Job asks for free labor from applicant before they even interview: 'I'm dumbfounded by the audacity'

Have you ever been asked to do a test assignment for a job that you've applied to? It's not such an uncommon practice, but it might be one that needs to be interrogated, especially if you haven't had an interview yet. You don't want to end up in a situation where they're squeezing you for free work, and you don't have any recourse. You would hate to see your work on their website and realize that you just did some unpaid labor. That's what a portfolio is for. They should be able to assess your skills based on your application, and not take up too much of your time or energy. Those are precious billable hours, and you shouldn't waste them. If, later down the line, they've already met you and want to see more, then that's a different story. Maybe they even offer to compensate you for your work. But in this story, that's not what happened. Keep reading to see the email exchange and see what you think about it.