The Hiring Plot Twist No One Asked For Why Asking for Free Strategy Work Is an Equity Issue—Not Just a Hiring Flaw

A few days ago, I posted on LinkedIn about a frustrating trend I’ve seen way too often:

“If you think it’s okay to ask someone for a 90-day, 6-month, or ‘build us a full strategy’ plan during the interview process—and then not hire them or quietly close the role? We’re not the same kind of people.”

The post took off.

But what hit hardest weren’t the likes or reposts—it was the stories in the comments. People shared experiences of being asked to build comprehensive frameworks, design entire campaigns, or offer deep strategic thinking... for free. Often without follow-up. Sometimes only to see their ideas repackaged later—without credit or compensation.

So I did what I do: I dug deeper. I pulled data. And what I found confirmed what we already knew in our bones.

🔍 The Ask Is Getting Louder—And Uglier

Across industries, especially in marketing, strategy, DEI, and leadership roles, candidates are being asked for more:

• Detailed take-home assignments
• Full 30-60-90 day plans
• Audits of existing org processes
• Campaign mockups
• Multi-slide presentations on leadership strategy

...all before a formal offer. ...all unpaid.

What used to be “one case study” has now ballooned into “give us the playbook.” And let’s be real: too often, companies are not hiring for the role—they’re shopping for ideas.

🧠 And Here’s What the Research Says

📊 According to a 2023 Yello Hiring Study, 54% of candidates said they were asked to complete time-consuming assignments during hiring, but only 8% were paid.

📉 A 2022 Greenhouse DEI Report found that Black, Latinx, disabled, and neurodivergent candidates are disproportionately asked to “prove” their capabilities through added unpaid labor—especially in roles tied to strategy, inclusion, or organizational change.

🕰️ And the average number of interview rounds has increased from 3.1 to 5.8 in the last decade, according to Harvard Business Review. Each round brings more asks—and more chances to burn out qualified, passionate folks.

Let’s call this what it is: structural exploitation wrapped in professional language.

🌍 Why It Hurts Marginalized Candidates More

For folks navigating systemic barriers—Black and Brown job seekers, first-gen professionals, caregivers, LGBTQIA+ folks, immigrants, disabled applicants—the unpaid labor ask is not just annoying. It's exclusionary.

⏳ Time is a privilege. 🧠 Strategy is intellectual property. 🧾 Emotional labor is still labor.

When you ask for people’s best thinking without compensating them, you are gatekeeping opportunity in the name of “thorough vetting.” You are rewarding those with time privilege, financial buffer, and insider understanding of the “game.” And you are pushing out the exact people you claim to want on your team.

💬 Real Talk from My DMs and Comments:

🗨️ “They asked me to outline a DEI strategy. I shared a full framework. Months later, I saw it posted as their new initiative—with no credit.”

🗨️ “I submitted a hiring plan and didn’t get the job. Two weeks later, I was sent the onboarding packet to train the person who did.”

🗨️ “They wanted five slide decks and market research in 48 hours. I was in between contracts and needed the opportunity. I gave them everything. I never heard back.”

Let me say it louder for the people in the back: if you're using interview prompts to gather ideas you can recycle, you're not hiring—you're harvesting.

✅ What Ethical Hiring Should Look Like

Let’s be solution-oriented. If your hiring process includes:

• Strategy work
• Content creation
• Framework design
• Or any labor beyond a conversation

Then you should also include:

• A stipend or honorarium
• Transparent timelines and expectations
• Clarity on who owns the work and how it will (or won’t) be used
• Optionality—and grace—for those who opt out

And if you’re not ready for a full-time hire? Just say that. Fractional roles exist. Consultant partnerships exist. What’s not okay is pretending your job description is a doorway when it’s actually a data grab.

🧭 Final Word

If your hiring process is exhausting, exclusionary, or exploitative—no amount of DEI jargon can clean that up.

✨ Equity isn’t just about who gets the offer. It’s about how everyone is treated on the way there.

Reflection Question: What messages does your hiring process send—especially to those with marginalized identities? Would you feel good going through it yourself?

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📥 Want to rethink how you hire—with equity in every step? That’s literally what I do. Let’s build a better process: pivotalparadigmproject.org

About Jasmine Fluker

Jasmine Fluker is a dynamic leader, strategist, and storyteller with over a decade of experience driving transformative change at the intersections of equity, leadership, and community. As the Founder of The Pivotal Paradigm Project, Jasmine has redefined how organizations approach diversity, equity, and inclusion through innovative strategies and community-driven solutions.

Jasmine is also the creator of Equity Insights with Jas and The Equity Edit, two influential newsletters that spark thought-provoking discussions, amplify underrepresented voices, and inspire meaningful action. Her expertise spans strategic planning, DEI coaching, and community organizing, all rooted in a deep commitment to fostering collective liberation and human-centered leadership.

Let’s Connect!

If this resonates with you and you’re ready to take the next step in reimagining equity, leadership, or community impact, I’m offering free 15-minute discovery calls. Let’s talk about how we can create transformative spaces together.

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