Before moving to the next interview round, they asked me to create a PowerPoint presentation analyzing trends in the category, essentially a full project. They said it was a “new step” in their process and gave me 72 hours to complete it. I’ve been a buyer for 7 years and have never been asked to do unpaid work, nor would I ever ask that of an applicant when hiring. I had already heard some concerns from current employees, but this definitely confirmed them. Asking candidates to produce strategic work for free shows a lack of respect for potential talent and a willingness to take advantage of people’s time and expertise. I completely understand why someone eager for a role might agree, but please remember, your ideas, time, and professional insight have value and should never come without compensation.