Work for free? You’re right to balk at such a prospect, but The Financial Diet blog points out that sometimes it’s a savvy move. This particular blog also references my own article on when you should and when you shouldn’t work for free as a freelancer, originally posted on Forbes, where I detail the ins and outs of free work. Freelancers are really battling this “should I or shouldn’t I” conundrum. There are some circumstances where working for free is beneficial, like if it will really help you connect with someone who can optimize your career, or if it will let you learn a skill, tool or software that can garner you higher wages in the future.
I’ve found that a lot of the time, new freelancers don’t think of themselves as professionals even though they are. Low paying work gives you experience (think $25 for blogs or .03 per word). Sometimes you really do owe it to the “client” (like if the client is your mother), but overall if a company can afford to pay you, they should. There are learning curves and, as a newbie, you might not have the requisite experience. Ask yourself if it’s worth it to learn for free or not.
Find out more about when you should work for free here:
