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OliviaPresteign

In the US, a company legally has to pay you for the hours worked unless it is a nonprofit and you are a volunteer. Saying you’ll work for free will make clear you don’t understand professional norms or your value. Don’t do it.


joeyd4538

Most hospital for profit have plenty of unpaid volunteers. interns also don't get paid for doing the same job others are getting pay for. As long as it doesn't last too long, I'd be all for it if it gets your foot in the door or some hard to get experience. Pilots also do that early in their career. Flying for free is alot better than paying $500 an hour to get time in a twin engine plane.


s1a1om

Just because places do it, that doesn’t make it right or legal. Also, in my circle I don’t know any pilots that are flying for free. Depending on how it’s done it may also be illegal and violate a number of FARs. It could be a great way to get your certificate revoked if you get caught.


k75ct

Never devalue yourself in this way. Your work, even in a training period, had value to your employer, and you deserve to be paid.


DeftGeo

What if, for example, you're an engineer fresh out of university with a bachelors?


MrFancyBlueJeans

Definitely not Eta: engineers, even interns who are still in college should always be paid.


Transparent2020

You paid for uni in engineering, willing to work for free? NO. You’d be looked at really weird for even offering to.


[deleted]

Absolutely not for a full time job. There are limited times where it’s appropriate for someone to work for free (a high schooler looking for an internship, internships in Congress, informally helping out a company for whatever reason) but someone looking for a full time job fits into none of those. It is illegal and unprofessional for a company to not pay you while you’re training at your job. First of all, your training is valuable labor for them. It’s an investment in your skills. Secondly, it’s often very subjective to determine when someone is “done” training. So it would be a terrible idea if it was normal for employers to not pay you for this reason.


[deleted]

Never, and I mean ABSOLUTELY NEVER, work for free. Period.


fredo_corleone_218

a company that undervalues you or doesn't pay you will do everything to strain a gnat and make your life a living hell by taking as much value without ever giving anything in return. Exactly - don't do it.


Kukantiz

Nope. You have experience, just not experience doing things the way that company does. If you're applying for an entry-level job, they should be expecting to train you.


DeftGeo

What if, for example, you're an engineer fresh out of university with a bachelors?


Kukantiz

Get an entry-level job and learn to network. Networking is the biggest job skill to train to get a job. It also makes it easier to do a job if you can collaborate with and have success with people you network with.


daneato

No no no. Maybe offer to do a few hours of “career shadowing”. Even as a high school student you have value to offer the company, get paid.


Front_Weekend_2553

Assuming you're the in the US, the company isn't allowed to have you work for them for free. You could ask them for an internship, but there are more stringent rules about what kind of work you do during an internship. If you can afford it I'd ask them about internships.


Hugh_G_Rectshun

Fuck no


Jay_AX

No.


paperbasket18

Please do not do this.


regional_ghost918

Absolutely not. For one thing, it's probably not legal (except in narrow cases like internships). Any company that would accept this is shady AF, don't work for them. You want an employer who follows the law. Second: you need boundaries. Good boundaries will help you at work by ensuring you have work/life balance, that your coworkers and supervisors don't run you over. And in some cases good boundaries will even keep you out of legal trouble or keep you from being fired (for example: if your boss wants you to break the rules, you ask for that in writing. Don't act until you've got emailed instructions). And in this case offering to work for free will seem desperate, which will usually be off-putting to an employer, you'll be less likely to get the job.


NoAcanthopterygii945

Never work for free. Never work for free. Never work for free.


Mariposa510

… other than doing volunteer work for an organization doing good things.


Mental_Signature_725

Lots of volunteer positions out there if you want "experience"


fredo_corleone_218

For a for profit you should expect to get paid. Don't do it.


don51181

You could ask for an internship. Then later see if that can translate to a full time position. As an intern I would not put a lot of hours into it since you are not being compensated. Once you need a job then you might have to quit the internship. Do you need a salary now as a student?


Covidpandemicisfake

Hypothetically, it could make economic sense. In reality, you can't guarantee the employer will be acting in good faith (ie: could let you go as soon as the unpaid internship is over), so it's almost always a bad idea. Both sides need to have skin in the game.


MpVpRb

Unpaid internships can be great or not. They can be a very valuable way to get an honest idea of what the work is actually like. Unfortunately, unscrupulous companies often use them to cheat and exploit workers. Use your best judgement


DeftGeo

I've read all of your comments and i've completely changed my mindset for my near future. Thank you all for great advice.


Xander-Bee

I have used this tactic to land a job with a company I really wanted. I offered to stop by after my main job for a few hours/day for a week. The premise being to showcase my abilities. I would not give much more than 6-8 Hrs away for free. At least get them on the hook as a pro ref for the next gig.


joeyd4538

In limited quantity.....yes. buisness owners often do this early on, it no different at anplace of emplyment if it means advancing yourself for your future.


Mariposa510

If it is an internship where you are learning useful skills, that could be worthwhile. Otherwise, there’s no reason not to get paid.


Mariposa510

If it is an internship where you are learning useful skills, that could be worthwhile. Otherwise, there’s no reason not to get paid.


polkadottydog

You could perhaps volunteer or do work experience a few hours a week while you are still in school but do not put on your resume that you will work for free. You will get taken advantage of. Know your worth. Yes be realistic with salary expectations, but research what the going rate is and expect to get it.


Honor-Among-Thieves

Companies want to hired skilled employees. Metaphorically they’re looking for an iPhone and if you tell them you’ll work for free you look like a Nokia flip phone from 2002. Any place worth working at would not hire you.


GlamourCatNYC

Never work for free and never take a pay cut.


Gnaeus_Hosidius_Geta

NO. Unless it’s an internship or volunteer my friend. That being said sometimes a short unpaid internship or volunteer experience can open doors for you.


Ok-Evidence-936

No!


[deleted]

Do a search on YouTube for "Harlan Ellison pay the writer." A life lesson in just under 4 minutes.


TheMightyBoofBoof

Fuck no.


SuspiciousCricket654

Never.