Would welcome advice on interview collateral

[WeAreNewHere]

I've got a second interview for a business development role next week and have been asked to prepare a presentation. The email also says I need to provide the company with a copy on the morning of the meeting. I realise that interviews like this are a source of free consultancy, but feel that this material could be used whether I get the job or not.

I'm really keen to be appointed and don't want to rock the boat, but can anyone advise whether handing over the presentation (which I consider to be my IPR) is appropriate and, if not, suggest a diplomatic way of declining?

Thanks for any help with this - all guidance will be appreciated.

How about phoning or emailing HR and asking for clarification on their stance/policy re IP in this scenario?

Thanks @DarlingNikita - it's a very small company and I'm dealing with the HR Manager. I think I just need to ask the question about future use of the presentation - just worried about appearing obstructive or unhelpful

Well, the HR manager should know and might be used to dealing with this query then.

I have to say I didn't know/had never thought about presentations in interviews being used as 'a source of free consultancy'. Is that really true?

Thanks - yes, apparently advertising a role (that may or may not actually exist) can be a way of getting free advice and ideas. (Realise I'm sounding a bit paranoid now!) Hopefully I'll get the job and put the ideas into practice myself!

I had no idea. Can't hurt to ask HR about it. If they get offended/defensive about it, maybe they're not a company you want to work for anyway!

If they used it, what do you think you could do about it? You'd have no proof that they hadn't already thought of your strategy.

Really, I think you need to decide whether you want to work for them or not, because if you don't have any confidence in them now, what will it be like working for them? And although it's a different field, we usually have presentations like this at interview, and if someone started phoning up talking about intellectual property and us being willing to steal their ideas, I suspect we'd tell them not to worry about the presentation - or attending the interview!

although it's a different field, we usually have presentations like this at interview, and if someone started phoning up talking about intellectual property and us being willing to steal their ideas, I suspect we'd tell them not to worry about the presentation - or attending the interview!

Why? Genuine interested question. Is IP not a valid thing to think about in scenarios like this? (and I don't think the OP would accuse the company of 'being willing to steal her ideas'!)

@Lucy001 - thanks for the reply. You're right; I'd have no way of knowing and it would be irrelevant to me if I were unsuccessful in the interview. I was just wondering if anyone else would have concerns about organisations retaining candidates' material.

I hate this sort of technique to interview. I'm hiring a marketing person right now. I've got two candidates that look good. We have hired both as consultants and given them specific projects to complete which they will be paid for. Good employers respect your time and pay you.

If I were you I would call HR and tell them you would think it more efficient to prepare a presentation for something they are currently working on that they will be able to use and that you get paid as a contractor for this work. Tell them your rate is normally x but because you do want the job your rate is y.

Do not undersell yourself and NEVER work for free.

Thank you @Want2bSupermum - you've articulated what I was getting at. Your approach sounds like practical and mutually beneficial - I hope you find the right person.

Want2b can I come and work for you?!

If you want to live in the middle of nowhere Ohio sure!

I would ask them why they require a copy of the presentation, I think that's a reasonable question to ask tbh.

My DH was asked to produce a plan of something during an interview. He didn't get the job but they used his plan and not the successful candidates one (they both knew each other).

Thanks @SassitudeandSparkle - that's what I'm concerned about. The fact that sending a copy in advance of the interview has been stated as a prerequisite rings some alarm bells. Your DH must have been annoyed - it must be little consolation that his plan was considered to be good but he didn't get the job.

I should add that my DH didn't know about it in advance - it was a task set on the day (work out a solution to this problem, present, blah, blah) but they did use it. If you've got the chance to ask about it ahead of time, I would grab it!

I have known people hand over copies of their presentation but that is usually just a print of the slides rather than the whole thing. Bare bones stuff really.

This is common practice and you need to suck it up. I too wondered about copyright and jokes one day that Id had the logo onto my presentation but the reality is that it is a bit big headed. After all if your presentation is so amazing, they should offecyou the job. If someone else gets it instead it is likely their prese tation was better and they'd be more likely to use it than yours. They ask to keep it in case their decision and scoring was to be challenged.

swing, what do you think of the comments from Want2bSupermum and SassitudeandSparkle?

why not just keep your presentation simple, bare bones, bullet points that wont make much sense to anyone until you explain it on the day and build on the bullet points?

I work in a creative consultancy. I hire a lot and ask for this.

I wouldn't hire you if you made a fuss about this - it would suggest to me that you don't know how the industry works and you're potentially difficult.

Definitely don't ask to be paid!

I've never, ever used ideas a candidate presented. It's not an issue as we give people a fake scenario to respond to - we can't give them live projects as then we'd have to give client information out.

If you're good enough for them to knick your ideas, you're good enough for them to hire.