Boss Gaslights Job Candidate On LinkedIn For Refusing to Work For Free

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

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[@spirit2219]

you said you didn't check glass door for this video, but I just did and tbh if you haven't already, you really should. It's either Comedy Gold or a Horror Show, depending upon your perspective. And there are no bell curves here so you know it's full of fake reviews - though determining which are fake is a judgement I'll leave up to the viewer.

[@same.7939]

With employers like this, you and Joshua Fluke will never run out of content!

[@asadb1990]

Joshua fluke is still brutally honest. This guy generally shills for the employer.

[@Bunsense_Gaming]

I would love to see them collab

[@staceyj8569]

Oh most definitely

[@yourbodyandu]

Both are so helpful.

[@JustMe99999]

Fluke is the guy you listen to if you never want to get ahead in your career.... but, I'll admit that he's entertaining!

[@wallywest2360]

She's not looking for a high value employee. She's looking for a new to the industry, hungry for work employee that she can bully into doing just about anything. All while underpaying them I'm sure.

[@viewer3147]

Bayshore health in canada

[@LIVdaBrand]

yes lol

[@meyatetana2973]

Or intern which people just need to say no to. Your time has value, what they are basically saying is that you have no value.

[@MemphisCorollaS]

Bingo

[@scotiadragoon5974]

Having read their Glassdoor reviews, you are dead on.

[@loriloristuff]

Insane. This CEO is utterly insane. I've worked with people like this. NOTHING is ever good enough for them, and want everything for free. It's the same mean girl from middle school!

[@timmyp34]

Absolutely not insane. Evil. Despicable. Greedy. They got some free labor, good for the bottom line.

[@johniii8147]

She's not really a CEO. That's a just a title she gave herself.

[@anthonyphillips467]

She is awful. Worst professional experience of my career. They lied so much when they hounded me to come work for them. She psycho

[@julieoconnor2011]

Guarantee the pay is commission only!

[@BryantSuiskens]

Always remember that most people start companies because it is more palatable than therapy

[@Michael-pw6qk]

This is unethical. This sort of candidate abuse should be illegal in every State. It's probably illegal in Europe.

[@iosubionut]

I see 2 Americans here. 😂 In Europe we have our share of corporate psychopaths too, especially in small companies, where people tend to look on the other way when abuses happens.

[@deirdrekiely6187]

@@iosubionut But there are stronger labor laws in Europe. And that matters a lot.

[@BillClinton228]

I live in a country with very strict labour laws and yet I still come across this kind of a thing... I was recently offered the opportunity to go and work for a big car company for one day and if they liked me they would give me a job. I'm a professional with more than 10 years experience, I'm not going to work for free

[@KyurekiHana]

@@BillClinton228 I work for a large German car company that may have had a scandal at one point in time, as a software dev, but in their USA division. I talked with some of my German colleagues and they work 16 hour days quite often, just off the books. They are told if they ever report this unpaid time, the entire international company may be thrown into jeopardy, and tens of thousands of people will lose their jobs, destroying a good chunk of the German economy. So they stay quiet about it, and the German government doesn't seem to want to know anyway.

[@Goriaas]

@@deirdrekiely6187 I live in Austria and labour laws help, but you are never safe from socio- and psychopaths in the workplace

[@brendah4773]

If anyone has ever been in an abusive relationship?? You’ll spot an abusive boss…. I guarantee it

[@deirdrekiely6187]

Lots of people stay way too long in abusive relationships and I see the same at toxic workplaces where people pretend everything is fine because they really need that paycheck.

[@brendah4773]

@@deirdrekiely6187 you’re right, I get it. I did it for 5yrs….I stayed way too long at the Embassy Suites. Thankfully, CV hit and we were all let go. Blessing! 😊

[@SL-lz9jr]

@@deirdrekiely6187sometimes they don’t even need that paycheck. Like, super employable people with savings. But, man, trying to convince someone to leave a bad job is painfully hard. They try so hard to rationalize the behavior of a toxic boss. Ugh, drives me nuts. Like, get out dude!

[@rockstarofredondo]

@@SL-lz9jr so true. I see this everywhere.

[@cococolonel]

This is why "Grindset, Gaslight, Girl Boss" is a sterotype among leaders.

[@BigDaddyJinx]

LOL. That's pretty good, OP. This story makes me think it's a single Mom who was laid off and needed to do something with her life so she invested in as many self-help books as she could muster, and read them all cover to cover. She also paid for seminars and "web videos" from "gurus" to help her embrace her entrepreneurial mindset. She, through whatever means, opened her own boutique recruitment outfit and it took off for what its worth. As a sole proprietor, this would mean that she had to work slavishly the entire time, hustling to get even the smallest crumb. As the business grew and developed, and after she had looked at how many hours she had to sacrifice to get her business off the ground, she now expects everyone in her employ to do the same "because I had to do it now so do you!" That's how I see this. Someone who is trying to pass off her frustrations with how she got to where she is onto those applying. Her comment about "think like an entrepreneur" was a dead giveaway. Yes, as a startup, you WILL undoubtedly find yourself working to the bone day in and day out with little to show as you hustle all the time trying to get work for yourself. Once it goes somewhere, you start drinking your own Kool-Aid and fixate yourself on the notion that everyone working for you should also do as you did, despite the fact that this is NOT their company and they are merely employees, so don't expect something for nothing, and don't expect them to work any harder than a 40 hour workweek which they would be hired on for. Just because you had to is irrelevant. It's YOUR company. That's why YOU had to work as hard as you did to give it life. Your employees have no vested interest in the company other than working for a paycheque. Sole proprietors need to get that through their heads.

