Know your value - don't work for free

I was thinking about this article for quite sometime as since moving away from full time employment its amazing how many people approach you and ask for introductions and speaker gigs without payment. Don't get me wrong, when you start out in business you have to do some stuff for free to get testimonials and experience but the point in this article is to consider your own value. I meet so many that undervalue their experience and connections. I have always offered some help to people starting out in their careers and love to be a mentor to others, but I also know that others have felt disillusioned by working for free.

If you decide to take an intern on, please pay them even its the bare minimum, I used to hear some companies not even pay for travel expenses. So if you are a speaker or consultant, even if you can't guarantee a fee, make sure there are travel expenses covered or you understand what you get out of the arrangement. A friend of mine used to put the normal rate on the invoice and then discount it off the normal fee so the client could see the value.

Influencers, just because someone gives you free stuff, don't feel compelled to promote it. Free dresses don't pay the rent cash does. You might want to help friends and family and we all do but if people see you as the person that does everything for free its very easy for people to take advantage of this. Even if no money changes hands, make sure they're value exchanges.

Money isn't everything of course and there are all sorts of way you can be compensated without money for example. Experience swap - ie is there something your contact can do that you need or are particularly weak on. Can you get a free advert in a magazine maybe or receive great online reviews. If you do end up taking a job on for free, make sure that you don't have to further invest in a project, eg making extra telephone calls, or using your software(eg photo library credits) . Lastly you can always say that paid clients need to take priority.

If you work as a volunteer for a charity or organisation then you make a choice to do this and as long as you know what you are signing upto, then this is fine.