*6AM city steals ideas from applicants, that they do not hire, and uses these ideas in their newsletters.*
I applied in February 2021 for an Editor position with RALtoday. In the first round, I had to submit three pitches that I would cover if I were to become an editor with the team. I received an email that I would be moving onto the next round. Long story short, I made it to the third round of the application process but did not receive an offer.
**However, since being rejected, the RALtoday team has used 2/3 of my pitches, nearly word for word, in their newsletters and on their social media feeds.**
Of course, I recognize that it's easy to think this is a mistake -- a coincidence. However, I submitted these ideas in a portal that the company had, and surely still has, access to. Also, I only saw these stories posted *after* being told I would not receive an offer. Additionally, the copy used by RALtoday is nearly identical to mine.
TLDR: there's a reason that applicants have to provide detailed content ideas as part of the interview process; 6AM city steals it and uses it as their own.
As someone with a news background, I understand how tough it can be to find enough content to fill up a day's worth of news. Nonetheless, it is incredibly unethical & unprofessional to scan through applicant's ideas and use those as if they're your editor's content. Do better, RALtoday.
Also, let me say, going through the interview process with 6 AM city, is A LOT of *unpaid* work. If you're working a full-time job or a college student taking a full-time load, it is an incredible amount of labor to complete without compensation (especially considering it may be, ya know, stolen when the editors can't brainstorm their own original ideas). Some of the work is time-sensitive, i.e. 24 hour turnaround time, by the way. While the company page says they provide competitive pay and "would love to pick up the tab for anything that supports career development," that is *not* the energy you'll see as an applicant.
Here's what you can expect to do just to *potentially* receive an offer.
- Complete the standard application with resume & cover letter (~1.5-2 hours)
- Pitch, in detail, 3 unique story ideas for the specific city you're applying for (~40 minutes)
- Create a full-length mock newsletter for the city you're applying for. Research, writing, designing, etc. Of course, your candidacy rides on the quality of this newsletter, so to do it well, it's going to take time. (~8-10 hours)
- Write three social media copies, matching their style guide (~45 mins)
- Complete a personality assessment (~1 hour)
- Complete zoom interview (30-45 mins)
Yikes, yikes, yikes all around. So, applicants, just be aware! There are plenty of other companies that will value your work and ideas, just not 6AM City.