[@rohitchaoji]

Except the "grindset" part is for people they're exploiting

[@antoniomontana9430]

This is exactly how companies get sued for running their mouths off!

[@AleksLazar]

I feel bad for anyone in any relationship with this psycho

[@antoniomontana9430]

Her narcissistic attitude and condescending behavior reeks of Amber Heard Syndrome.

[@jh26pt2]

Agree. And by “any relationship”, I would include her mailman, her hair stylist, her usual barista at the local coffee shop, and somebody in the next car when she is at a stop light.

[@Seattle-2017]

"I had every intention of moving forward to offer stages" Yeah OK. Right up there with "We were JUST ABOUT to give you that raise, but you got impatient and took an offer elsewhere."

[@SeraphoftheRoundTable]

I remember the month or two before I quit my current job during a quarterly meeting. Our boss told us that "we are a competitive workplace, and we look for people who go above and beyond. She also stated that if we are not interested in that, "then maybe this is not the place for you anymore," she told us. I left two months after that. Whenever you hear your boss say that, start looking elsewhere.

[@PotterSpurn1]

Presumably above and beyond is another way of saying 'working for free'.

[@sab_1055]

yep. It's a threat.

[@wallywest2360]

I'm in that exact situation right now. Fortunately the company I work for has multiple locations near my home so I'm trying to get transferred to one with a more sane manager (I worked for him before). If that fails I'll be moving on.

[@herbertscott9575]

I once had a boss tell me....a month after I had been promoted and working as a supervisor in an extremely busy office..."The honeymoon period is over, we're about to do some real work around here". That afternoon, I put in my two weeks notice.

[@crowmedicine3890]

​@@herbertscott9575 Wow, it's sometimes hard to believe the things that some employers think is ok to come out of their mouths. I'm happy to hear you got the heck out of there!

[@KamalaTheClown]

A few years back, I came across what I though was a great looking job post. It hit all the nails on the head to being a good fit and aligned with my methodologies and experience. Right off the fist interview, their recruiter went over the hiring process which included 10 rounds, yes 10 rounds, of interviews that included a project that would take up at least one weekend to complete. I kindly declined after a half an hour conversation. Reeeeeeediculious!!!

[@jsfnnyc]

You know it’s BS especially when C-level execs hire their golf buddies

[@jerry-suhrstedt]

Oh geez... I totally would have had fun with that one. I would have said... "This role sounds interesting. Here's what I'm thinking. BUH-BYE". (click).

[@BigDaddyJinx]

10 rounds AND an unpaid project? HAHAHAHA Yeah, as if. The moment I heard that in a phone interview, I first would've stopped the chat and asked them to repeat themselves because I need to make sure that I heard what I heard. If they repeated it and it was exactly what I heard, then that would be the end of the interview on the spot. A simple, "Thanks for your call and interest but you just hit every major Red Flag for me so I'm going to politely end this conversation" and that would be that. A couple rounds I can see. 10 is a huge Red Flag. The time commitment alone is ghastly. Then on top of that a weekend, most assuredly UNPAID project? Yeah, nah. I'm not someone's tap dancing monkey working for peanuts. You dodged a bullet yourself, OP. Good job.

[@KamalaTheClown]

@@BigDaddyJinx Thank you. It was INSANITY. They wanted me to interview with 5 different departments, two interviews each. I asked them if this were true and to confirm to ensure we’re aligned and they said it, 10 total. That was the end of that nonsense.

[@fruitloopz311]

What the fuck would you even talk about in the 10th interview haha

[@MrsMathews]

I am glad to see this generation stand up for themselves. They took full advantage of us Millennials during the Great Recession. Asking us to work for free was rampant.

[@fluffysox6072]

I love this candidate 🥰. She dodged such a major bullet simply by valuing herself. If she is being forced to work for free in the interview process, she would be required to do WAY more when she is actually hired. The red flags for the CEO are glaring, and her toxicity probably permeates the whole org. Making unreasonable, unnecessary demands and villianizing people when they stand up for themselves and don’t do what she wants? This is a disaster in the making.

[@bc5441]

“Yes, I’ll complete the working interview after I receive my retainer in advance.”

[@richc3253]

I do a lot of consulting for small startups or companies looking to grow. I can't believe the number of times I've come across employers like this. I literally had to tell one last week they were not a plantation owner and the employees were not their property. That is a mindset rampant in a lot of businesses.

[@5ynthesizerpatel]

shit man - I hope they still paid you

[@megan2478]

And there are 30 million small businesses in the US...a small startup/company is not special just because they believe they are.

