Ask the Headhunter 

My interviewer had asked me to create a proposal and email it over. I have heard horror stories where people submit plans and are completely ripped off and their ideas are stolen. I am a new grad and have never had to do this so I am not sure if this is an appropriate request. What are your thoughts? 

I am a big believer in submitting a business plan or proposal to a potential employer, especially if you are in the final round of interviews. You have to remember that you are in competition with 1 or 12 other candidates and these types of requests are common among larger companies and for executive roles. It is also pretty common with marketing positions. An interviewer will ask because they want to know if you have the ability to come up with solutions or ideas. If you aren't willing or able to provide input, then you might not be right for the job.



This actually reminds me of a story about one of my colleagues who had to relocated to Australia from the US due to her husband's job being transferred. She is a lawyer and had no connections or network built there. She researched multiple international law firms and approached a few companies with an aggressive offer. She told each firm that she would work for FREE for 30 days. If they'd want to hire her after 30 days, great, if not, no harm. A few companies took her up on her offer and she narrowed it down to one. For the next month, she was the first one in and the last one out of the office, willing to work with anyone on any project, and showed the company that she was the best candidate for the job. Her aggressive offer worked and she was able to work for the law firm she wanted and was able to negotiate a salary based on what the company knew she was worth.


This just goes to show that you have to do the work and show what you are capable of. Why should a company hire you based on your word? If you are asked to throw a plan together, do it! You don't have to put every thought on paper, but enough to show the company how good you are.


It really is uncommon for a company to rip off your ideas. Most of these are rumors or individuals who think they have too much experience and shouldn't have to prove themselves. There are ways to provide your work to a potential employer without giving them the rights to use it. Slap a copyright symbol on your pages. Create a link that can be opened once and taken down so that they don't have access to it down the line. Ask the employer if you can come in to present the ideas in person and print one copy that they cannot keep. If the interviewer asks you to submit the material for them to keep, you can politely decline and let them know the material is not for use without your consent.

Tom Johnston is the headhunter that headhunters seek to find talent for their firms. He is the CEO of SearchPath and has more than 18 years of experience in franchising, search and recruitment, and office development. Tom is recognized as a leader and authority in the executive search industry.

Ask the Headhunter

Dear Headhunter, 

I have issues with germs and shaking hands with people. Is it ever acceptable bypass that step and play it off naturally vs. rude when meeting potential employers?  

This is definitely an interesting question.....

90% of the time, a handshake is most appropriate. If you really are diagnosed and this is a disorder, you may have already run into this type of circumstance and using methods from past encounters might work. The best thing I would say is if you see the handshake come on, just apologize and simply let the interviewer know that you are fighting a cold and don't want to spread your germs. If you take the handshake, make sure it is firm and that your hand is dry! If not, play it off as if you are fighting a cold. 

I actually just had a lunch interview with a gentleman in New York. He had a bottle of hand sanitizer with him which I didn't think anything of, except that he never put it away. I noticed he was cleaning the table and his hands after touching things. It definitely became noticeable after a while, but it did not change the direction of our conversation, or my perception on his ability to do the job. 

One other thing I would likely to quickly mention is to pay attention to culture if you are interviewing with an international company. In certain cultures, a handshake is not appropriate at all. Definitely do your research and make sure you understand protocol beforehand. 

Tom Johnston is the headhunter that headhunters seek to find talent for their firms. He is the CEO of SearchPath and has more than 18 years of experience in franchising, search and recruitment, and office development. Tom is recognized as a leader and authority in the executive search industry.