Maybe, but I'd guess it was more meant to be a way to get their attention. If you read the article, they hired him and didn't actually take his money: "I have

Maybe, but I'd guess it was more meant to be a way to get their attention. If you read the article, they hired him and didn't actually take his money: "I have never lived outside California or visited Kansas City, but I took the job. And Zaarly didn’t even accept my money –– they offered to pay me instead!" There's already unpaid internships and the like, but they're specifically for the unexperienced, get-your-foot-in-the-door type of person that really needs the opportunity. Unpaid "trial periods" aren't common for most folks, so I have to imagine a "pay-us-and-we'll-consider-you" model is even less likely.