Imagine asking a potential employer to fill out an Applicant’s Assessment

Lately, I've been talking with people navigating the interview process in Brussels. Many of them are wondering how to spot the red flags of a toxic work environment. This got me thinking about the internal conversations we all tend to have.

Sure, Brussels’ policymaking is a space brimming with people from across Europe, all vying for opportunities in a highly niche environment. Yet, no matter your seniority we often face similar challenges, particularly when it comes to interview assessments—those time-consuming assignments that are unpaid work. And here’s the conversation I keep coming back to: What if more of us were bold enough to flip the script.

I mean, can you imagine asking a potential employer to fill out an Applicant’s Assessment as well? “Tell me how you value employees, how you ensure a healthy work-life balance, and how you avoid exploiting unpaid work.” I can almost feel a lot of us cringing at the thought. If you’re the interviewer, you might already be shaking your head, ready to label this person arrogant for even suggesting such a thing. But honestly, wouldn’t that be something? Imagine the reaction from Brussels organisations if we questioned them as rigorously as they assess us—how quickly we might be ushered to the next interview round, or not!

Isn't it about time we raised these conversations and made both sides accountable?

The inner monologue

Every time you’re asked to go through an external assessment, or prepare a case study, draft a presentation, or come up with some original idea for an interview assessment, for some of us, our brain kicks into overdrive. You wonder if it’s worth the investment. This is my intellectual property, after alll—will it be protected? And most importantly, will it actually lead to anything? I suspect many of us have had these thoughts, burning the midnight oil to complete some high-level tasks without knowing if it’s even worth our time. It’s Brussels, and this is just part of the interview process, you tell yourself.

But why are we considered arrogant for asking employers to fill out our assessments?

In a city as consequential as Brussels, where people from across Europe come to build their careers, it’s understandable why so few of us have the nerve to ask potential employers for that level of transparency. But imagine if we did. Picture handing over a simple form and saying, “Here, fill this out so I can evaluate if your organisation is the right fit for me.” Or “Sure, I’ll do your assessment, but here’s mine too. Let’s make this mutual.”

Imagine the reaction from Brussels orgs (omg)

The reaction would be priceless—and maybe that’s the point. In an environment where applicants are expected to jump through hoops, is it really arrogant to suggest a more balanced approach? What if we stopped accepting lengthy unpaid assessments as the norm and took a bolder stance?

The truth is, most of us haven’t built up the courage to actually do it. If you have, I’d love to hear your story. We don’t want to come across as presumptuous or difficult, but deep down, we know we’re being asked for our time, energy, and creative ideas without any compensation. Is that fair?

I’m not suggesting we all start demanding assessments from day one, but what if we began the conversation? What if we asked for more clarity upfront about expectations for assessments or used the opportunity to gauge how a Brussels org handles unpaid work? What if we just dared to ask a few more questions about work-life balance, psychological safety, and feeling valued as an employee?

And what would such an assessment look like? I give one a shot. 

I get that this may seem unattainable for many starting out in Brussels or unsure of their footing in the professional world here. But for those of us who’ve put in the time and built up our confidence, maybe it’s time we take that step. Or maybe some of you already have, and I haven’t heard your story yet. I’d love to know more.

So, employers or hiring managers, next time you’re thinking of adding an assessment as part of the interview process, think about what you’re really asking of applicants—and what they could be asking for in return. Wouldn’t it be nice if you considered the applicant’s time and ideas as seriously as you considered your own?