Nearly half of employers admit to reusing work candidates did for free, according to a new survey from job site Indeed. The survey, called Interview Tasks 2026, found that 45% of companies reuse work submitted by candidates, and 37% of workers believe it’s happened to them.
Unpaid Interview Tasks
Two-thirds of employers ask candidates to complete some kind of assignment as part of hiring, which can take around two hours to complete on average.
More than half of workers, 55%, say they’ve been asked to do an interview task at some point.
Job seekers are starting to push back against these unpaid tasks.
Two-thirds, 66%, say they’ve either withdrawn an application or decided not to apply at all because a task was required.
Payment Practices
Payment practices for these tasks are inconsistent across the board.
36% of candidates say they’ve been paid in full for a task in the past, and 28% say they’ve received partial payment.
Workers in IT, media, and communications are among the most likely to get paid in full, at 50%.
There’s also a clear gender split: men are much more likely than women to be paid for these tasks, 69% compared to 59%.
Younger workers are also more likely to be asked to complete tasks, with 72% of Gen Z and 64% of Millennials saying they’ve been asked to complete a task.
Kate Furey, Career Insights Specialist at Indeed, said the findings point to a growing mismatch between what employers want and what candidates are willing to give.
Related: Dangote confirms $2.5bn private placement completed
“Employers are seeking deeper insight into candidates’ skills, while job seekers are increasingly questioning what’s being asked of them,” Kate Furey said.
Impact on Recruitment
The risk for employers is real if tasks go too far.
“Interview tasks are an important aspect of the recruitment processes but when they are too onerous, unpaid, or plagiarised, it can negatively impact both the job seeker and employer,” Kate Furey said.
They admit they’ve lost candidates as a direct result of setting a task, with 73% of employers reporting this.
Candidates are increasingly expecting compensation for longer assignments, and the survey results show the gender pay gap is also prevalent in the job search.
Men are 10% more likely than women to get paid for work completed during the interview process.
As the job market continues to evolve, it’s likely that the issue of unpaid interview tasks will become increasingly important.
With labor market trends shifting, employers may need to reevaluate their hiring practices to attract top talent, such as letting go of outdated methods.
The survey results are a reminder that the recruitment process is a two-way street.
Employers need to be realistic and reasonable with the tasks they set, or risk losing applicants.
As Kate Furey noted, “It’s important for recruiters to be realistic and reasonable with tasks they set, otherwise they risk losing applicants.”