HR Ghosted Me After 3 Rounds of Interviews, So I Sent Them an Invoice for My Time

Today we received a letter from a reader who went through three rounds of interviews, completed extra tasks, and was promised an offer—only to be completely ghosted afterward.

What happened next was an unexpected response to having their time and effort ignored, and it raises a bigger question about respect and fairness in today’s hiring process.

The letter:

I am beyond done with the corporate world. I just spent three weeks jumping through hoops for a “Senior Lead” position. We’re talking three separate hour-long Zoom calls, a five-hour “technical assignment” that I stayed up until 2 AM to finish, and a final presentation to the board.

The HR manager, “Kelly,” told me I was their top choice. She said, “Expect an offer letter by Monday.”

Monday came. Nothing. Tuesday. Nothing. I sent a polite follow-up. Ghosted. I called. Straight to voicemail.

I saw on LinkedIn today that they hired someone else—the CEO’s nephew. They didn’t even have the decency to send a template rejection email after I gave them 15+ hours of my life for free.

My blood was boiling. They didn’t just reject me; they stole my time and my work. So I decided if they want to act like a business, I’ll treat them like one.

I didn’t send an angry email. I did something much more satisfying.

I opened my freelancing software and drafted a professional, itemized invoice.

Consulting Fees (Interviews): $150/hr x 3
Technical Asset Creation (The Assignment): $800
Late Cancellation/No-Show Fee: $200

Total: $1,450. I sent it directly to their Accounting Department with a note: “Services rendered per the request of HR Management. Terms: Due upon receipt.”

Two hours later, Kelly finally crawled out of the woodwork. She was frantic, calling me “unprofessional” and “insane,” claiming I couldn’t legally charge them.

I just replied: “You used my technical assignment in your live project last week. I know it. Either pay for the work you’re currently using, or my lawyer will reach out regarding copyright infringement.”

The silence was deafening. Ten minutes ago, I got a notification. Payment Received. They didn’t pay because they liked me; they paid because they got caught stealing my labor. I didn’t get the job, but I got my dignity—and a $1,450 “Ghosting Fee.”

Have you ever had a similar experience where HR simply disappeared after interviews?

X.

Dear X,

Thank you for sharing your story with us. It takes courage to speak openly about difficult and frustrating experiences, especially when they involve your time, effort, and expectations. We appreciate your honesty, and we hope your experience helps others feel less alone and more informed in their own journey.

When the Job Disappears After the Final Interview.

According to one HR professional, this is becoming far more common than people realize. She says she recently spoke with a senior marketer who went through 12 interviews, presentations, and panel discussions—only to be told at the very end that the company had “restructured” and the role no longer existed.

After decades in recruitment, she explains that she has never seen so many candidates pushed through long, exhausting hiring processes, only for positions to be quietly pulled at the last minute. It’s frustrating, disheartening, and often deeply unfair. Most importantly, she stresses that this kind of outcome is not a reflection of a candidate’s talent or ability.

If you’re currently interviewing, she recommends asking key questions early: Is the role fully approved? Is the budget secure? Are there any restructuring plans that could affect hiring?

These questions won’t prevent every surprise, but they may help you avoid wasted time and emotional energy.

Above all, she reminds job seekers not to lose sight of their value. Sometimes the job disappears—but your skills and experience don’t.

Do Candidates Need to Be Paid for Working Interviews or Skills Tests?

HR experts explain that candidates generally must be paid at least minimum wage for working interviews, but they do not usually need to be paid for skills assessments—as long as the task doesn’t produce work that benefits the company.

A working interview is when a candidate performs real tasks alongside employees or contributes directly to your organization’s operations. Because this is actual work, the candidate’s time must be compensated. Employers also need to complete standard hiring paperwork, such as an I-9 and W-4, since the candidate is being treated like an employee for that period.

In contrast, a skills assessment is meant to test ability in a separate, controlled scenario. These exercises should not involve work the company will use. For example, a candidate might be given outdated or sample information and asked to complete a short task to demonstrate accuracy or problem-solving. Common unpaid assessments include writing samples, cognitive tests, or brief role-related exercises.

Experts recommend keeping these assessments reasonable—typically about an hour, not an all-day project. They should also be reserved for final-stage candidates, and not used early in the hiring process.

Your experience matters, and we appreciate you sharing it.

I Refused to Keep Saying Yes to Everything My Boss Said—I’m Done Being Office Doormat