Should an illustrator do free drawings to get a project.

I am not an illustrator but I hire them a lot. I don't like the idea that 50 people are jumping through hoops sending free drawings/roughs and the client chooses what he likes best. Why can't the client review websites find an illustrator that fits the bill and hire them. Or at least pay a minimum for those invited to pitch. Illustrators are a vulnerable lot because they love what they do. It is too easy to get a whole lot of artists to draw up free ideas on the chance that they might the chosen one to get paid. Just choose an artist and pay them I say.