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Christine · 9d ago
Board Adviser
I recently completed two third round interviews where I was asked to prepare detailed presentations, one promoting a school wellbeing service & another outlining fundraising strategies for a mentoring NGO.
I was praised for my ideas making it appear that the job was mine & said they hadn’t considered my strategies & asked me to email my files for reference. However, I was later told they chose another candidate. Is it now standard practice to request candidates’ strategic IP during interviews?
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Owen · 3d ago
I’d side-eye that a little too, not gonna lie.
Asking for presentations in later rounds is pretty normal now… but asking you to email the actual files and then not hiring you? That feels a bit icky. Especially when they were hyping up your ideas like it was basically yours.
It doesn’t automatically mean they’re going to use your stuff, but I get why it leaves a bad taste. When you’ve put real thought into strategy, it stops feeling like a “test” and starts feeling like free consulting.
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Anon018877 · 2d ago
Asking for the files feels pretty sketchy. Interview work if it exists is to show off your skills, not do work they can use. Would it be too cheeky to email them and ask them to confirm they've deleted your work from their files completely...
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Anon263539 · 7d ago
That feels like pretty poor form to me and as a general rule I'm not a big fan of doing free work as part of a job application. I feel like it shows a lack of value for people's time and skills. I don't think it's worth burning any bridges over but after going to that effort I'd be asking for a phone call with detailed feedback, and that might give you an opportunity to suss out what their plans are for your presentation.
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Owen · 3d ago
I’d side-eye that a little too, not gonna lie.
Asking for presentations in later rounds is pretty normal now… but asking you to email the actual files and then not hiring you? That feels a bit icky. Especially when they were hyping up your ideas like it was basically yours.
It doesn’t automatically mean they’re going to use your stuff, but I get why it leaves a bad taste. When you’ve put real thought into strategy, it stops feeling like a “test” and starts feeling like free consulting.
C
Christine · 2d ago
Board Adviser
I agree, it does feel like free consultation. I did approach the NGO regarding my files and was just told "thank you Christine"
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