Company denied him the role after loving his 5-page assignment — he made one smart move when they tried to use it anyway
Hiring processes are becoming increasingly demanding, making it difficult for applicants to find the right role. A Reddit user shared a post on Monday, August 3, 2026, revealing how one position at a marketing firm initially seemed genuine. The different stages of the evaluation were also going well. In fact, the person even submitted a 5-page assignment for the company, which was appreciated and commended. However, the interviewee was then told there was no budget for the role, prompting them to pull off one simple move to teach the company a lesson.
The assignment was to create a communications plan for a new social media management service the company planned to offer. Giving it their best, the applicant created a 5-page launch plan, and management “loved” it. Unfortunately, the applicant was informed that there was no budget for the role and that they would not be moving forward with the rest of the interview process. Keeping things professional, they thanked the recruiters and removed the company's access to the 5-page document. A few days later, they received an email asking why they had done so. “They had planned to roll out my plan the next month and had scheduled a meeting to go over it with the team,” the post read.
The applicant didn’t hesitate to remind the company that the plan had been created to demonstrate their skills for a role they never received. The person confidently told them that “they would not be able to use anything in the plan without compensating me at my freelance rate of $100 per hour.” Management was "livid," but couldn’t do anything about it. Commenters discussed how many companies trick candidates into providing free work and use it for their own benefit. This has become a recurring reality in recent years. According to Job Score, professionals are fed up with the recruiting process. 1 in 4 applicants said they were satisfied with the hiring process.
Some of the reasons included delayed replies, failure to acknowledge applications, and more. 40% of interviewees said they were ghosted after the second or third round. 35% also said they had been forced to complete lengthy assignments and case studies just to prove their skills. Such unethical behavior not only leaves job seekers discouraged but also reflects poorly on organizations. u/InformalCollege4383 said, “The fact that they admitted they planned on using your work is wild.” u/Ambitious-Low5317 remarked, “This was a scam. At least you were smart enough to keep control of the output.” u/Enough-Reindeer1033 said, “Good for you! They don't deserve any freebies.”