Unpaid Work Isn’t a Badge of Honor

I once pitched myself to a small brand through an Instagram DM. 

It wasn’t a fancy message, just a straightforward intro saying this is who I am, I like what you’re doing, and I’d love to work with you. 

They replied and asked to see examples of my work so I passed along a few projects in my portfolio. 

This was the reply I received:

“Would you want to try to write some short things in [redacted business name] voice? I'd love to see if you can grok it. We're going to be working on ads soon. It's something I'd be up to consider.

That said, to be clear, we're really not hiring for writing but if you're interested in some portfolio work I'd love to give you some chance to grow your folio.”

At first, this message seemed positive. The work I sent them was impressive enough that they wanted to see if I could nail their voice.

And then I thought about it a little more…

They’re working on ads. 

They want me to write sample ads.

However, they’re not hiring. 

And freelancing ain’t free.

I’ve been in this industry long enough to hear horror stories about this exact situation. 

I could write banger copy for their brand for free as a way to prove I’m capable of landing the gig. But I don’t know them, they could run away with my words and I wouldn’t see a dime for my efforts. 

So in return I said, 

“I understand you're not hiring for writing at the moment, but I don’t typically take on unpaid work, just one of my principles as a freelancer. If you're open to discussing a fee for some samples then I'd love to collaborate. LMK your thoughts.”

They went on to tell me that sometimes as a contractor you have to be willing to take risks and accept unpaid work. 

CUE THE CIRCUS MUSIC. THE RED FLAGS HAVE ENTERED THE CHAT. 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩

First of all, sir, how dare you. 

I’m five years into this thing and while I might have taken that kind of risk in year one, I’m not handing you killer work free of charge. I have bills to pay and eggs to afford. 

I know my worth so thank you but, no thank you. 

Professionally, my reply back read, “I'm going to pass for now. If your budget ever allows for a copywriter, I'd be happy to connect again in the future.”

She shoots…she doesn’t score. 

Not every cold pitch is going to be a homerun.

And this was definitely a strikeout. 

The risk for me was sending the cold pitch to the DM’s in the first place.

I might not have landed the gig, but one thing's for sure I know my worth and I don’t sacrifice it to prove myself to anyone so I will keep moving forward with my integrity intact.

I will not let anyone tell me that in order to grow my business I have to volunteer my efforts. 

In this economy? Hard pass.

Xo, The Salesgirls