I'm seeing so many jobs (specifically on LinkedIn, since that's where I check for work) lately that require freelancers to do some form of work just to apply, and I'm wondering where people draw the line.
I personally believe that's what a portfolio is for. But why does it seem like companies are trending towards free labor now?
I suppose my first thoughts are why should anyone expect you to provide a service/work for free ?
When I first set up my business, and was receiving many samples of manuscripts, if I was interested in the storyline I would request the full. After spending my time reading, I would then provide them with a publishing quote. I was surprised when their responses such as, isn’t this free? or do I have to pay ?
I didn’t even charge for the reading time which was many hours. Maybe I should of 🤔
None--I refuse to do any work for free. I'm willing to do a paid test, even if the rate is minimal, but time is money.
I’m against working for free, but if it’s a niche I want to break into, I would write a sample piece to add to my portfolio.
Also, one thing I’ve noticed is that not many applicants write a free sample, so if you reallyyyy need a gig, it could be one (unfortunate) way to onboard the client.
Historically, I've been very against working for free. I recently applied for a gig that required a writing test, which was basically a small sample of the overall scope of work. I agreed because I was really interested in the gig, but not sure if I had the time availability. The test helped me understand the time commitment, as well as price it accordingly. So while I think working for free is not ethical overall, there are times it can be beneficial.
Leave a reply