Your certificate and its public page show on your project page.