Should You Give Away Your Ideas For Free?

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I had the experience (during the 2002 recession) of going of a job interview at which they asked me in great detail about a chip design problem they were having. The line was "show us how you would fix this". It was pretty obvious that they couldn't fix the problem themselves.
Naturally, they did not hire me.
I kind of doubt that there was any job there in the first place, since the company went broke a couple of years later.
Still, companies sometimes _do_ conduct fake job interviews in order to get some free consulting. It happened to me.

Dave Chapman of CA 4:43PM August 06, 2009

if managers were smart they would invite people in as focus participants and compensate them for their time--
I have seen ill-equipped folks keep careers by harvesting from candidates--
I recently had a discussion with someone and I just sent a memo confirming our discussion to make sure that there was a record of the informal--unpaid-consult--good personal business practice-- we all need to eat and pay our expenses--

dey of MS 11:55AM July 13, 2009

Hi Alison,
These are really great tips. I have clients that come to me from time to time with similar scenarios. It can be frustrating, but I agree with your statement "one of the best ways to get a job is through connections and networking, this is the type of thing they mean -- but it probably won't come with money at the start." So true. You never know when a networking opportunity will arise from a meeting.
Thanks.
Erin Kennedy
Professional Resume Services

Executive Resume Writer of MI 10:36AM July 13, 2009