Hello all,
Anonymous
Hello all,
I'm in my mid-50s, with a solid writing portfolio, and I recently applied for a staff writer position with my county government.
They've just received a bigger budget to expand, and this would be a very stable job, with a good salary, and benefits.
I sat and went through their laborious application, sent the writing samples requested, and I had an online/Zoom interview with four people, including the person who would be my supervisor.
When I asked what a typical day would look like for me, supervisor-to-be said, "Well, some of it would be helping me make our TV show 'more sexy.' You know, 'sexy it up' "
Hmm...whaaat? Good thing I have a sense of humor because out of astonishment at that comment, I had to start laughing a little.
And this was a woman saying this. Hmm. okay.
It went well, and I was called back for a second in-person interview.
When I was contacted about the second interview, I did ask about what materials I would need to bring, such as more writing samples, and I asked if there would be testing.
Nobody would respond about testing. Hmm.
At this point in my writing career, I do not--as a rule--offer free work as a "test" of my writing abilities. My portfolio stands as a representation of my writing skills, etc.
Because I wanted to know more about this job and the setup there, I went ahead with the second interview.
Nice people. Supervisor introduced me to everyone, etc., and is telling me what each person does. She's leading me back to the room for the second interview when she quickly shows me a conference room, with a little laptop set up and says, "Oh, this is where you'll do your testing..."
What? Before I could even say anything, she ushers me into the room they use as the broadcast studio, and harsh key lights are on as if I am about to be interviewed on camera.
This time for the interview there were four long tables, with me sitting up front and center at one table, while two people are on either side of me sitting at tables, and two more people sitting across from me at a table.
The lights were blinding. I said, "First of all, I plead innocent of all charges" They all laughed.
It was bizarre.
I said, "Um, I don't want to see this videotaped and used for your Christmas party gag reel."
It wasn't videotaped.
The questions were some of the dumbest questions I've ever been asked in an interview. Well, I'd say most of them. Some were actually quite thoughtful. I had my own questions too and I was taking notes.
It went on for AN HOUR. I was hoping for a coffee mug or something after getting through that. My interview was the last interview that day, so it was 4:45 when we finished.
What set off warning bells, besides not informing me before the second interview about any writing tests?
Supervisor-to-be says the following at the conclusion of this part of the interrogation...I mean interview:
"Well, now we better get you to the writing tests. It's just three writing samples we want you to do. One is a script. I just want you to take the information we give you for the script and you can 'put your stank on it."
Put my stank on it? Huh? I had a feeling I knew what she meant, but never have I heard that phrase used in an interview.
When I sat in the "testing room," I said, "I had no idea testing was involved. I understand the motivation behind doing that, but you have my writing samples, and if you need to see scripts or talking points, I can make those samples available to you."
She was like, "Oh, I'm sorry. It shouldn't take you very long to do these."
???
Now, had I known about writing tests, I would not have accepted a second interview, period. But this was thrown at me at 4:45 pm. They close at 5 pm.
So, fine. I will only write 500 words or less "for free" and after that, you need to compensate me with an agreed-upon nominal fee.
I'm not just out of college, with no portfolio. So, I quickly dashed off the press release "test" but I refused to re-write a script, or to create talking points. What cracked me up was at 5 pm, on the dot, after I finished the press release, one of the other folks who interviewed me stuck her head in and said that Miss Supervisor had "to leave for the day...and I am going home too. When you are finished, just let the director know. His office is next door."
"Sure...no problem."
So, I packed up to leave myself, as I had to be somewhere at 6:30 pm. I wrote notes to the supervisor, letting her know, again, that I did not realize testing was going to take place, and I explained why I only did the press release.
When I got up to leave, the director says, "How did you do on the tests?" I said, "Unfortunately, I didn't realize testing was involved today, so I did not finish the testing. I did finish the press release."
He laughed and said, "Oh, we ask for a blood test, next." hee hee ha ha.
I also followed up with an email later that evening to the supervisor. She wrote back, copying every single person I had interviewed with, and semi-apologized for having to leave, then, still asking me to do the script!!
If I consent to do that work for free, when there are samples in my portfolio of scripts, I feel it will set a precedent for how I'd be treated in that position.
I'm really angry about not being told, even when I asked, about testing and I wonder if I was just being set up to fail. If that's the case, why bother with a second interview?
I realize that Pulitzers aren't weighing down my living room mantel, but I am very experienced at this point, and this was a skeezy move to try to slip the testing in. Trust me, the supervisor would NEVER do free work.
Is this a thing now? Asking writers for free work as "testing" when you've already provided writing samples?
Not sure how to handle this situation.
Thanks for making it this far!
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