Requesting free work from job candidates: a red flag for critical thinking deficiency
Has a potential employer ever asked you to do free work during the hiring process? You know, the “quick project to see if you’re a fit” that just so happens to be eerily similar to something they should have their own team handling? It’s time we talked about why this practice is a flashing red beacon of trouble, particularly in tech companies. Hint: it’s often an indicator that there’s a deeper problem — a lack of real expertise and critical thinking.
The tell-tale signs of trouble
When a company asks candidates for free work, it signals that they likely don’t have the people internally who can do it themselves. And that’s not just a lack of capacity — it’s a lack of capability. Let’s get real: if they can’t write a compelling blog post about the merits of cloud FinOps or design a half-decent DevOps diagram, why are they looking to hire someone who can do it for free? You, the candidate, are basically being asked to cover for gaps that shouldn’t exist in the first place.
If these organizations had a competent team, that task would have already been scoped, drafted, reviewed, and maybe even published. Instead, they’re offloading their knowledge gaps onto you. Worse still, they want you to prove your worth by doing the job that they themselves can’t quite figure out. This raises questions about the effectiveness of their current team.
Personal insights from the trenches
As a writer, I’ve seen more than my fair share of these requests. Recently, I was set to interview for a company that sprung an exercise on me. Based on how they sprung it after I accepted the interview and how the question was open-ended and not phrased very well, it turned me off. I sent the recruiter a question asking them if my writing portfolio would suffice. The recruiter answered my question by immediately canceling my interview. They were reaching for someone else to do the intellectual heavy lifting — for free. I even made a point to DM their CEO on LinkedIn and told him seeking free work from job candidates isn’t a good look for his company. He assured me they weren’t doing that.
Similarly, I’ve faced content exercises that are nothing but euphemisms for ‘we need this written, and we don’t really want to pay for it.’ And let me tell you — nothing makes me hit the “delete” button faster. A competent content team knows how to identify gaps, provide clear direction, and collaborate effectively to bridge those gaps. They don’t throw a half-baked project at a candidate to see if they magically get it right.
Why this should matter to you
This isn’t just a gripe — it’s an industry trend worth calling out. If you’re a decision-maker, particularly in tech, understand that requesting free work isn’t just a bad look; it’s an indicator of dysfunction. It shows that your current team lacks the blend of technical skills and creativity needed to solve problems in-house. Worse still, it shows a lack of respect for the people who could actually help turn that situation around. It’s a surefire way to alienate the kind of talent you need to attract.
Actionable takeaway for decision-makers
If you’re serious about hiring top talent, it’s time to put an end to asking for free work. A half-hour interview over Zoom might not be enough to properly assess a candidate, but that doesn’t justify shifting the burden onto them without compensation. Instead, consider offering paid trial projects or conducting collaborative working sessions where both parties gain insight into each other’s skills and working style. Invest the time and effort into crafting a hiring process that is genuinely insightful. Run scenario-based interviews, have meaningful conversations about real challenges — but don’t, under any circumstances, make people do work they should be compensated for.
Show that your current employees know what they’re talking about. Show that you’re ready to welcome someone into an environment where their contributions will be valued — not exploited. And above all, if you find yourself unable to clearly communicate what you need without offloading free work onto a candidate, take a step back and ask yourself what that really says about your team’s current state of operations.
A final thought
Requesting free work is more than just a sign of a company that doesn’t value talent. It’s a sign that the organization is lacking the very thing they claim to be searching for — critical thinking, expertise, and a proactive approach to solving challenges. And if that isn’t a red flag, I don’t know what is.
Will Kelly is a writer and keen observer of the IT industry. Medium is his personal publishing platform. During his career, he has worked as a technical writer, technical marketing manager, product marketer, and freelance technology writer. Will has written about the cloud, DevOps, and enterprise mobility, most recently for TechTarget. Follow him on X: @willkelly.
