Are we getting too much interview 'homework'? -- Career Center Blog

April 21, 2009

Are we getting too much interview 'homework'?

5 Comments |
E-mail |
Print
- Share:

By Randy Woods
NWjobs

I've been thinking these days about how the recession has altered the balance of power in the job interviewing process. In a healthy economy, it seems that the employer's need to find skilled labor should be roughly equal to the applicant's need to find steady employment, allowing for a fair amount of give and take. Recently, however, I've heard more and more cases of colleagues who feel they're being taken advantage of by companies that assign increasingly time-consuming post-interview tasks--"homework," if you will--due to the leverage afforded by the slow job market.

Several years ago, not long after the post-dot-com recession, I had an interview for an editing position at a sports magazine. It seemed like a great opportunity in a down economy and I was eager to please the publishers. But by the end of the first interview, I got what I thought was an odd request: Come up with a new business plan for the magazine, complete with a list of changes I would implement in the first three months and suggestions for new revenue sources.

Since I really wanted the job, I accepted the task, even though I had no information about the magazine's budget and only the most rudimentary knowledge of its sales history. After working on the plan for a week and turning it in during my second interview, the publishers seemed impressed, but a week later I found out I didn't get the job.

Now, I don't mind not being hired; that's just part of life. But it bothered me that after a 20-minute interview I was asked to spend several hours of my valuable job-search time coming up with "guesstimate" financial figures that could shape the fate of my career. And who's to say the publisher didn't follow through on my uncompensated suggestions with the new hire?

A colleague of mine--I'll call her Alice--had a similar issue with homework a few months ago while applying for a communications marketing assistant position. Before the interview even began, she was asked to complete two homework projects that she estimated would have taken her 10 hours to complete. Alice ultimately turned down the job, partly for salary reasons, but also because of what she thought was an unreasonable pre-interview request.

As a freelancer, Alice also been asked to submit "sample" stories for prospective employers, but now refuses to do so because she has "no guarantee the requester won't end up using them for free." Another writer friend of mine told me last week that she was asked to provide three to five proposals for a potential client and has not heard back from the company in more than a month.

So, what's your story? Do any of you Hire Ground readers feel you're being forced to do an inordinate amount of pre- or post-interview work for no pay? Recruiters, do you see this as a growing trend? I'd love to hear from you.

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.

5 Comments |
E-mail |
Print
- Share:

5 Comments

RH on April 21, 2009 12:49 PM | Reply

I used to think so. But I've changed my mind over the past few years.

The way I look at it: assuming you're applying to an opportunity you're qualified for AND truly interested in(ie not spamming resumes out of desperation) then I'd welcome homework. It's a chance to "show my stuff" and to set myself apart from "the others". A firm might get 200 resumes for that single position, but they're surely not going to get 200 candidates willing to do the homework. And out of that small percentage that WILL do the homework it's an even smaller portion that'll score an 'A'. I don't know why someone wouldn't want an opportunity to distinguish themselves like that!

I've often thought: if only they could give me a "trial run" so I could show them what I can do -- then I'd show them!

It's a variation of that old "tactic" of offering to work for some amount of time for free, afterwhich they can hire you or terminate you with no obligation.

In fact, I've successfully used the idea of ASKING for homework(or assigning it to myself) to effectively set myself apart and prove my capability. I'll go into an interview, get an idea of their current challenges, goals, constraints, resources, etc. Then, instead of the templated "Thank You" note I'll go home and write up a proposed solution, or a 30/90-day plan or something similar to address what we discussed in the interview. Sometimes, I'll take over the interview by walking up to the whiteboard and getting right to work then and there on solving the problem -- or at least starting the solution process with some brainstorming, ideation, gap analysis, etc.

If you're good, IMO, you're not afraid of the work. You welcome it. You WANT it! And if you're unemployed...well, then you really do(or should make) the time.

By the way, if any recruiters or hiring managers out there need someone to build or optimize their product support, customer support or IT Service Management operations -- PLEASE GIVE ME HOMEWORK! ;)

Mazamack
Seattle, WA
zomackadindin@yahoo.com

RH on April 21, 2009 12:53 PM | Reply

By the way, I am aware of those cases where your homework might be "copied". You find a balance: give enough to let them know you know your stuff, that you can think critically and analytically about their specific situation...but not necessarily go as far as handing over the keys to the house.

Though, I'll admit, in cases where I love the opportunity THAT much I'd go quite far to make a good impression. After all, I am still much more than a single homework assignment, no matter how thorough it might be.

RH
Seattle, WA
zomackadindin@yahoo.com

BFM on April 22, 2009 7:18 PM | Reply

On a case by case basis I will work for free, but somehow I need to survive. There is a balance here.

olivia on April 25, 2009 5:03 AM | Reply

i ahte it beacause if you just want to relaxe then you cant becauseyou hve homwork to do and cannt RELAXE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gina on January 30, 2012 10:14 PM | Reply

This happened to me today at an interview... pretty much this exact thing. Prior to getting the interview, I was contacted to write a web critique on the company website before my information would be forwarded on to the hiring manager. I spent hours of my time creating a succinct, informative three page write-up.

It landed me the interview. After an hour of interviewing and another hour of computer/program aptitude assignments (creating images and documents), I went home to find an email requesting something very parallel to what is described in this article.

I was already hesitant from the initial request for the critique, but I wanted to make an impact. I felt I had given plenty of information on my approaches to problems during the interview questions, and I was shocked to find they wanted even more work from me.

I went searching the internet to see if this was normal, and I ended up here at this article. It definitely sums up my initial reaction and the reasoning behind my feelings. I can't help but feel I'm wasting time I could be putting into other things doing free work that I have no guarantee won't be used, and no guarantee I'll be hired for.

I might be more understanding if this was near the end of the interview process, and it was down to a select two or three candidates. This kind of thing strikes me as a "tie breaker" or something, but after an initial interview, I feel like I'm being taken advantage of.

Are we getting too much interview 'homework'?

5 Comments

Leave a comment