[@martinlauzon1971]

The use of emoticons in all of her replies is revealing how she thinks. Her written comments are actually cut-throat but by adding hearts and smileys she is convincing herself that she is being nice to everyone. All show and no depth.

[@rslitman]

I'm 71 years old, retired for 6 years, but when I was working, I felt emoticons, emojis, and texting abbreviations had no place in business communications. Unfortunately, I was not in a position to stop this.

[@Jupiterxice]

Dont give any knowledge or go through hoops for free. Have that company compensate you. You have think of yourself first.

[@antoniomontana9430]

They tend to do this to young and inexperiences candidates because they know that for the most part they can get away with it because they have many times before. I myself have experienced this on an interview where they turned the interview into a brainstorming session in order to solve a pre-existing technical issue that they were trying to solve. Too bad I didn't know back then what I know now, otherwise I would have stopped the interview and then walked out followed by sending them a bill for my "consulting services".

[@asadb1990]

Similarly don't travel more than 2h to meet in person for jobs. If they value you, they will pay for travel or just do virtual interviews.

[@antoniomontana9430]

@asadb1990 most don't do in person any more when there's Zoom, Skype, Webex, and Teams!

[@howtosober]

My response to any bids for free work is to act as though of course they intend to pay me: viz, "Sure, I'd love a short trial run! My contract rate is $350 per day, paid in advance. I'm available [give specific dates], as soon as we get it in writing we can talk details." This way, you make the company be the assholes and have to specifically say they wanted you to work for free, without making yourself look unenthusiastic. Assuming the best when someone is presenting their worst can also often make them do something they normally wouldn't just to save face. And if they don't, then simply say "Then I'm afraid I have to decline. Thanks for the interview!"

[@asadb1990]

@@howtosober yeah i tell the recruiter the same when they want me to drive 5h way. I asked for hotel as well. The decent recruiters understood but the crap ones tried to convince me the job was mine. And then after that i mostly got ghosted but some did respond with "the employer put job search on hold" and then i get approached by other recruiters for the same position.

[@TechnoMageB5]

16:49 The candidate responding publicly allowed this "employer" to expose herself for what she is. Well played, candidate.

[@pmb6667]

Exactly! Didn't even have the DECENCY to reply back to the candidate by email and instead insulted her in public. That CEO's virtue-signalling attempt to look like a hero, backfired on her big time. GOOD! Glad the candidate called her out for that.

[@joncoedisko]

I work in web development and UX. I now turn down interview projects if they would take more than an hour to complete. Rather, I offer to have a conversation about the challenge or an outline of how I would tackle it. Unsurprisingly I get ghosted at this point. My CV speaks for itself, and I can speak to my work history , experience and can answer theoretical questions. Life is too short to waste on pedantic technical tests and projects to prove myself yet again. Keep at it everyone! It’s getting better out there!

[@mwwhited]

Full agreement. Compensation is also one of my first questions. I decided after a multi-hour screening that I had to take time off work for just to find out the max the position could pay was one half of my existing salary that compensation just be listed on jobs and confirmed as my first question. I also check on quizzes, whiteboarding and unpaid peer programming or homework all which get me to walk away. I might have considered those when I started my career but now find they say more about the employer than they do the employee.

[@fluffysox6072]

And as someone in the comments wisely said : “If you were planning on giving her an offer, why make her go through these hoops?” I hope the other candidate sees this and backs out

[@BigDaddyJinx]

I get that you want to make sure that the investment you're about to make will have some short term immediate benefit, so you want to see what they can do in a real-world scenario...but all the Red Flags were there and they spotted them. Like you said, if the offer was gonna be made, then why the 3 ring circus? Also, her "think like an entrepreneur" commentary indicates to me right away that the CEO has read far too many self-help/coaching books. No one talks like that in real life.

[@kikiriki8742]

The fact that this woman sent on LinkedIn and doxxed the applicant who gracefully withdrew from the application should be grounds for a lawsuit. What a poor excuse of a 'human' if you can call her that. I hope she learns to deal with rejection with half the grace the applicant showed to her. Sheesh!!

[@BigDaddyJinx]

Well they didn't doxx per se. They didn't name names. They didn't include any personal identifying details. So there'd be no case. The CEO could easily say they were talking about "someone else". I get where you're coming from, but this wouldn't be seen by anyone as doxxing.

[@kikiriki8742]

@@BigDaddyJinx I didn't see the LinkedIn profile and was going by what I understood from the video, which implied the applicant was doxxed. If the CEO didn't name the applicant and just referred to 'someone,' instead, then, there is no case for a lawsuit. Just ridicule for the petty CEO who can't handle rejection.

[@anthonyphillips467]

I considered suing after leaving because of the amount of lies boutique/innesa told me to get me to come work for them. Total disaster she is an insane narcissist

[@VVFFTTAA]

Dude, you are performing a public helpful service educating about crap job ads and signs of garbage employers. I'm loving it, keep calling out the b.s.!

