Massachusetts job candidate demands $900 for unpaid interview project assignment: 'The scope of work produced holds legitimate commercial value'

This interview candidate felt that the so-called "assignment" he was given warranted payment, and after reviewing Massachusetts labor statutes, he felt that he had a strong case.

Many job applicants have come to expect having to complete some kind of project in order to prove that the skills outlined in their resumes and/or portfolios are up to par for the position. These assignments can range from hypothetical scenarios or problem sets to be completed during an interview to full-blown presentations to prepare within a short period of time. 

Completing these projects to the best of one's ability can be difficult to manage, especially if you're currently employed and have limited free time. One might assume that hiring managers are accepting of these limitations, but then again, one would be wrong to make said assumption. After all, recruiters are far more likely to respond to the highest quality project, but isn't it a moral conundrum if the work it takes to produce that high quality starts to feel like work that deserves compensation in and of itself? 

Sure, an optimistic candidate might think that all this work will be worth it in the end once they land the position. However, there is absolutely no guarantee that things will shake out that way. Statistically, it's probably unlikely that you'll get the job. And if there's no clause in the prompt stating that the company cannot and will not manipulate your work for business use, who's to say that they won't do just that?

Like what you see? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google. 

Author image for Ben Weiss Ben Weiss
Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement

Like what you see? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google. 

Tags

employee massachusetts job candidate ceo emails job interview unpaid
Scroll Down For The Next Article

Also From FAIL Blog

24 Relatable Memes to Lighten Your Emotional Load and Brighten Your Day

24 Relatable Memes to Lighten Your Emotional Load and Brighten Your Day

Trending Now

Employee demands 10% raise because he's bilingual, even though his second language is Welsh: 'The manager then told me that the policy meant Spanish'

Employee demands 10% raise because he's bilingual, even though his second language is Welsh: 'The manager then told me that the policy meant Spanish'

01
Massachusetts job candidate demands $900 for unpaid interview project assignment: 'The scope of work produced holds legitimate commercial value'

Massachusetts job candidate demands $900 for unpaid interview project assignment: 'The scope of work produced holds legitimate commercial value'

02
24 Relatable Memes to Lighten Your Emotional Load and Brighten Your Day

24 Relatable Memes to Lighten Your Emotional Load and Brighten Your Day

03
New Jersey homeowner suspects neighbor trimmed their special family tree without permission: 'I am 99% sure'

New Jersey homeowner suspects neighbor trimmed their special family tree without permission: 'I am 99% sure'

04
Guy demands a 10% raise after learning Welsh, pushing HR to honor a promise for wage increases for bilingual employees: ‘The policy meant Spanish, but [it] didn't specify Spanish'

Guy demands a 10% raise after learning Welsh, pushing HR to honor a promise for wage increases for bilingual employees: ‘The policy meant Spanish, but [it] didn't specify Spanish'

05
Tenant hides neighbor's clothes after watching neighbor repeatedly take out residents' clothes from the communal washing machine: ‘She's never coming back to our laundry room’

Tenant hides neighbor's clothes after watching neighbor repeatedly take out residents' clothes from the communal washing machine: ‘She's never coming back to our laundry room’

06
Advertisement