Aside from volunteer work or doing a friend a favor, you shouldn’t work for free. Why you shouldn’t may seem like a no brainer, but that’s not always the case. People who want to benefit from your shine for free99 aren’t always transparent and obvious. In a society that loves to try to get something for nothing, here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t work for free:
You’re Worth It
The number one and most obvious reason why you shouldn’t work for free is because you’re worth it. You put a lot of time, energy and effort into your talents, career, skillset etc. You probably also put a lot of money into developing those things. Giving yourself away for free doesn’t serve you, especially when you invested so much into becoming who and what you are. Anyone who wants to access your talents and skillset should also have the budget to compensate you for them. If they don’t, that’s not your problem. Don’t work for free because you deserve to be compensated for what you bring to the table.
These folks really out here wanting you to work for free.
Exposure Doesn’t Pay the Bills Sis
Another reason why you shouldn’t work for free is because exposure doesn’t pay the bills, Sis. I can’t tell you the countless times I’ve seen, read or heard about Black women business owners or creatives being approached by large corporations wanting to leverage their talents in exchange for exposure. Aside from the obvious insult, exposure doesn’t pay the bills. Exposure also doesn’t guarantee future sales or revenue. Until your car company starts accepting exposure as compensation for your monthly payments, you shouldn’t accept it either.
You’re Setting Bad Expectations
Another reason why you shouldn’t work for free is because you’re setting bad expectations. One example I often think of is the “freemium” model many companies use to hook users. After giving you the goods for free they then offer a paid versions. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’ve yet to switch to a paid subscription when I’d been enjoying the goods for free. I’ll suffer through those ads to keep getting the services for free because the company set that expectation. This is the same thing that happens when you work for free. You condition people to always expect your talents or services for free.
You’re Not Missing Out on Anything
Finally, you shouldn’t work for free because you’re not missing out on anything. Society has conditioned us to be in a constant state of FOMO (fear of missing out). So, when an unpaid “opportunity” presents itself to us, we fear missing out on something big if we don’t take it. Here’s the thing – the only thing you’re missing out on, when you work for free, is fair compensation. If a person or company can fix its mouth to ask for your talents or services, then they can fix their finances to pay for them. If it’s not in their budget, tell them that sounds like a personal problem and move on. Also, the time and resources you’re using up to work for free could be used for paid opportunities. You deserve to be paid for your time, knowledge and talents. Don’t be afraid to set your price and stick to it because you’re worth it. You don’t need any opportunity that doesn’t recognize your value. Periodt.
What are some other reasons why you shouldn’t work for free? Drop a comment below.
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