[@nnorris649]

Questioning someone’s character is an immediate hot button for the majority of us who truly value character. To twist that to your own purposes is despicable. Brian- Thank you so much for being the voice of reason.

[@tcbagwell]

Brian, thank you for your bravery in deconstructing this kind of practice for applicants. About 10 years ago, I applied for an online job with a major state university. Paperwork was processed with a start date linked to the start of class. The supervising Professor started giving me work assignments before the start date. I should have complained since he basically fired me. People should complain quickly and not be desperate.

[@jimkoney4200]

The Candidate jumped through the hoops and we've found the best candidate who did our work for free. Oh, I think the Software Engineer may have installed ransomware!

[@fugu4163]

Thats called karma.

[@cpK054L]

@@fugu4163 No, it's called "getting paid, one way or another"

[@ramy8700]

😂😂😂

[@RecruiterMan81]

Reminds me when i was early in my career. I was unemployed during the Great Recession. Another boutique recruiting firm. They offered me a full-time role after the interview. Gave me a verbal offer. I kept asking for the written offer. It never came and they ghosted me. A month later they called offering a very similar situation. Completely glossed over the fact that they offered me an FT role and then never called me back and now they are offering me to basically work for free.. I was astounded at the gall. I obviously told them no. There are so many bad bottom-feeding contingency firms out there. It never stops amazing me how bad they act and they give legitimate recruiters a bad name.

[@LetsGoChaseThatTrain]

Classic Narcissistic Abuse.

[@akathesk]

My last employer which shrank the team and got rid of me in the process messaged me casually on a text about more potential work. When I tried replying in a more professional manner on an email I got ghosted. Why are so many employers like this now with their head up their own ass?! I'm not sure which is worse for egos lately, job hunting or the dating market.

[@denisegore1884]

Getting a job never used to be so difficult. I miss those days. Your comparison to the dating market is sadly accurate.

[@11Elleve11]

LITERALLY my experience lately! I was in thr job market and got ghosted by my employer on the 4th week, then they "dumped" me without warning or notice. Came back a few weeks later asking for help, and ghosted me again

[@jprevatt]

Tell us about it 🙄🙄🙄🙄🤐🤔🥂

[@quanita7116]

Both!

[@dragonknightleader1]

Job hunting. Dating is ultimately optional and eventually, the math favors prostitution. Job hunting is mandatory and the government should pay for it.

[@SuprousOxide]

They walked out "eager and excited". Or they were trying to be polite while they processed the request. They probably realized too much was asked of them, but didn't want to refuse before they'd had time to consider, so they tried to present optimistic face on the way out. The same way most people do on both sides of the interview

[@middleagebrotips3454]

If I have that much drive and tenacity I wouldn't be looking for a job, I would start my own company and compete with this bad boss. It's gonna be 100% commission anyway

[@sab_1055]

Right, why all the manipulation? Be transparent; compensation on commission. People who can crush it will. People who can't will be forewarned. The former, of course, will crush it elsewhere.

[@Stealth-im7ld]

Absolutely!!!

[@bunkie2100]

And, big bonus, you would get to keep all 100%.

[@bunkie2100]

I’ve been an IT professional for decades. I get so many calls from low-quality recruiters who pitch jobs that are only barely related to my experience or skill set. It is clear that there are a lot of recruiting companies that operate on this model. I feel sorry for the poor souls who have to cold call hundreds of people in the hope that they will get a hit.

[@shizz_93]

Good on you for highlighting this nonsense. Jobseekers & employees get this sort of abuse all the time

[@pamelahomeyer748]

This reminds me of so many unpaid internships. So they're going to attract wealthy kids who don't really care and are willing to kill time because her parents are paying all their bills

[@genxx2724]

My friend’s college student daughter just completed a summer job as an RA for an coding summer camp for international students in Washington DC, clear across the country. My friend and her husband flew there with the girl, came back home, then at the end my friend flew back to bring her home. Of course the students and RA slaves, who had to move furniture and set up all the bunk beds before the students arrived, got intestinal illnesses and COVID. I’m sure the girl’s airfare alone exceeded her pay. Ridiculous. When I was in school, I packed my things into my car and drove myself HOME, and did clerical work through an employment agency 8-5 M-F in the summers because I NEEDED MONEY.

[@karlynpetersen7574]

OMG, this gives me nightmares of a job I applied for years ago. I had to 'prove myself' and thus pulled together a rather detailed marketing strategy plan. I went to 10 separate interviews over an 8 week period and reviewed it over and over. Did I get the job? NO. Did they use my marketing plan? YEP. I saw them advertise aggressively in the areas I knew they were absent and could benefit them the most. I absolutely should have earned a paycheck for my efforts.

[@ahlsrobe]

Presentations in an interview are the worst. I did one 2 weeks ago and it was painful. It wasn't even for a full-time role, just a 12-month contract. They didn't even tell me there would be a presentation until the last round and they did it because they couldn't make their minds up. I didn't get the job and this company has sent another request to these agencies to find new candidates. This is the 3rd time they've done this.

[@Seattle-2017]

What an insult. I think there's more honor in sweeping floors than working for some of these companies.

