If you think working for “free” during the interview process is unfair and exploitative, you better hope you have $70-250k coming in from someplace else because you’re never going to get a job — especially an execution-level one — without proving you can actually do it.

What’s more, you clearly haven’t done the math on what the 4 or 5 hours it’ll take to finish this assignment are worth to you (a roof over your head, food on the table, and shoes on your feet), nor thought about the fact that in a down market, beggars can’t be choosers.

We’ll save the rest of the tough love for the episode.

Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real questions about real work in corporate America. Covering topics from quitting to interviewing to negotiating to resumes and meetings. It’s about knowing the rules of the game so you can get what you want.

Email us your questions at [email protected] and listen for a new episode every Wednesday. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram at @askyourworkwife!