Advice | How much can you demand from candidates in the recruitment process?

It’s not uncommon for recruiters and hiring managers to ask a potential job candidate to carry out a task or two on the day of their interview or beforehand, to ensure they can meet the demands of the role.

Also known as a job audition, this a typical part of a hiring process whereby jobseekers can showcase their creativity, skills and on-the-job experience. For example, if it is a bar job candidates may be asked to perform a trial shift, while those looking for a creative role could be tasked to come up with a new design/product.

Of course, some are a little dubious about taking part in a job audition as they can feel exploited or taken advantage of. This proved to be the case for one person who posted their distaste on the online forum Reddit.

Reddit user u/amillstone explained that they were asked to provide a minimum of 12 ideas just to apply for a job role with the international fashion magazine, Cosmopolitan.