[@crowmedicine3890]

​@@Seattle-2017absolutely. Nothing wrong with sweeping floors. In fact, a job like that is starting to look better and better...

[@howtosober]

My response to any bids for free work is to act as though of course they intend to pay me: viz, "Sure, I'd love a short trial run! My contract rate is $350 per day, paid in advance. I'm available [give specific dates], as soon as we get it in writing we can talk details." This way, you make the company be the assholes and have to specifically say they wanted you to work for free, without making yourself look unenthusiastic. Assuming the best when someone is presenting their worst can also often make them do something they normally wouldn't just to save face. And if they don't, then simply say "Then I'm afraid I have to decline. Thanks for the interview!"

[@crowmedicine3890]

@@howtosober I love that, it's perfect.

[@Seattle-2017]

@@howtosober That's the way to go - show the "positive attitude" they claim they are looking for, while at the same time looking out for yourself. 99.5% of the time you'll get the standard "No, that's not the way we do things" and maybe they try to flip back the script and imply that you're "greedy" for "wanting pay before you're hired". But yes, every candidate should adopt this not-going-to-work-for-free attitude or these companies will just keep on doing this.

[@AmandaPelland]

That CEO is one step away from naming candidates, one of them stepped out of the assignment and good on her. I also see insecurity abound in the CEO.

[@VictoryXR]

Ohhh I saw this drama unfold first hand. Something similar happened to me recently… maybe I should post it on LinkedIn in solidarity

[@t.l.c7481]

I had a recruiter try to gaslight me about my skill sets. I refused the contractor work that she was saying I was only qualified for. I’m now in a good position. She was extremely pushy. Recently had a “startup” want to recruit me but they wanted case studies which would have been free work. My portfolio of case studies will give you an idea of my work.

[@TheJase8566]

Why do companies expect people to “go the extra mile” yet are not willing to “go the extra mile” for employees

[@wilberwhateley7569]

Because they are all about getting you to produce for them while giving you only the bare minimum…

[@itsnotme07]

Some people just NEED to be exposed for what they are!! A Not good boss at a Not good employer (while they are there)!!

[@CuratedVibes]

I avoid applying to jobs that require way too much during the application process. I don't work free and refuse to waste my time.

[@vintageswiss9096]

Imagine a recruiting agency not knowing how to recruit an employee 😂

[@user-ov4wr5yu4r]

Saying no one else would hire these candidates, that was a gem of narcissism.

[@pavel.pargachev]

The saddest part of this is that there are candidates who fall into this trap.

[@streettrialsandstuff]

If you have bills to pay you are willing to accept anything just to have a non-zero chance of landing a job. I am literally laid off and if I don't get a job soon I'll be out on the streets. I'm an immigrant and I have no one to rely on except myself. Funny enough is that my net worth is around 140k$, but my assets are not liquid and provide a negative ROI.

[@uglypinkeraser]

Yes: prove you're a high value employee by trading your hard work and time for zero compensation

[@milehighgambler]

All while screaming “nothing in life is free” when we ask about “free healthcare”

[@crestofscribbles8761]

Your content is so juicy and gives me energy to work towards starting literally any sort of business where I have zero doubt I can do better than the vampire pits that corner the market today.

[@Paul_Wetor]

Basically this woman is asking people to freelance for her. If so, she should be upfront about that. Doing a four-day assignment after an interview is ridiculous. The interview ends when you leave the room. P.S. I do believe in putting in extra effort at a job. Many times I've stayed late if the situation requires it, or I'd come in on weekends. I wanted to get the job done right. But when the company demands that all the time, they are taking advantage of you.

[@markgoldstein3323]

I'm an experienced Financial recruiter. Not out of work but I was actively looking to change firms. I accepted an offer recently. This lady tried to Recruit me to her firm a week or two ago. I told her I already accepted an offer but she still insisted on calling me. I immediately saw the red flags. Very low commission rates and misleading claims about salary potential. I politely told her no because I earn much higher commission than her firm offers at a much lower volume of work. I also wouldn't be allowed to manage my own client relationships which is important to me. She immediately got super combative and kept insisting that her firm is better but didn't listen to any of my concerns. I just ended the conversation at that point.

[@SweetHeart-vc6zy]

When I was 20 years old a BIG retail chain hired me to work store displays and window design. I had a very narcissistic female boss, who hovered over me constantly. It was a very creative job, this was in 1979. It's no longer a job path that exists to day, except for maybe in NYC. Anyway, one day she thought I wasn't working hard enough. So, she made me sit on a computer in a very COLD dark room and list items that were going on sale that week. So, I put everything on sale for $1.00, OOPS!!!! She NEVER asked me to work on the computer ever again. She tried to chew me out about it but I reminded her, my job was DISPLAY not advertising.

[@timisa58]

I am in the education world and more and more companies are asking prospective employees to work on projects that would/could take a few hours to complete. This is one of the first steps of the interview process. Free labour and work, folks! That's what companies really want from you.

