Here is your reminder to never do any FREE work for a company that you are not already working for. I had 2 interviews with Leafwell and was pushed to the 3rd round. For the 3rd interview, they requested a presentation. Not only was this a presentation on a random topic to prove that you can present, but here were the guidelines for this presentation: "For this interview, we will be asking you to prepare for a meeting discussing how you would meet objectives related to developing relationships with influential people and organizations in the medical cannabis industry to discuss online partnership opportunities. You are not limited to a “presentation” via slides or PowerPoint, as you may use other formats or tools to organize the conversation. The interview period is 60 minutes. We recommend you leave at least 15 minutes allotted for interactive Q&A. Keep in mind managing your time while creating space for questions and feedback are important aspects of the interview. The presentation should prioritize communicating your thought process, approach, and recommendations. Project Information: Objective: Present a comprehensive plan for building strategic partnerships with online organizations and individuals, anywhere in the US, that will support the growth of our medical marijuana card service. Presentation Outline: Identification of Potential Partners: Research and identify industry-related websites, social groups, social influencers and health and wellness sites in the US. Do not focus on dispensaries and health providers; they are managed by another department. Detail why they are ideal partners for Leafwell. Outreach Strategy: Describe your strategy for reaching out to potential partners. Write an example outreach email introducing Leafwell with the objective of forming a strategic partnership. Outline a step-by-step approach to convert initial contacts into strategic partners. Partnership Collaboration Initiatives: Propose initiatives focused on the following digital goals: Obtaining patient referrals Promoting our content Increasing our online presence Improving our SEO strategy Explain how these initiatives align with Leafwell's mission and objectives. Maintaining and Nurturing Partnerships: Provide recommendations for maintaining and nurturing these partnerships to ensure mutual benefit and long-term success. Discuss follow-up strategies, regular communication plans, and performance review methods. Measuring Success: Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of your partnership strategy. Explain how you would track and report on these KPIs to ensure alignment with Leafwell’s revenue and growth goals. Deliverables: A detailed presentation covering the points above. An example outreach email. Any additional materials that support your strategy (e.g., market analysis, sample marketing materials). Evaluation Criteria Clarity and feasibility of the proposed strategy. Creativity in identifying and approaching potential partners. Effectiveness of communication in the example outreach email. Alignment of proposed initiatives with Leafwell’s mission and objectives. Practicality and thoroughness of the plan for maintaining and nurturing partnerships. Ability to measure and track success effectively. Normally, I would not go through with the interview process once a presentation was assigned, BUT as the job market is extremely tough right now and I need to start working, I had to move forward with the interview. The hour long presentation took me HOURS and several days to put together and also caused me so much lingering anxiety as I prepared to present. I presented to 3 people on the marketing team. As soon as my presentation was over, they kept having me go back to each slide and would drill me with questions on the slides I put together. It seemed as though they were not aware of what my assignment was and they knew nothing about my background. They were asking me tons of questions as if I had already been working for the company for years and was presenting a new strategy to them, yet I was only interviewing. After a not so great presentation experience, a week later I was informed that I would not be getting a job offer for either role that they were considering me for (Outreach Partnership Manager - which would be the first of this position at the company, and also Partnership Manager). As an ex-FAANG project manager, I can promise you that I nailed my presentation. The rejection email had no feedback other than they "decided to move forward with another candidate." Something tells me no one actually got hired for either role and they are taking free work from interviewers and using it as their own. Oh and the WORST part is that the presentation was recorded - therefore they have my work and my presentation and can use it for their own marketing strategy. Something is definitely up with this company and I would stay clear. This was an extremely unprofessional experience.