No one likes the idea of not being paid for their time and effort, but there is a case to be made for working for free. Maybe you gain experience and build your resume. Maybe you get exposure. It’s tricky, though, and author Seth Godin suggests a few important questions when deciding whether or not to work for free.
- Do they pay other people who do this work? Do their competitors?
- Am I learning enough from this interaction to call this part of my education?
- Is this public work with my name on it, or am I just saving them cash to do a job they should pay for?
- If I get paid, is it more likely the organization will pay closer attention, promote it better and treat it more seriously?
- Do I care about their mission? Can they afford to do this professionally?
- Will I get noticed by the right people, people who will help me spread the word to the point where I can get hired to do this professionally?
- What’s the risk to me, my internal monologue and my reputation if I do this work?
Source: LifeHacker