[@jtixtlan]

Who does she think she is? She is not only getting labor for free, but she is searching for candidates with poor boundaries who are easily manipulated. Cheers to the candidate who said no! I quit real estate because of people like her, expecting me to work for free and do all the market research and a marketing plan so they can give the listing to their brother-in-law who then won’t have to do any of the work. People! Don’t work for free!

[@olivia.martin5781]

Wow, I just saw this post on LinkedIn last night! It was disappointing to see the job poster's response to criticism and didn't take responsibility. Happy to see that the candidate who did not accept the assignment posted her side of the story too.

[@franciscomartinez8941]

What a story!! As you said, the inherent work to prepare the candidacies proper and professionally is not a matter of few minutes dropping CVS in mail boxes. To be sure to get the first interview, specially tailoring the resume to each company is a long process. Work for free is absolutely disheartening. Thanks for your video!

[@StreetFig]

Thanks for not blurring out the name of this person

[@jeremyk9000]

Thanks for another entertaining video. I finally landed a job after a 4 month hunt. Your videos and newsletter were a great help for my interviewing technique and updating my resume. Thanks again!!!

[@SuzannePepin-r1r]

Just went through a low quality employer in Ontario, Canada. I was extremely qualified. I obtained the interview process in stage 1. At stage 5, they added another stage - additional testing in an email. I responded politely no thanks I withdraw my candidacy. They said wait, wait and telephoned me. She started the telephone call by saying : "we are not proceeding with yr candidacy..." I interrupted her and said my email said I had withdrawn my candidacy and said bye.

[@callmeGira]

That whole "corporate speak" thing always creeps me out, and if a staff relies on it excessively, that's a red flag in and of itself. I know most businesses use it to some extent, and in some cases, you pretty much have to talk that way to avoid being reprimanded by the people above you. But if everybody is going "We value your contribution..." and "unfortunately your information was not a good fit for us," every time somebody directs them to the bathroom and they still can't find it....watch out. A lot of bad employers like to use "corporate speak" to talk in circles so they can avoid accountability for things they've done wrong.

[@sab_1055]

We used to play a game at work, competing for who could use the most varied, recent and annoying business buzz words. Big fun.

[@nolongeramused8135]

There have been a few times I've had to tell an employer "I don't work for free." Sorry, the concept of "staying late off the clock to show loyalty" doesn't fly, pay me what what I'm worth or I'm going home to watch TV.

[@exothermal.sprocket]

After working for about 20 years in various jobs, I'm beginning to think (right or wrong) that there aren't many good employers to work for left in the USA. It's gotten to the place I really just don't care anymore. Not employed. Chewing through savings. Unmotivated after 4 months. Nothing is changing. Sick of giving so much to employers and getting butt handed to me.

[@Vasthrae]

I don't know which is worse, the dating market or job market.

[@Sergio_Loureiro]

Making people work for free is the entire essence of 8 months internships for university students on the area I live. Sadly. ☹

[@SL-lz9jr]

In the US, some states now require internships to be paid. Thank goodness for the next generation. In the meantime, for those who are still doing unpaid labor, try to make the most of that time to network and connect with industry professionals who can either mentor you or refer you to other companies who are hiring. While you are young is the best time to develop a network in your profession. I’m in my mid 30s now and some of my work now comes by word of mouth referral. And usually I don’t have to interview much to land these roles. Network, network, network and stay in touch with these people over the course of your career.

[@nancyblockcolsky1387]

As you said, typical abuser language is to shift the blame: “If you hadn’t made me so angry, I wouldn’t have hit you.”

[@skipper1971albe]

I was thinking narcissism few seconds before you said that

[@stephenbayer3909]

This employer inadvertently gave a lesson in the economics of value. The more valuable something is - either because of its relative scarcity or its unique or highly desired qualities - the more you are willing to pay for it. That which is offered for free usually has little or no value. What this employer is saying is that she values her prospective employees' skills so little, that she is not willing to pay them for their labor. Is that the kind of person you want to work for?

[@streettrialsandstuff]

She has shown that a job is highly valuable and people are willing to invest into expensive lotteries to have a chance to get a job. That's how it works.

[@curiositykilledthecat5118]

Here's how you make sure human garbage like this "Ceo" gets their comeuppance. You create a project, save the main folder and then add a watermark that is really obvious that it's an unpaid product. You render it out with the watermark and recreate the project file with the footage containing the watermark and provide that to them. Then you wait for them to figure out they can't remove it and after they complain, you let them know the fees for the finished product and hours worked.

[@yahsoulbro2018]

Great video! I learned my lesson after getting burned doing free work for a company.

[@brianmaloney45]

If any company refers to a job as "an opportunity," they're not anyone you want to work for.

[@SeRoShadow]

So what she did was "hire" unpaid interns without a contract, knowledge or consent from said parties. If smb from labour protection comes to investigate and finds that, the company would be facing huge fines. If a company asks you to work on its behalf without contract, just report them.

[@user-dx2dm8oq8g]

Yeah I remember a copywriting company giving me about 20 pages of work "exercices". I just ghosted.

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Yeah, hard no to that one.

