
photo credit: rockmixer
This made me so mad.
Here’s an excerpt from WSJ.com, What Won’t You Do for a Job? (I’ve bolded the salient points):
“Consider William “Tommy” Rollins, a digital marketing analyst laid off when Circuit City Stores Inc. liquidated in January. He soon met Brent Peterson, founder of InterviewAngel, a professional guide and toolkit offering interviewing tips in a binder. Mr. Peterson offered an unpaid tryout.
Mr. Rollins agreed to design free of charge an online sweepstakes where winners will receive a free copy of the guide, a résumé overhaul and a month of career coaching. He figured the start-up experience might lead to a paid gig there or elsewhere.
Mr. Rollins has provided 60 hours of free labor so far. The sweepstakes, launched May 13, proved immediately popular, according to Mr. Peterson. To make sure pro bono work opens doors for Mr. Rollins, Mr. Peterson serves as a job reference. “It is the least I can do,” he notes.”
Least, my ample ass. I generally don’t cuss in my posts, but I’ll make an exception here – ARE YOU SHITTING ME? (Ok, I left the f-bomb out. But trust me, I’m thinking it.)
60 hours of work for free for what, a job reference for a job not paid for? What’s wrong with this picture - am I missing something?
I fault both parties. Rollins for giving away in the very least $2,000 of marketing expertise. Peterson for taking surpreme advantage.
Yes, it’s an awful economy out there and employers are making prospects jump through hoops that in better times they’d never dream of asking. Read the full article and you’ll see what I mean.
So what might have Rollins done? Give the “maybe bossman” an outline of a campaign as the freebie and offer to do the project (for cash $$$) as an independent contractor. Bossman can accept or reject, of course. But at least they’re both still playing fair.
Instead of what I see here. Rollins’ campaign has been successful yet he STILL DIDN’T GET THE JOB, at least not when the article published. What he got was a pat on the back and the promise of a friendly reference. (Granted, now that the story made WSJ maybe some ethically-minded employer might take a look at Rollins with the idea of offering him a real job instead of schnorring (Yiddish for begging without shame) for freebies.)
As my Grandma Fannie, in her colorful way would say, “Give them a little leg, honey. But don’t give ‘em the goods until after the ring is on your finger.”
Good advice for job seekers, too. Even folks who will ‘work for food’ expect to be fed when the job is done.
And if you need to see it again, take another look at http://www.copywritingmaven.com/2009/05/27/humor-from-the-ad-trenches/
Be careful out there.