Manar Al Hinai: When it’s worth working for free

If you do decide to work for free, make sure it makes sense and adds value to your work, writes Manar Al Hinai.

‘We’d love to have a writer like you on board for our publication. We don’t pay contributing writers, however our circulation is pretty high and you’d gain a lot of exposure which would be great for your portfolio.” I can’t tell you how many times I have received an offer like this.

Last month I was invited to meet a reputable organisation that needed help with its marketing efforts; again they expected the work to be done free of charge, the association with the organisation’s name considered enough of a reward.

While this business model or approach may work for some, let’s just be honest here working for free rarely pays off.

Yes, there are certain projects I would not charge for, but as an entrepreneur and writer I have to be careful and evaluate the opportunity against the time and effort I’m going to invest in something. However, with experience I have learnt to identify the opportunities that make good business sense to give up my time for no charge. Here are some that are beneficial:

• When you work for a cause you believe in

There are times in life when it is all about giving and not about receiving, and doing good makes you feel good. So if there is a charitable organisation or a cause that you believe in that would benefit from your support, then helping out is a plus. It looks good on your CV or in your portfolio to be involved in corporate social responsibility. However, make sure this work does not affect the time spent on other projects. Make it work by setting a dedicated amount of time for charitable ventures. It could be a week per year or an hour every month. Also inform the organisation or cause you are supporting that you have X amount of hours per year for their expectations to be in check.

• When you gain real exposure as a result

The word exposure gets tossed around a lot, and nearly everyone who approached me to work for free would throw it in. However, whether it’s a famous website or an organisation that approaches you, analyse whether the exposure really benefits you and your career. For instance you could be a graphic designer, and a big government entity asks you to design a calendar or an artwork that would appear in print in all the national newspapers with your name and website highlighted. That’s definitely an opportunity to consider. However, if someone asks you to design a website in exchange for your name to appear at the foot of the page, then unless they receive six-figure visitor numbers a day, I would turn them down. Before you proceed with any request, ask these questions: how many people would be exposed to your work? If the number is large, do they fit your target audience? And would you gain any more work as a result of the exposure?

• When it adds value and credibility to your portfolio

If you are a writer who has just started out, it may be a good idea to submit free content to reputable publications. It will pay off to say that your work has been published in a leading newspaper or website as your career gains traction.

In your entrepreneurial journey, many businesses will approach you stating that giving up your time for no remuneration will benefit you in some way or another. But the majority of the time this is not the case. You will just end up dedicating time and effort for little in return when you could be spending that time developing your business and enhancing your skills. If you don’t value your time, other businesses won’t either. If you do decide to work for free, make sure it makes sense and adds value to your work.

Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer and manages her branding and marketing consultancy in Abu Dhabi. Twitter: @manar_alhinai.

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