Do you remember what it felt like to join the ranks of job seekers and to finally get your first job? For me, it was Toys “R” Us, and it was a mind-numbingly easy job to say the least. But when I got my first paycheque, I was thrilled. It was a large amount to me working $8 an hour, part-time. I thought of all the things I could purchase with this, which was really just a combination of candy, games or toys. But what made the cherry on top? I didn’t have to ask my parents for money anymore!
But what about the feeling of your first interview? The build-up of nerves, the fear of rejection, the sting of previously failed interviews. Maybe you were working towards buying your first car, looking to move out, or saving up for university. Whatever the case may have been, you needed this job—and your employer knows it. As job seekers, a job is our means to something greater. However, in this pursuit, we become yes-men to their whim, and sometimes we need to stand up and say no or refuse to provide information if it isn’t strictly necessary.
Forbes wrote a blog post on the seven ways job seekers get ripped off, and we at Wingman believe this it is vital information for everyone. Why? Because whether this is your fiftieth job, a temporary contract, or winning over a new client, each and every one of us has gone through this process once—most people even go through it multiple times.
At Wingman, we would also like to add one more point to Forbes’ list: Job seekers get ripped off if they have 5+ interviews for sharing their ideas. We get it. The interview process needs to weed out the lesser-qualified from the more-qualified, but there’s a fine line between gauging a candidate’s skill and exploiting their knowledge for additional gain.
In addition, candidates that have gone through several rounds of the hiring process should have increasingly greater levels of respect for the work they put forth to demonstrate their expertise.
Understand the boundaries you have. If they cross it, decline respectfully and professionally. If this becomes one of the reasons why they didn’t hire you, your talents can be served better elsewhere.
Anyway, I digress. Take a look at the Seven Ways Job Seekers Get Ripped Off.
What do you think? Have you ever experienced any recruiters that felt a bit exploitative? Let us know in the comments below!