Negotiation Expert Cautions Against 'Theft at Interviews'

NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A noted expert in "negotiating for yourself at work" sees a growing trend of interviewers inappropriately asking job applicants for creative ideas and confidential information.

Noted author, attorney and blogger, Alan L. Sklover, has just posted an insightful article on his blogsite, SkloverWorkingWisdom.com entitled "Theft at Interviews," in which he observes a rising incidence of such requests during interviews, and offers these "Seven Prudent Precautions:"  

1. Be Prepared and Ready to Respond: Consider what you would say, and how you would respond to requests for your creative ideas or confidential information. Your ease of response may be the most important message you send.  
2. Avoid Specific Discussion of Your Present Employer's Business: According to Sklover, interviewees often don't realize the question posed may elicit confidential information. As guidelines, he suggests (a) stick to publicly-known information, and (b) avoid sharing details of present, ongoing or future business activities of your present employer.
3. Requests for Sharing Confidential Information should be Politely Denied:  Consider these a test of your honesty and grace under pressure. Acknowledge your inability to share confidential information, and politely "steer" the conversation to safer subjects including industry trends and published articles about recent events.  
4. Creative Works Should be Labeled "Stamped as Owned": When sharing portfolio material or design ideas, place labels over work submitted for review, such as "Property of John Smith – Not for Reproduction or Use Without Written Consent."  
5. Substantial Creative Efforts Should Be Paid for and Credited:  Especially for freelancers, requests for substantial efforts requiring, say, ten hours or more of effort, may deserve a respectful suggestion of payment for time and effort.
6. If Sharing Business Opportunities, Use Non-Disclosure Materials: Those presenting unique business opportunities, commonly termed "Value Propositions," are wise to consider prior non-disclosure agreements, whether formal or informal.  
7. Don't be Afraid to Acknowledge Discomfort: Though these represent "ticklish" situations to navigate for eager job applicants, it's better to be candid about your concerns than be "stung." Otherwise, you could even lose your present job.  

Such insights – and free videos, sample memos and letters, and career coaching and counseling – are available at SkloverWorkingWisdom.com. Subscribe for free.

SOURCE Alan L. Sklover