[@RebeccaOre]

One place I worked, they gave a candidate a Perl programming assignment. He apparently found someone else to do it for him because in the office, he couldn’t program that well.

[@travishutchings5423]

I have ran into so many job interviews like this throughout my career I don't even give it a second thought. If I detect in the wind I will usually tell them my time is very limited due to industry demand and it is. I am only entertaining very serious offers. If they are seeking other candidates I am not the one they are interested in and leave it at that. In the end I don't chase.

[@crowmedicine3890]

I'm a massage therapist and I had a job interview with a chiropractor who had me give him a massage as part of my interview. He did pay me, although it was about half of the going rate for the area. I got the job but he turned out to be not a great employer. Or even a good one.

[@sandraeberts5682]

thank you!! 60 yr old lost job aftr 15 yrs, this helps give me strength, reassures me i'm not the crazy one

[@JohnS-il1dr]

Its ageism. Lost my job at 51 even though the company was doing great and my reviews were above average. I was replaced by a 24 year old college graduate.

[@sciencelover3339]

Free labor is illegal. The candidates should report this employer to the labor board for not paying them at least minimum wage, as required by law. This company is probably using them to get work done for free and won't hire any of them after this. They'll just trick more applicants to do free work for them until they get caught.

[@angeee_137]

I went through a 5-round interview process - part of that included creating a 30 min presentation and written proposal on my approach to implementing a ticketing system for the organization (an active issue they were having). I was a bit apprehensive but followed through as I really wanted the job. It took me a few days to complete. For the result to be leaving me in the dark for almost 2 weeks and then finally rejecting me because they wanted someone with more years of experience… but they made sure to emphasize that my project was amazing and stuck out the most… now they just have my intellectual work. It’s common in operations to have to do a task, but never again am I doing such an extensive task. Wasted my time! The job I just landed had 3 rounds and a task that took me less than 3 hrs to complete.

[@joe1940]

Don't work for free and don't do someone else's job. Yes, sometimes it's good to go "above and beyond" if you're interested in a long term career with a company, but usually they'll just take advantage of you and nothing you do will be appreciated.

[@pamelahomeyer748]

My daughter has been in a highly toxic job for five years and she's trying to make a lateral move but her boss who just happens to be majority owner is completely narcissistic and he's trying to play her so she whines up back and her old job because she was doing the work of three people

[@nerisalobo]

Why doesn't she just leave?

[@quanita7116]

She needs to be the CEO of her own career. Send her a few videos from this channel. Tell her to value herself and to gage opportunities not by salary but by the management, benefits, employee reviews on sites like Glassdoor, talk to ppl in her network for opportunities, lots of things she can do. My current job I got through an old supervisor, the pay was not such an exponential increase but I heard good things from someone I trusted. Been here 2 and a half years and have gotten a nice raise and bonus every year I have been here. Good luck and God bless.

[@kevini4295]

Not currently a hiring manager, but I could not imagine asking someone to do a project, etc w/o paying them something. At the very least - "We are picky about hiring, want to see your work before we extend full time offers. This will take 3 days of your time. We pay you X amount for your time.". Even better, even engaging with this "employer" is a waste of time and energy. Block them and move on.

[@princessbejai3276]

Happens a lot in the fashion industry “projects after interview or before”.

[@Curb-N-Sign]

Thank you for helping me become a better employer by enlighten me to good and bad behaviors

[@paulhornbogen980]

B. I have been watching your channel since your started. We have a similar view of today's job market with your training in labor relations and mine in industrial/organizational psychology. Sir, I totally agree with each point of view of today's job market. Please continue to call this business garbage out. It is cheaper to keep a good employee, treat them well, pay them well etc. This is not rocket science. Professionally, I am taking this time to get prof. experience in my areas and network, network, network. You have to be a free agent. B. sir continue to call this stuff out. This is totally nuts. Well done sir.

[@johndotter351]

Alot of companies can't even live up to what they expect of their employees!

[@sadieengland8743]

Makes me so glad I’m retired …. You will never run out of content on low quality employers

[@georgemoore6662]

Hi sadie🌹🌹 How are you doing?

[@MTimWeaver]

That was a very interesting thread to watch unfold. The CEO is nuts.

[@nicholasrosen6342]

Bottom line: The way your workers perform or if they walk out of the job feeling they were treated poorly such as being micromanaged that's 100% on the boss! - One of my last bosses would often tell me that "we need to work more with less now because HQ is coming down hard on us." If I had a dollar every time she said that I would be able to retire. Plus there was plenty of money coming in from patrons for our program reservations.

[@larrye]

These practices were much more prevalent in the past. I've been through several interviews where they've had me spend anywhere from 4 hours doing some programming assignment all the way up to spending several days writing a program so they could feel like they were the Google of interview processes. These are no-name companies that want to feel like they are more important than they actually are. If you want to hire Google level people, then offer Google level benefits.

