Indeed’s Kate Furey unpacks new survey data showing 45% of employers admit reusing candidates’ unpaid interview work.
Employers admit to reusing job candidates’ work, as job seekers start pushing back
Australian job seekers are spending real hours on interview tasks set by employers, and it turns out a chunk of that work doesn’t stay with them.
A new survey from job site Indeed, called Interview Tasks 2026, found that two-thirds of employers ask candidates to complete some kind of assignment as part of hiring. That’s common enough on its own. What’s more uncomfortable is that 45 per cent of companies admit they’ve reused work a candidate submitted to them, and 37 per cent of workers believe it’s happened to them.
More than half of workers, 55 per cent, say they’ve been asked to do an interview task at some point, and on average it takes about two hours to complete.
Job seekers are starting to say no. Two-thirds, 66 per cent, say they’ve either withdrawn an application or decided not to apply at all because a task was required. Employers are feeling that too, with 73 per cent admitting they’ve lost candidates as a direct result of setting a task.
Unpaid tasks don’t sit well with most workers either. 55 per cent think they’re unfair, and 27 per cent call them “very unfair.” Where there’s near universal agreement is on longer tasks, with 93 per cent of workers saying candidates should be paid if a task runs three hours or more.
Payment practices are inconsistent across the board. 36 per cent of candidates say they’ve been paid in full for a task in the past, and 28 per cent say they’ve received partial payment. Workers in IT, media and communications are among the most likely to get paid in full, at 50 per cent. On the other end, personal services (53 per cent), retail (50 per cent) and health and education (43 per cent) are the least likely to see any payment at all. There’s also a clear gender split: men are much more likely than women to be paid for these tasks, 69 per cent compared to 59 per cent.
It’s younger workers wearing most of this. 72 per cent of Gen Z and 64 per cent of Millennials say they’ve been asked to complete a task, compared to just 36 per cent of Gen X and 24 per cent of Baby Boomers. IT, media and communications (78 per cent) and professional services (66 per cent) are the industries most likely to set them.
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. “Employers are seeking deeper insight into candidates’ skills, while job seekers are increasingly questioning what’s being asked of them,” she said.
She said 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,” Furey said. “It’s important for recruiters to be realistic and reasonable with tasks they set, otherwise they risk losing applicants.”
On pay specifically, Furey said candidates are increasingly expecting compensation for longer assignments, and flagged the gap between men and women. “Candidates want compensation for interview assignments, especially for ones that take longer to complete,” she said. “Indeed’s survey results show the gender pay gap is also prevalent in the job search, with men 10% more likely than women to get paid for work completed during the interview process.”
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