I work in agriculture and currently looking for a job after being laid off in December. Recently I have interviewed with several companies in the "Ag Tech" sector. Basically Silicon Valley startups or younger companies with agricultural products.

I was approached in one interview recently to complete an assignment that was to create a go to market strategy for them utilizing a new method of data collection they are selling.

I had to do a similar project 8-9 years ago with another technology company and ended up being ghosted.

Is this really common or am I just being used as a free consultant?

You should look up David Friedburg's company.

You are being used (most likely).

I'd definitely decline, but you can decide if going ahead with it is worth your time if you think this otherwise might be a good move for you.

Just known you may get ghosted again.

Truthfully you should be asking them what their go to market strategy is. I'd imagine investors would have asked this.

Maybe you can flip this on them. Ask them what their current strategy is so you can then offer feedback or ways to improve or accelerate it, or straight up tell them it won't work. This will also help you know if your experience lines up with their vision to see if you are a good fit.

The truth is that start ups are constantly pivoting and if they're a very young startup whatever strategy they think they have today will be changing constantly until they get real traction on their tech. The direction for startups is in a constant state of flux.

I'm going to use this as a chance to branch out and network. I will avoid spending too much time on it and giving away much intellectual knowledge. I have some very promising leads elsewhere that I am hoping work out.

OP, just to share a different perspective, I had to do something similar for an interview and ended up getting a good offer.

Now there is some validity to whether or not this is a red flag and it'll be a pain to work there. Companies that make you jump through hoops in the interview process, and make you do these ridiculous projects are typically going to be **** shows to work for.

My son is a computer science sophomore. He is looking for summer internships. A company asked him to do an entire full stack project as part of the interview. My wife is pressuring him to do it while my son does not want to waste time doing so much work on something that is not guaranteed and may be a scam to get ideas or work done. I told him his grades were important and all else was secondary. Then I told him to allocate some reasonable time like 1-2 hours and do what you can and submit it. Maybe even submit a writeup, if not code. Don't waste time on these things.

I had a company some years ago called Punchh who made me do a presentation of some projects I had worked on and then rejected me. I spent a few days putting that sheet together. Why do companies do this?

In my profession it isn't uncommon for a final interview to be a short presentation about who you are, something interesting you have worked on, and/or something you were interested in that the company did.

But these are for training type positions and they want to see your public speaking skill set so it never was a red flag.

Has your son found work yet? I am actually looking for an IT Intern right now. Here in the College Station area.

Just to play devil's advocate, an effective go to market strategy isn't something you can typically do in a one and done project (like an interview). Now, I don't know the OP or the company so only they know the level of detail being asked and what could be done with it. But, just because you do the project and don't get the job doesn't mean they used you.....could be just didn't like your approach and went with someone who aligned with their vision better.

That being said, I've only had one interview process where I had to do a case study and even that rubbed me the wrong way. I know they weren't "using" me, but the whole process just didn't sit right with me for a variety of reasons.

htxag09 said:

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Just to play devil's advocate, an effective go to market strategy isn't something you can typically do in a one and done project (like an interview). Now, I don't know the OP or the company so only they know the level of detail being asked and what could be done with it. But, just because you do the project and don't get the job doesn't mean they used you.....could be just didn't like your approach and went with someone who aligned with their vision better.

That being said, I've only had one interview process where I had to do a case study and even that rubbed me the wrong way. I know they weren't "using" me, but the whole process just didn't sit right with me for a variety of reasons.

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Sounds like a potential for bad company performance down the line. You do want some in-house contention and thought differences to keep things sharp.

Was the technology this company is selling used to weigh grain through a spout by any chance?

There comes a time in any successful employment arrangement in which both sides actually trust each other.

In this scenario clearly they don't trust you are what you say you are, and you don' trust they are what they say they are.

Nothing good will ever come from this. 99% chance this is not a real job.

I personally have WAY to much pride and skill to do free work for someone under the guise of being a "test" of my skills. If they don't trust you are what you say you are, then they never will.