If they will stiff you in the application process, they will do it for your entire employment.
Not my story:
I met a woman who applied for an events planning job. She interviewed for the job and they said, We want you to plan and execute an event for us as a test, so we can see how well you do.
You want me to put on an actual event? she asked.
Yes, they said. It’s a job fair.
We want you to plan the event and the promotion for it, register people to attend the job fair, organize them into timeslots, schedule interview rooms for them, arrange refreshments, handle the crowd control and make it a fun and successful event.
Our recruiters will interview the candidates. You will handle everything else including budgeting, marketing and logistics and of course you will work the event.
This is all without compensation, of course – it’s part of the recruiting process.
OK, let’s say I organize the job fair for you and it’s a roaring success, she said. Let’s say you fill all of your job openings and everyone is thrilled. Let’s say you hire me. What other events will I put on? What will I be doing for the rest of the year, and next year?
The response was Er, um, we’re still talking about that.
Of course, there was no job opening. They placed an ad for a full-time events planner just to try to rope someone into planning and executing a job fair for them – for free.
If any job application takes more than an hour they don't respect your time.