Stop Doing Unpaid Homework
We need to talk about the dreaded “take-home assignment” in software interviews—and why you might want to get paid for your time. There’s been a growing buzz in the developer community over whether or not it’s fair to expect candidates to spend hours (sometimes days) on unpaid coding tasks. As someone who’s both taken and given these assignments, here’s my unapologetically bold take:
What I Mean by “Unpaid Homework”
When companies want you to build a mini-project—maybe a simple app, or a feature that suspiciously resembles something they need in production—they often call it a “homework assignment.” The idea is to see how you solve problems without the pressure of a whiteboard session. That’s fine in theory. But if a test is going to take you upwards of eight hours of your own time, that’s basically free contract work. Who wants to spend their evenings after a full-time job doing that for free?
Why Companies Are Starting to Pay
A few companies have decided to pony up—sometimes $100, sometimes $500, and occasionally more. Why?
- They respect your time. If they’re going to ask for several hours of your day, they figure you should be compensated.
- It weeds out tire-kickers. Candidates who aren’t serious won’t bother signing an NDA or doing the assignment for minimal pay.
- They want to stand out. Offering compensation can signal that a company values its potential hires, which may attract better talent.
Why You Should Be Skeptical
Red flag: If a company’s assignment lines up too well with their real product, or if it’s excessively complex, it could be free labor disguised as a “test.” I’ve seen interviews where the final code supposedly got shipped right into production. That’s…fishy. Plus, some interviewers skip thorough evaluation entirely—just a quick glance and a “thanks, we’ll get back to you.” You’re left wondering if they cherry-picked your best ideas and ghosted you.
Is It Worth It?
Personally, I think it depends on:
- Scope. If it’s a short, well-defined exercise that takes a couple of hours, fine. But if it’s a multi-day project, I believe you should either (a) push back or (b) ask about compensation.
- Timing. Are you at an advanced stage of the interview process? If they haven’t even bothered to speak to you in a live technical session, that’s a lot of up-front effort on your part.
- Red Flags. If their instructions feel oddly like a “feature spec,” or they promise suspiciously high payouts, use your gut check. They might just be fishing for free prototypes.
Final Thoughts
I’m not saying all take-home assignments are evil. In fact, a well-structured, time-bound assignment can be more humane than cramming under pressure in a whiteboard setting. But let’s not pretend it’s fair to demand large amounts of a candidate’s personal time for free. If a company genuinely values your expertise, they’ll understand why you’d like to be compensated—or at least given an assignment that’s reasonable in scope.
If you’re on the fence, don’t be afraid to ask about smaller, alternative ways to demonstrate your skills (like sharing a personal GitHub project). And if a company pushes a multi-day monster project, you might want to push back or walk away. Your time is valuable. Stop doing unpaid homework.