Joana Dionísio on why unpaid interview tasks need to end

When designer and library assistant Joana Dionísio shared a LinkedIn post questioning the rise of unpaid design tasks in creative hiring, it quickly resonated with others across the industry. For many, it put into words a frustration they’ve quietly felt for years – being asked to produce full creative work as part of an application, often under pressure and without pay. Here, Joana expands on her post to unpack why these tasks have become so normalised, what makes them unfair and why it’s time for the industry to rethink how it tests creative talent.

What are design tasks, really?

Anyone who’s been in the job market recently knows how hard it is to even land an interview. So you should be elated if you get through to the first round! And you should be thankful to do a design task, right? Just think how many people wish they were in your position.

That was my mindset straight out of university. But three years later, I feel a little bit different about it.

Design tasks usually appear in the second or third round of interviews and can vary widely depending on the role and company. In my experience, I’ve had to do illustrator research, book covers, idea generation, sketches, social media plans and smaller assets like bookmarks. Sometimes you’re given a few days. Sometimes a week or so. But one thing is constant: you will not be paid for your time.

Isn’t that... spec work?

Well, yeah! During university, we had professional workshops run by the Association of Illustrators (AOI), where I learned about speculative (or “spec”) work – any work done without a guarantee of payment – which is discouraged under their Code of Conduct. Actually, fair payment is the very first principle listed.

So where exactly do design tasks fit in?

In many ways, design tasks sit in a grey area – framed as part of the hiring process, but often resembling unpaid freelance briefs. They:

Although a Design Week article quoting IP lawyer Carrie Bradley points out that applicants automatically own the copyright of any creative work they produce in an interview task – even if it includes a registered brand or logo.

Why it’s a problem

As part of applications, we’re being asked to:

There is also an added aspect of compromised accessibility with design tasks. Whether we've graduated and our complimentary student Adobe membership has just expired, or we're between jobs and simply can't afford to pay those rates, design tasks assume that every applicant has the software they need at any given time.

In all the years of interviewing for design jobs, only one company was accommodating enough to ask beforehand whether I had the software installed, and volunteered to work around a different task in the case I didn’t.

Meanwhile, companies receive dozens of design tasks they can later consult for ideas, trends or direction – without ever hiring anyone. Not saying they do, but they can.

Should we flat out refuse to do them? If they’re so essential, should companies start paying candidates for their efforts – or reconsider whether they’re necessary at all?

It might be easy to say, “Just decline, someone else will gladly do it.” But I think that misses the bigger picture. It’s about raising the standard of hiring for everyone in the design industry – and, at the very least, bringing more transparency and accountability to recruitment in the creative industries.

...

What do you think of unpaid interview tasks? We'd love to hear from you if this is something you've experienced or have a strong opinion on. Join the conversation here or email us.