[@kaitlync.2628]

It is so sad that someone would treat people like this. I saw a low paying job posting a week or two ago that said “If you think you’re going to get a raise before proving yourself, you won’t last”. 🚩

[@lilliearizona]

This is why I quit working in an office atmosphere. Low pay, low quality employers, low quality job. I found entering a trade most beneficial

[@johngoldsworthy7135]

I work in an office and have high quality employers, high pay, and a decent quality job. To each his own. I can’t handle working in the sun and heat all day. I like being able to lounge and work wherever

[@sab_1055]

Even if the pay is a little less, and it may not be, being set free is a beautiful thing. I'm curious about your trade.

[@Schreibaby]

Yes! Trade work is a must, and plus when you’re in a union it’s even better cuz employers can’t lowball you and give you a nice pension when you retire. 🛠️

[@lilliearizona]

@johngoldsworthy7135 as a truck driver I still am in control of my environment. Plus it feeds my travel desires. I have found a better quality employer in my trade

[@dmitryanisimov2675]

Excellent video and full in-depth coverage of the topic - extra cudos for not hiding the details (and making it a generic example), but showing the actual person in an actual company with a real-case situation. This adds a lot of credibility and provides solid justifications for your opinions.

[@tomekgnu]

I once applied successfully for a programming job. After the technical talk I was given a programming assignment for which I had about 2 weeks to complete, so no hurry at all. That was a very fair approach in finding a programmer able to deal with actual work. During most programming interviews you are normally asked very theoretical questions and the interviewer oftentimes judges you based on his own ideas what a programmer should know or not. A real-life programming assignment adds some objectivity to the whole process.

[@johnbarnes7706]

I am willing to go the extra mile to keep at least a mile of distance between me and this company.

[@Syne1nz]

This is incredibly sad to see, but I appreciate you bringing this to light so people know what to avoid .Your content is always super helpful 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@nerisalobo]

This lady is exactly like my boss

[@annyer262]

One time a winery in Iowa wanted to have a recruitment process that consisted of 2 rounds of interviews. Now there are not many winemakers in Iowa, so they were trying to recruit from outside the state. They took so long to get back to me that I was not longer interested. They ended up begging me and calling me to and writing to me, asking me to come and visit them for an interview. I declined as I had found another job. I know the bloke the eventually hired and they ended up going out of business in about 2 years.

[@asadb1990]

I remember a year ago i interviewed for a huge company and during the interview, the hiring manager asked why im looking for a new position. Fair enough but after saying the standard "new opportunity and challenge" she kept going on and on about how i should've tried looking for more money with current employer. Such bs.

[@bc5441]

Wow. I was asked by a hiring manager not to do a project but to provide samples of work I did for a former client. I declined to do so, explaining that A)the work was proprietary and B)I agreed not to take any work with me when I completed my assignment. I could have added C)I will treat your clients with the same level of confidentiality. At that point it was clear there was no love lost between us. I sent a thank you for the interview but I had to think long and hard what to say because I really didn’t feel good about the job or the manager at all. I was ghosted after the interview. I didn’t follow up because the interview was enough to demonstrate I didn’t want to work there. It’s not uncommon, but it still surprises me when employers don’t even send a generic email that says nothing more than “Thank you; we’ve decided to pursue another candidate.” In this case it was consistent with what I experienced in the interview.

[@TheOliveWalsh]

Love how you call out this sort of bullshit. Majorly predatory..

[@jettqk1]

Thank you for this video! I find this very interesting since I worked for a newspaper that also required a lengthy interview process. They assigned reporter candidates two new stories to do that day (complete with phone interviews and writing.) That made for a full day interview. They didn't require that of me, because I worked for their competition, so it would have been weird for me to use my name at a competing newspaper. But they were getting two free stories out of the deal for every other candidate. By contrast, for my current job, I was asked to turn around a story from a previous interview my now boss had done 10 years earlier, so it wasn't free work for them. A much better indicator of what a writer can do without having to provide free work.

[@curiousGoyangi]

Economy is terrible now, and a lot of employers are taking advantage of their employees (i.e. demanding unnecessary extra hours, verbally abusive towards them etc). When those employees left, they started to target job seekers out there - especially those who are desperate! Honestly, there's big corporate who did that too... especially being toxic towards older employee because "the boss" perceived that they will cling on because job market is tougher for them.

[@sarrjel]

Thanks for uploading the video. Unfortunately we have a lot of bad people in HR and job recruiting.

[@anthonymorris8891]

Hey, I want my house remodeled / updated. I'm willing to hire a good contractor but first you need to prove that you're able to do the work by completing the project. If you do the work I'll definitely hire you for a remodel.

[@PotterSpurn1]

The interview assignment is to paint the kitchen, bathroom, living room, dining room. Clear out the garage, lay flooring and fit some new windows. We only want winners who can do all of this in a fortnight. Then we might hire you for a real job.

[@sifelaver]

haha exactly

[@helenablavatsky9136]

You sound rich.

[@juanrocollazo]

I looked this person up and YIKES. That is one scary feed. It's all about blaming people for taking PTO, taking better offers with other companies and backing out with hers, among other things. There's even a post about how "working from home is a privilege, not a right" with a self-citation.

[@bookworm8815]

"Where no one else would hire them" - JUST WOW! That audacity, though! 😲😨