Job interview cheeky f*ery

[theultimatehousekeeper]

About three months ago I interviewed for a very basic admin job at a start-up company.

I had to prepare an interview task beforehand and it was a newsletter pertaining to the start-up. The interview instructions said that the newsletter of the successful candidate would be used IRL once they were in post.

So, I prepared my newsletter, talked them through what I'd done. They seemed very happy with it and asked to keep it, which I said was fine.

I didn't get offered the job but got offered a much better one paying one third more for another company, so no hard feelings at all.

But along the line of applying and researching this company before interview I liked their facebook page. Today a new post has popped up with their first newsletter.

They've used my design. I don't mean it's a bit similar - they have wholesale copied every single party of my design - the colours, the layout, the articles...it's my piece of work!

Can anyone top that for CFery? I'm not saying it's illegal or anything and I'm sure it's my own fault for letting them keep my newsletter. But how rude?!

If it makes you feel any better Asta it takes longer than six months to get a show like that through development, commissioning and onto air. They'd have known more than six months before what was in the pipeline for that slot, especially back in the analogue 90s. So it's just one of those coincidences. A spooky one absolutely but nothing sinister.

A common trick in teaching interviews is to get the candidates to design part of a scheme of work. Six candidates, six different chunks, voilà! You've got yourself the skeleton of a SoW. Often there's a lesson to design as well, and you deliver a lesson for them to watch. More nicking. Someone does get appointed though, as there's not enough people about not to and its expensive to advertise.

I imagine they'll ignore your invoice so I wonder about adding reference to being surprised by their actions, given their ethical marketing angle so i'm sure the public would be interested in their contradictory practices.

I would write a firm but short email with an invoice attached. Don't say how you saw they're using it but have a screenshot of it in case it gets taken down.

They will be using your template for months/years. They could use your design as a base for many other documents.

I think you should invoice but for devilment with no expectation of being paid. I might even seemingly ‘go high’ via the Facebook page if it allows you to do comments that don’t need approval. In terms of what to charge keep it simple - you did 5 hours (inc research so work out the hourly rate you’d have got in that job so you can say ‘you’d have paid me x’. If going for charity donation ask to see the receipt. I think I’d have a bit of fun with it to try and hammer home the point that they should treat better - is there charity that actually helps people get back into work rather than their shoddy misleading tactics that messes people about?

I think this is dreadful.

If you feel uncomfortable invoicing at this stage I still feel it's morally the right thing to do to send them a note making it clear you have seen what they have done.

Invoice them and much higher then your hourly rate or what a freelancer would negotiate. They stole from you, you noticed because you were watching them and you’ll have to take them to small claims court. I’d go for £500 plus costs if you need to do court (and do take them to court, it’s not difficult). That way they’re deterred from stealing work next time.

YANBU it would be one thing if they offered you the job and you turned it down but it's massively cheeky to use it having turned you down.

It is indeed cheeky feckery. I would just comment on it on their page.

I had a job interview once at a craft place, where part of the application was to design three new workshops and source the materials for them, showing costings and where you could get them etc.

I didn't get the job, but all three of my workshops ended up on their schedule

www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/z2w6tfr/revision/3 apparently you can prosecute someone under this act

I might even seemingly ‘go high’ via the Facebook page if it allows you to do comments that don’t need approval.

Better still, if they've got a Google entry (where you Google a company and it comes up with their details, opening hours etc and the ability to leave a review) leave them a stinking review there (obviously being careful not to say anything libellous). They can delete a FB post on their page but they can't delete a Google review. Only the original poster can do that.

Definitely invoice!!

I wouldn't let this go. Shocking behaviour from a company! Giving them a copy doesn't make them the copyright owner and it doesn't give them permission to use it for commercial purposes surely? For shit like that they'd have you sign something.

I'm guessing.

Asta19 It's very unlikely they got the show from concept to on air in six months. Sounds like a coincidence.

...just saw pinkdelight got there first!

I interviewed for a job where we all had to write our own job plan. They wanted to keep them after the interview, I declined and took mine with me. I knew the game they were trying to play. I also knew someone was already earmarked for the job so was only going for the experience. I had another interview elsewhere a couple of weeks after for a similar role and got that one.

Forgot to add #teaminvoice OP.

Nice to see I'm not the only cynic on MN

Not a cynic, EggysMom - a realist. I know we can all let some things go if we're keen to get the job, but some of these try-one are as clear as a freshly-washed window

Ditto any rambling about ethics. Since these are a sine qua non in any reputable company I'd suggest over-emphasis can be a red flag that they're anything but

Protecting commercial interests is something companies do every day, so there's no reason not to respect candidates who do the same ... and if they don't, they're probably not worth working for