They Wanted His Project. They Didn't Want to Pay Him.

A candidate at an unnamed eighty-year-old company cleared eight interviews -- including five after a take-home project with full mockups and a project plan. Wisely, they sent only a view-only link with downloads disabled. After the final VP round: silence. So they revoked access. The recruiter called within twenty-four hours, panicked, and admitted the project was one of just four the company planned to present internally -- with or without the candidate.