Jobseeker submits project during interview process, boss ends up stealing it after rejecting him. 'I am furious'

Job interviews in creative industries often include assignments meant to test a candidate’s skills. But one Reddit user has now gone viral after claiming a company allegedly used his interview project on social media after rejecting him for the role. The post triggered a major debate online, with many users sharing similar experiences and questioning whether unpaid hiring tasks are crossing ethical lines.

The Reddit user explained that he had been interviewing with the company since late February for a marketing and social media position. According to the post, the process included two interviews and two separate assessments. One of those tasks reportedly involved creating a promotional-style video at any store.

Things appeared to be moving smoothly until the candidate received a rejection email on May 1. Days later, the situation took an unexpected turn when the company’s social media content appeared on the applicant’s “For You” page.


In the now-viral Reddit post, the user wrote, “I get rejected on May 1st, and today their social media page popped up on my for you page, with my exact video bar for bar, just rerecorded.”

The applicant added, “I am furious!!! I really want to email them to take it down, but during the entire process, the hiring manager NEVER responded to my emails or calls. I had to speak with the recruiter to get in contact.”

The post ended with the frustrated line, “Any advice? I am never doing an assessment ever again….”

Reddit users react strongly

The post quickly attracted thousands of reactions, with many users urging the applicant to publicly call out the company. One commenter suggested, “Leave a comment on that page busting them out.”

The original poster replied saying they were considering writing something like, “Nice video! Did you steal this during the recruitment process.”

Another user advised against being indirect and wrote, “Don’t ask if he did, specifically say that he did so.”

Several commenters encouraged the candidate to explore legal options. One Reddit user simply wrote, “Get a lawyer! They will better advise you.” Another claimed the case sounded like “copyright infringement.”

Some users also pointed out that original creative work automatically belongs to its creator. A commenter explained, “Copyright protection was established in the moment that he created the video.” Another added that registration may only become necessary if legal action is pursued in court.

Others suggested documenting proof. One user recommended posting screenshots or metadata showing the creation date of the original video before the company uploaded its version online.

Similar experiences shared by other job seekers

The discussion also opened the door for others to share similar stories from interview processes. One commenter recalled giving a hiring manager a creative idea during interviews, only to later see it posted on LinkedIn as if it belonged to the company. That user wrote, “Five rounds and a ‘take home assignment’ later they went with someone else.”

The same commenter later described how emotionally draining the experience became after completing multiple rounds, including a presentation assignment and panel interview, before eventually receiving a brief rejection email.

Another Reddit user reacted to the original story by writing, “rejecting you then posting the same concept is actually insane.”

While no evidence beyond the Reddit post has been independently verified the allegation, the discussion has led to criticism around unpaid interview assignments.