I Passed the Interview — Then the “Test” Turned Into Real Work

We received this letter from a reader who thought the hiring process was finally over — until the “test” phase began to feel like something else entirely.

The letter from our reader:

I applied for a Project Coordinator position at a growing tech firm. The final stage was a “Paid 3-Day Practical Trial.” I was thrilled—they were actually paying me to show my skills! They gave me a desk, a company email, and a “sample project” to organize.

The project was massive. It felt like a lot for a “test,” but I wanted that $60k salary, so I dove in.

Day 1 to day 5

By the end of Day 3, I was exhausted. When I went to HR to “finish” my trial, they looked surprised.

“Oh, the manager hasn’t seen your final report yet. Can you stay just two more days to ’present’ it to the board? We’ll double your trial pay.”

I agreed.
On Day 4 and day 5, I wasn’t just presenting; I was attending staff meetings, answering emails from the London office, and even training a junior intern. I felt like part of the team.

Friday at 5:00 PM, I went to the CEO’s office to sign my official contract. He was standing by the window, holding my 50-page database report. The CEO wouldn’t look at me. Tapping my 50-page report, he sighed, “HR just told me the budget for this role wasn’t approved. We’re in a hiring freeze.”

He just slid a check for “trial pay” across the desk—it was barely minimum wage for a week of high-level work.

On my way out, I saw the “intern” I’d been training. She was the CEO’s niece by the way. They didn’t lack a budget; they used my “interview” to build their system and forced me to train her to run it.

I didn’t argue. I just opened my phone and hit “Revoke Access.” I had hosted the database on my private cloud for the presentation. Since I wasn’t an employee, the work was still mine.

X.

Thank you to the reader who shared this experience with us. Stories like this help others recognize when an interview crosses a line.

Have you faced something similar? Share your story in the comments.

The Hidden Cost of Getting Hired: Unpaid Work in Job Interviews

In today’s competitive job market, many candidates are asked to complete unpaid tasks as part of the interview process. These assignments are often framed as “skills tests,” but in reality, they can look a lot like free work — sometimes taking days and directly benefiting the company.

With fewer job openings and more competition, especially in tech and knowledge-based roles, employers increasingly rely on trial projects instead of traditional evaluations. While this may help companies assess candidates, it shifts the cost of hiring onto job seekers, many of whom are already unemployed or under financial strain.

This practice doesn’t affect everyone equally. Candidates who can’t afford to spend hours or days working for free are often pushed out early, reinforcing existing economic, gender, and racial inequalities in the workforce. For freelancers and consultants, unpaid trial work and detailed proposals can be especially draining, with companies sometimes using their ideas without offering paid opportunities.

Personal stories from job seekers reveal a pattern: extensive unpaid assignments, followed by rejection or silence. Over time, this has normalized a system where financial flexibility is mistaken for dedication or talent.

Long tests aren’t proof of talent.

Let’s be clear from the start: testing candidates isn’t the problem. Wanting to be thorough isn’t the problem either. Companies want people who understand the role, fit the team, and can contribute quickly—that’s reasonable.

But somewhere along the way, tech tests stopped being a way to assess skills and started becoming something else entirely.

A week-long, unpaid assignment isn’t proof of talent. More often, it’s a barrier that filters out good candidates for the wrong reasons.

1. They Take Far More Time Than Anyone Admits.

A “4-hour task” almost never takes four hours. Candidates who care end up spending evenings, weekends, and sometimes close to two full working days trying to get it right—on top of their existing job, family responsibilities, and daily stress.

For many people, that’s not just inconvenient. It’s unrealistic.

When a test stretches over weeks, momentum disappears. And in hiring, momentum matters more than most companies realize.

2. They Kill Excitement at the Worst Moment.

Job hunting isn’t just logical—it’s emotional. When interviews go well, candidates feel connected, motivated, and excited about what’s next.

Then comes the massive test.

Just like revisiting a house weeks after a great viewing, the enthusiasm fades. The spark dulls. What felt promising starts to feel heavy. Many candidates quietly disengage before they even submit.

3. The Results Are Often Misread.

Tech tests are supposed to show how someone thinks. Instead, they often punish people for doing things differently.

Candidates fail because the task was unclear. Or they pass—only to hear, “That’s not how we do it here.” In fast-moving industries, there is rarely one “right” way. Grading these tests can become subjective, inconsistent, and unfair.

Great matches are lost not because of a lack of skill, but because of mismatched expectations.

4. They Break the Human Connection.

A strong interview builds trust. Values align. Everyone leaves feeling optimistic.

Then the message arrives: “Complete this long technical task. If it goes well, we’ll continue. If not, that’s the end.”

All that connection evaporates. The candidate stops feeling like a person and starts feeling like unpaid labor.

5. Most Candidates Don’t Actually Like Them.

Some people enjoy showing off their skills. Many don’t.

Most candidates don’t know exactly what you’re hoping to see, worry about going in the wrong direction, and feel like they’re juggling two jobs—the one they already have and the one they’re auditioning for without pay.

And all of this happens before they even know if they want the job.

6. The Way They’re Judged Is Often Backward.

Humans tend to look for flaws before strengths. In tests, that means small differences become deal-breakers.

It’s a waste, and it hurts both sides.

7. They Slow Everything Down.

Teams often hire because they’re overwhelmed. But those same teams then struggle to find time to review long tests properly.

Weeks pass. Feedback is delayed. Meanwhile, strong candidates accept other offers and move on—usually to companies that made decisions faster.

The longer and heavier the test, the more great candidates quietly walk away.

HR Fired Me After I Asked for More Pay—A Decade of Loyalty Meant Nothing