In a recent interview I went through, I encountered a concerning issue that I believe all graphic designers should be aware of. During the interview process, I was unexpectedly asked to complete a design task without any form of compensation. This experience highlighted the problem of companies requesting free work from interviewees, a practice that devalues the expertise and effort that designers put into their work. Regardless of whether there was a promise of exposure, it's important to recognize that asking interviewees to provide free work is not only unfair but also goes against the principles of respecting a designer's time and skills. Such requests are unethical and can lead to an industry-wide trend of underappreciation. Designers need to stand up for their worth and reject the notion that their talents should be exploited during the interview process. Additionally, I find it to receive a rejection email at 9:30 at night very unprofessional and speaks a lot about work life balance.