How do you feel about being asked to do exercises or projects during the interview process?

17 Comments

1. AnonymousMay 13,2024 at 6:04PM UTC

   They don't compensate because they can get away with it. Next time tell them your fee is $50/hour.

2. AnonymousMay 13,2024 at 6:16PM UTC

   Thanks for starting this discussion!

   And let me start off by saying I too have been asked to produce a project during an interview process and it did help me get jobs in the past. I also work in a creative industry so it's not unusual to be asked about producing a writing sample and/ or, (in my line of work today --- UX) be given a UX case study to dissect and share how you'd approach a problem space.

   Now, that I'm older and wiser, I'm a bit apprehensive about these sorts of exercises due to what you said "seen your work be incorporated by an org and they didn't pay nor give credit to you." Additionally, we're living in different times now and I believe more candidates are pushing back or rather, raising more questions about "why" this is necessary and making sure their paid for this since a job isn't guaranteed once you submit your work.

   My stance today is...probably a hard no unless I'm being paid for it and it must include some sort of legal agreement (intellectual property) that protects my idea/work from being commercialized by a company. If I'm asked now to produce a project, then I point them to my portfolio and work references at this point.

   I get recruiters/hiring teams use this to determine "candidate skill level" but I believe we're living in different times now where these sort of exercises can now be "jail-broken" with generative AI (or other cheat codes out there). Also, one exercise is hardly the real picture of someone's ability to perform.

   So, if these sorts of exercises continue then universal rules/laws need to be written and enforced to support both the candidate and potential employer to do this in a more ethical way. Otherwise, I'd say, these exercises should stop.

3. AnonymousMay 14,2024 at 3:53PM UTC

   Excellent points! Especially about an agreement not to use a candidate's ideas. If a company or firm frames it as "We'd just like to see what you can do, no pressure" it's one thing; constant hoop jumping is another.

4. AnonymousMay 17,2024 at 10:00PM UTC

   Exactly!!!

5. AnonymousMay 13,2024 at 10:44PM UTC

   I don't.

   If your credentials are not good enough to be paid, why do for free? Either you are qualified for $$ or YOU CAN DO BETTER ELSEWHERE

   If they say it's offer-dependent , immediately they will say your presentation wasn't effective while behind your back, it was perfect.

6. AnonymousMay 13,2024 at 11:54PM UTC

   I just learned that my company is going to do this for all corporate management. The recruiting staff is stressed because so many people will not accept this. Companies love it, humans, not so much.

7. Dr. Erica WallsMay 13,2024 at 11:56PM UTC

   Yes, this practice is rampant, and I have been there! Unfortunately, it's legal and a way to see what candidates bring to the table. As for your ideas, give teasers and allude that you have more to share... once in the role!

8. AnonymousMay 14,2024 at 12:25PM UTC

   I don’t work for free.

9. AnonymousMay 14,2024 at 12:26PM UTC

   I see this as something that goes both ways: it can be good to know what a candidate can and can't do (even as a means to assess how much training someone might need) but the same. I've done highly intensive work projects that have taken hours and hours of work only to not even get beyond that stage.

   The last one that pretty much took me about a week to do and the feedback was that they wanted someone to hit the ground running. Good to know about also enormously frustrating to put in that work only to find out they were not going to do the same for a new hire.

   I've read some people ask and/or send an invoice afterwards. I've never done that but it's something I'm keeping in mind, haha!

10. AnonymousMay 14,2024 at 12:40PM UTC

    I don't like it but unfortunately there are a lot of people exaggerating about their actual experience.
    I see it all the time. I'm shocked at some of the capabilities I've seen colleagues list on LinkedIn when I know full well they don't have those skills! A tough job market attempts people to exaggerate even more. That said, I've seen this go both ways as well. I almost refused a pre-hire assignment that landed me in my last role which was one of my highest paying jobs. You have to consider what they're asking you to do. If it's something brief, I would do it! If it's detailed and drawn out, I would ask if the work is going to be compensated and how your information is going to be used by the company? The only way this is black and white / hard NO is if you have lots of other offers on the table. Good luck!

11. AnonymousMay 14,2024 at 1:12PM UTC

    When given unpaid labor as part of an interview, I paste the questions in chatGPT or some other AI generator and let it do the work. That way, if I don't get the job, at least I didn't actually do any free work. Hope this helps!

12. AnonymousMay 14,2024 at 2:36PM UTC

    Unfortunately there are many fields where doing a project "on spec" and/or having a portfolio, clippings, etc. is expected. Reputable employers should have a contract for both employer and candidate to sign agreeing that they are not allowed to use any ideas from them unless the employee is hired. Outright refusing to "work for free" may be interpreted as being difficult and a red flag to employers.

13. AnonymousMay 14,2024 at 2:53PM UTC

    I can understand the ask if it's a technical role that requires specific knowledge and they want to ensure the candidate actually has the skills. Beyond that, if it's something that takes me an hour or so, no problem. If it's beyond that, I give them my hourly rate.

14. AnonymousMay 15,2024 at 12:08PM UTC

    Role dependent, skills may need to be proven. It's a good way for a company not to waste your and their time.

15. AnonymousMay 15,2024 at 12:47PM UTC

    I agree that it gets out of hand. As a Gen Xer, I remember writing essay after essay after essay for certain positions. I was in academia, so having to provide a writing sample or two was no big deal. However, having to pen what felt like my entire biography and detailed educational philosophy on applications that didn't even merit a "sorry, we've moved on to other candidates" response was ridiculous.

    At least I couldn't see any way the organizations could use my work for free. The corporate world must be even worse, and the risk of working for free must be enormous in certain fields. I far prefer the way I got my current gig. I was a freelancer writing a piece here and there when I was offered a larger contract. They knew I could produce the writing they needed as they had copious samples, but I was paid for producing said material.

    I'm not sure where or how to set the rules, as I'm sure industries vary widely in their requirements. Maybe it has to be a personal boundary. Personally, I'd expect compensation for any task that took me longer than 30 minutes, certainly more than an hour. While I might not mind doing it for the right position, it's also a matter of setting a precedent. Workers are already undervalued enough in my country (USA) — giving employers the expectation that they can get free work through the hiring process is too big a risk in a cutthroat, competitive economy.

    That's how I feel about it, anyway. I don't know if anyone shares my feelings, but I thought I'd share just to add to the discussion.

16. AnonymousMay 18,2024 at 2:30PM UTC

    I started watermarking my pdfs when I do tasks like this.

    Funny…every time I do that, I don’t move forward in the process.

17. AnonymousMay 18,2024 at 5:59PM UTC

    Don't do them. Refuse especially if you are a seasoned candidate. Offer instead to do an exercise with the interviewer during the interview. If that is rejected reject them. Or let them know an hourly rate for your consulting services.