Would you ever work for free?
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I'm salary and during my 2-3 month busy season I work and extra hour each day. On the flip side if you need to go to a dr appointment one afternoon or something they just let you go no time off needed. So they give back what we do.
When I worked hourly jobs I got paid for every minute I worked to the best of my ability.
I've been working salaried jobs for over a decade and 99% of the time I get to work on time and leave on time. Only very rarely have I had special projects that required me to stay longer than usual, and most of the time I have been able to comp that time later. But it's different when you're salaried. Working a little extra on a special project or to meet a tough deadline isn't really "working for free" in my eyes.
When I was younger I also did some writing for websites for free to get experience and exposure. I know a lot of people say you should never do this but I don't think it's so cut and dry. Really depends on your situation.
I've been working salaried jobs for over a decade and 99% of the time I get to work on time and leave on time. Only very rarely have I had special projects that required me to stay longer than usual, and most of the time I have been able to comp that time later. But it's different when you're salaried. Working a little extra on a special project or to meet a tough deadline isn't really "working for free" in my eyes.
When I was younger I also did some writing for websites for free to get experience and exposure. I know a lot of people say you should never do this but I don't think it's so cut and dry. Really depends on your situation.
I've worked for free, essentially, professionally and personally.
As a full-time designer one can expect to be working on salary, and business hours aren't a thing really. How rough it is can vary from place to place, whether that's due to how a company/firm is run internally or the type of clients they deal with, or both. Some places you might be working 40-50 hours a week on average with crazy spikes here and there, which is chill as far as design goes...but others you might regularly be pulling 60+, or worse. I've seen it all, and heard it all from fellow designers. It's a rough field.
I've also volunteered my time and talents outside of work.
As a full-time designer one can expect to be working on salary, and business hours aren't a thing really. How rough it is can vary from place to place, whether that's due to how a company/firm is run internally or the type of clients they deal with, or both. Some places you might be working 40-50 hours a week on average with crazy spikes here and there, which is chill as far as design goes...but others you might regularly be pulling 60+, or worse. I've seen it all, and heard it all from fellow designers. It's a rough field.
I've also volunteered my time and talents outside of work.
Only in an emergency/volunteer for my community, and only then if I felt it was worth my time. I work in public service so the question is not as hypothetical
A bit of overtime? Sure. Unpaid job? Fuck that shit. I still don't get the concept of unpaid internships, never applied to one and never cared about them. Yes, you are learning, but the company is also making use of your time and benefiting from it (even if slightly).
I'm a freelancer and will occasionally do something for free if it will appease some sort of satisfaction/service issue. That's different though because I obviously have a vested interest in it. I guess non-billable work counts too. Working for an employer though: I wouldn't say never, but I would have to really think I'd gain in some other way from it. And I'm not likely to think that.
Yes. I worked for free when I was very young on the promise I'd be considered for a job, and then true to his word I got offered one a few months later. As a young kid still in school and with no experience whatsoever it was an easy way to get my foot in the door. But I wouldn't do that as an adult, no fucking chance.
Nowadays I'd only work off the clock to help the people I work with. Happens rarely but I'm happy to hang back to help if a mate's struggling.
Nowadays I'd only work off the clock to help the people I work with. Happens rarely but I'm happy to hang back to help if a mate's struggling.
Maybe to do a close friend or family member a solid or as a pro bono situation for an organization whose mission I care about, in very specific, short-term circumstances, sure. But otherwise, hard no. I will not work for free for "exposure" or "the experience", especially if whoever is asking has the means to pay for the work.
I'm a teacher who only gets paid for 9.5 months. I work 10 hours or so a week all summer on stuff, no pay and no acknowledgment or anything. It's just what is required to do a good job. Especially this year. Ugh. So like 120 hours of free labor plus all the reading I just do about education and for my subject area.
Comes down to the old saying that if you do what you love, it isn't work.
And volunteering, obviously. But that's not the point of your question.
Comes down to the old saying that if you do what you love, it isn't work.
And volunteering, obviously. But that's not the point of your question.
I answered yes, but I should state the caveat: not if someone else is making money from my labour. I'm totally happy to volunteer if I have time / energy, and if money stopped existing I would totally do productive stuff and give my time to other people.
