“We are constantly being asked to work FOR FREE for companies that will make a profit from that work.”
Your knowledge and skill are assets! Value them and others will too.
It doesn't matter if you're an established professional or a person taking their first steps in their chosen career, your years of experience and/or your education represents a solid investment both - and in the case of many young people today, a large financial debt.
The costs of establishing yourself in the workforce are quite substantial and the "value" of that investment increases over time. Moreover, the nature of your profession and the quality of your work you perform is, effectively, a sort of interest (in the financial sense) on top of it all. This is often why specialists and experts within many fields can charge substantially more for their services.
To make it clear, when you work for a company, you 'add value' to that company ... and this company benefits from that. Your work has delivered an "increase" that can be illustrated in a real monetary measure.
My Main Point
So, to my main point - never work for free!
To be perfectly clear, I am not talking about volunteering for favourite charity or cause.
However, and for the avoidance of doubt, I am only talking about profitable companies or companies that are, for profit.
Let's not be naive - companies already have many advantages.
Tax advantages you personally will never see. Discounts on goods and services that you will never have access to. Indeed, companies have many more advantages than you as a private citizen will ever have ... no matter how talented and successful you are ... and don't be naive, the bigger the company is, the more advantages they have.
Now let me also clarify - I'm not writing this because I am some closeted socialist who wants to criticise the evils of greedy companies who are destroying a healthy business ecology - although the case CAN be made that this IS indeed happening and greedy companies ARE, in fact, destroying healthy business ecologies - but that point is for another day.
No, I'm serious!
I'm really quite the advocate of capitalism - but I'm in for the long-haul, and not any short-term gain.
My Advice
Treat yourself as a business and start to look at your knowledge and your professional experience as serious, long-term business investments. That’s your capital! Furthermore, invest in yourself! Yeah, invest in you!
Stop being a charity! Educate yourself throughout your working life with the intention of improving your base value. Do courses, gain knowledge, refine your skills and abilities. As they say, make the 'hard yards'.
Value yourself.
Now, as to Internships!
As you've read this, you may have thought to yourself 'what about internships?'
So again, here's one of those annoying clarifying and qualifying points - so let me be clear - this article is an opinion piece. It is my opinion and only my opinion. Others will disagree ... but so ...?
Anyway, to the point (or rather, points) - It is my opinion:
... that unpaid internships are immoral and should be regarded as a borderline criminal activity - given their near resemblance to exploitation and slavery. There should be no such thing as an unpaid internship ...
... that low-paid internships for graduates and post-graduates are immoral ... especially when the field of work, being performed reflects the subject of the certificate or diploma or degree of the person (graduate or post-graduate) has received ...
... that low-paid internships for people wanting to enter a profession are acceptable if (and only if) they 1 - have a defined structure with a defined, measurable deliverable, 2 - gives a minimum legal wage AND 3 - the internship is no long than 12 months and complies with a official education system requirement and (most importantly) an official education institution can build on the skills gained.
... an internship MUST be replaced with an official apprenticeship, if the knowledge can only be gained in a period that is more than 12 months. No exceptions. No cheating. No weaselling around. No trickery. No games. No exploitation.
In Closing
“Remember! You have value. Your work has value.”
As you go through life, no matter who you are, no matter your profession - your work carries value and every time you DO work, you impart value to someone or something.
Never be a compliant slave, no matter if the cause is right or the benefit reasonable. Don't sell yourself short.
By all means, be charitable to those in need. Don't be an ass and hurt those who are vulnerable and need help.
However, make sure you always get acknowledgement for what you do - in some form.
Final Point
Final point - again, I want to mention this an opinion piece. Many people can and naturally will disagree with what I have written - quite passionately! ... and that is more than just good and that is more than just OK.
Either way, I wish you good luck on your journey into business and life!
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