Feel like you’re in interview prison? You’re not alone.

Everyone knows at least two people who are out of work and invariably will then know at least two people who can’t pay their mortgage or rent even if they are employed. The US  unemployment rate as of July 2012 is 8.3%.  The new unemployed aren’t just faced with financial fears but are also drowned in anecdotal ones. The most popular one being that the longer you are out of work the harder it will be to get a job.  Most of those out work will tell you this is true. But the most interesting aspects of unemployment have yet to be fully noted.  Its true the longer you are at work, the more likely it may be that you just get burned out and stop looking.  Depending on your age group and your ability to get interviews your outlook for your future and your perseverance can be gravely impacted.

Another symptom of unemployment are those folks who constantly interview but never seem to land the job.  There may several reasons for this and not all to blame on the candidate. The unemployment rate and the recession has created an atmosphere of acceptance of exploiting free labor. Free labor can come by many means.  But most interestingly are assignments being doled out by prospective employers to potential candidates.  The common practice is that employers who are looking to solve a organizational problems, task out assignments to candidates with little to no intent on ever hiring them. Or at least little to no intent on hiring from the pool of those completing the assignments.  On occasions the candidate that gets hired is a entry level college graduate who will then carry out said plan that was created by a senior applying candidate for a position that never existed. Its believed that employers carry out this process so that they can get experience that they refuse or cannot pay for and then hire an entry level employee who will follow the directions from these plans.  The hiring company thereby benefits from a windfall at the expense of the experienced.

Other forms of free labor are experienced job seekers who are accepting internships with little to no pay in the event they may be hired for salary and or to gain an edge on some new skills.  One has to wonder what affect the lack of knowledge, longevity, ethics and loyalty that older candidates traditionally bring to the workplace can cost these companies in the long run.

For those of you who are in perpetual interviews and wondered what was going on – this may be your answer. Especially if you were asked to complete any assignment even you were asked to bounce around ideas while in house. Some job seekers are getting savvy and asking potential employers to sign agreements and or stating on documents that the ideas contained therein are the sole property of the candidate. One doesn’t know if these are enforceable but it may give an employer pause if they are practicing this unethical tactic to gain new ideas.

This article was written by Julee E. Whalin. Julee is a crafter of prose on lifestyle, tech and gadget topics. She primarily writes for Consumer Priority Service, a company that provides extended warranties to retailers.