Some potential employers are taking advantage of the competitive job market by requiring potential candidates to undertake unpaid tasks before being hired. The “requirements” for working for free vary, from sharing a sample event budget to submitting a complete event plan for a company party.
“When I interviewed for the event director position, as part of the interview process, I was asked to plan a ‘sample project’ for several months specific to their industry,” said Sherece Fullerton, senior manager of corporate events at Achaving the. “They even asked me to review their staff rosters and resumes and determine who should attend each event and their role on site.”
After hours of dedication, she was told she had reached the next level and was one of the two top candidates. “Then they asked me to create a sample budget to support the plan. I foolishly did so again, and it took 5 rounds of interviews and two mocks before they told me they were going with another person.
When she checked the company’s website a few weeks later, the job was still open. “I really think they are collecting free jobs from everyone who applies,” she said.
Danger sign?
Such requests are not uncommon in today’s competitive job market, said career counselor Colleen Paulson. “This is definitely becoming more common. Companies will tell you they do it to see what candidates have to offer, but I’ve heard of companies taking advantage of this and using this ‘free labor’ as a basis for their operations. part.
Is asking for free work an automatic red flag? “Trust your instincts, and if it feels like it’s too much, then you should think about how interested you are in the role and whether it’s really worth it,” she says. However, if you don’t do the job, “then you may lose the job because the company will find someone who will.”
The stress of a year-long job search drove another planner, who estimates she spent more than $1,000 developing a proposal for a holiday party as part of the interview process for a senior position at a multinational company.
“First, we had two virtual interviews and I was told I had made it to the final round. They invited me to come in and present two projects to the group—a holiday party and an employee appreciation event. I had to develop a plan for each project. A complete plan including budget and recommended vendors.
“They asked for 5 hard copies. Of course, I wanted to impress them, so I printed everything in color and had it professionally bound. I bought the tablescape I had shot for the presentation and gave each person one Lunch boxes with food samples inside. I even gave each person a white chocolate bomb as a parting gift along with a note thanking them for the interview.
She didn’t get the job. “It was probably one of the best interviews I’ve ever had in my life, but two days later I was told, ‘We’re not going to move forward with you.'” She later learned from a friend who worked at the company that It used elements of her proposal – including chocolate – in their campaign.
What can a planner do?
As she continued her search, the experience changed her perspective on giving anything away for free. “From now on, I will add a nondisclosure agreement to any work I submit. I will watermark it with my name and mark it “Proprietary/Confidential” and “Do Not Distribute,” so , I would at least have some recourse if my employer decided to implement any of my creations without my consent.
Planners can also add conditions to their work, such as requiring a signed statement stating that the proposal is for interview purposes only and cannot be used without their consent.
Some planners may accept requests to work for free – it depends on the scope. One person who applied for a job at a major tech company said it took him three hours, but he didn’t think it was unreasonable. “I feel like the purpose of the program was to learn more about my ideas and what I would do, rather than trying to get me free work. I didn’t end up getting selected, but I totally understand. Like many things in life Likewise, everything happens for a reason.
Many people who had these experiences but were not hired also noted that there was a bright side: they gained valuable insights into the cultures of these organizations. If a company expects free labor from people who don’t work for them, what do they expect from the people who do work for them?
“If they tell you it might be used in their current business, then that’s more ethical — but they’re still cheap, and they should pay you like any consultant giving advice,” Paulson said.
“It would be unethical for a company to use your work in their operations if they are not forthright about using it.”
