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When Working for Free Pays Off & When It Doesn't

If you're lucky enough to have a full-time job in this economy, the thought of taking on additional unpaid work is probably about as appealing as submitting to an all-over body waxing and may seem as fruitless as trying to teach the Kardashians about modesty.

Chances are you're already working hard enough, right? But, if you're looking to improve your karma, build your portfolio, or grow your network, sometimes giving away a "free sample" or two can prove pretty profitable.

The following are some great reasons to do a little pro bono work:


I have a friend who's an incredibly talented graphic designer. She's also a busy mom who finds herself taking on a lot of projects to support her kids' schools. Additionally, she lends her talents to the not-for-profit Dress for Success. Her plate is pretty full and she'll often joke that 90 percent of the work she's doing is unpaid. But people adore this woman and truly value her time and effort. She…

When Your Career Resembles Reality TV ... Minus the Limo Ride

July 03, 2015 A dear friend of mine has been caught in what has to be "the most dramatic company restructuring ever!" After weeks of gossip and speculation along the lines of "You'll be given our reorganization chart. If you're on it, congratulations, you are in. If you can't find your name, please pack your Dilbert desk calendar and go," he received the mysterious and long-awaited diagram but, alas, did not find his name.

So, he'll spend the next two months lame-duck-ing it and then he'll be "free" to start the arduous process of looking for his next gig.

Needless to say, I feel for him. The whole unfortunate handling of his lay-off reminds me of the bizarre way my colleagues and I were let go, which went a little something like this: You're busy trying to do your job yet you know any moment you could be invited to join a conference call that may or may not spell out your termination. Great for morale, right?

And we spent months like that. Unti…