The Wall Street Journal covered an interesting topic today.  It was the concept of interviewees going into situations with prospective employers and providing a great idea or even drafting some sample work or projects, which the company later uses without hiring the interviewee or paying them for their efforts.

In the modern information age, this is a growing problem and one that is readily solved. 

About a half dozen years ago, I sat down in job interview with BankOne(at the time) and outlined a strategy to merge and Acquire Wachovia’s Credit Card Division.  BankOne made me a job offer, but the offer was extremely low and I literally couldn’t afford to remain financially solvent (even with my BankOne debt) if I accepted the job offer.

BankOne later went on to acquire Wachovia’s Credit Card Division and I took a job for a different company.  I of course received nothing for my strategy and did not even receive the opportunity to follow up on the idea and be a part of the team that put the deal together.

I would not have to worry about that same problem today if I properly harness the power of the internet.  In today’s world it is easy enough to provide your information and offer your services or knowledge to the highest bidder online.  Anyone foolish enough to give away their services or knowledge in an interview will be rewarded with the compensation of not receiving the position. 

Many companies act and move from a position of strength during interviews taking information, ideas and concepts and freely applying them long after the interviewee has left the building and often times without a follow up email or phone call.  Interviewees need to wise up and take some simple steps to benefit from what they know.

1. Copyright your plan
2. Don’t give away the crucial elements until you have a contract
3. If examples are required, give historical examples
4. Draft up concepts and publish them online without providing the crucial components and then await contract offers to get the final goods.
5. Sell the information to a companies competitors.  If a company is not bright enough to seize a valuable asset up front, there’s a good chance that their competitor might!

Bottom Line

The job market is highly fluid these days.  Unemployment is still extremely low by historical standards and knowledge can be provided for a premium as long as you don’t short change yourself and give it away for free.  Protect the brand and product that is you and the services you can provide, don’t let a company wheedle down your value by providing a free sample.  You are not a food product to be tasted and passed around in a Sam’s Club!

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