Back in the day, I student taught from September to December one school year. I volunteered from January to May, mainly because of the class I was with was pretty awesome. Once I got my sub license during that school year, all of June, they used me around the school as a sub to gain experience. I also got paid right before the summer, which was pretty great. Volunteering paid off and look great on my resume.
No certainly not for the scenarios in the OP. Is there any situation I would work for free? Then yes of course, like helping out after a natural disaster.
The whole "salaried so no overtime compensation" I see is such a scam. I'm in Sweden and we get paid for overtime (time over the normal 40h workweek). Overtime hours are also worth more.
As a teenager/young adult, I'll work for "free" if it's something I can put a line in my resume that would be a value to me. Yeah, there are times I've been taken advantage off but I know when to put my foot down.
I considered myself a helpful person but at this stage in my life, I would not.
Sure, a one-off to help or train someone for 20-45mins, I'll do it.
I considered myself a helpful person but at this stage in my life, I would not.
Sure, a one-off to help or train someone for 20-45mins, I'll do it.
Have you ever heard of scientific publishing? Best scam ever! Government funds research, scientists write it up and give it to you for free, and then you sell the same work back to the scientists. Even better, before you publish it you have other, extremely qualified scientists check it over, for free.
Just today reviewing a paper for free. I have a PhD in this shit, but apparently I still work for "exposure". Oh and the people I'm doing this for? I'm paying them hundreds of pounds a year just to be a member of their organization. Despite everything they know, scientists can be some dumb motherfuckers.
Just today reviewing a paper for free. I have a PhD in this shit, but apparently I still work for "exposure". Oh and the people I'm doing this for? I'm paying them hundreds of pounds a year just to be a member of their organization. Despite everything they know, scientists can be some dumb motherfuckers.
No, if an employer wants me to do anything more than 15 minutes overtime they should pay me.
Generally I'm the "arrive at 8:59, leave at 5:01" kinda guy. I remember one of my old bosses saying I wasn't a team player because I didn't want to help with the mail run until 5:20 lmao.
As a journalist for a living though I have certainly written tons of stuff for free to get my name out there, but also because I enjoy doing it.
Generally I'm the "arrive at 8:59, leave at 5:01" kinda guy. I remember one of my old bosses saying I wasn't a team player because I didn't want to help with the mail run until 5:20 lmao.
As a journalist for a living though I have certainly written tons of stuff for free to get my name out there, but also because I enjoy doing it.
I'm salary, so like it or not, I'm expected to work OT to "get the job done."
I try to keep it within reason though. I'll only work extra if it's absolutely essential or we're under crunch.
I try to keep it within reason though. I'll only work extra if it's absolutely essential or we're under crunch.
There are in theory benefits to being salaried, during a slow week or month you still get paid the same. That said, it is a bit of a scam.
I did a sort of college work-study thing with a power coop over a summer back in like... 2000/2001-ish. Worked on upgrading their tape storage solutions.
Probably the closest to free I've ever worked, but between the credit and small stipend, it was worth it.
Probably the closest to free I've ever worked, but between the credit and small stipend, it was worth it.
Would I ever? Yes, I used to volunteer at my church and got paid in volumes of experience and happiness.
If I am not needing money (lol) ever, I would totally volunteer.
If I am not needing money (lol) ever, I would totally volunteer.
I'm salaried. I have to do this literally all the time.
The throwback is that I can work shorter days or not at all when it's slower. The hours are still not in my favour though.
The throwback is that I can work shorter days or not at all when it's slower. The hours are still not in my favour though.
For much of my life I've done some form of volunteer work.
But work as in make other people money off of my sweat? Fuck no.
But work as in make other people money off of my sweat? Fuck no.
You aren't wrong. I know some people have brought up that salary also means that you might sometimes have a shorter day or can duck out early for a doctor's appointment and still get paid, which is cool, but I can't see the math ever working out in one's favor by the end of the year.
Im salary, so there is no such thing.
but I've done work for non profits, that people could be paid for, for free.
but I've done work for non profits, that people could be paid for, for free.
I'm a position now where I'm working for free, but it's building my own company and the only person it's hurting is me, so I think that's ok.
I've also worked for free when I was starting out, and my advice there would be not to do it. Sweat equity is not equity.
I've also worked for free when I was starting out, and my advice there would be not to do it. Sweat equity is not equity.