The 'quick take-home' that was a complete production system. Estimated value: $10,000.

A Reddit post that ricocheted through r/recruitinghell detailed a job listing that asked candidates to build a full real estate platform as a take-home assignment: React frontend, TypeScript backend, PostgreSQL database, admin panel, file uploads, search functionality, and a full test suite. The deadline was seven days. The budget was zero. Conservative estimates pegged the scope at 150 to 200 hours of work, with a freelance market value of $7,500 to $10,000. The candidate withdrew after pointing out that the requirements document matched the company's actual production backlog. "If your 'skills assessment' solves your Jira sprint, it's not an assessment," one commenter noted.