We’ve all been there. You apply for a contractor role as a content developer with a new client and they request an unpaid trial. For most established freelancers, the collaboration ends there. Requests for unpaid work are a big red flag.
Recently, I applied for a contract with a company I admired and was interviewed twice, then I broke my own rule, and spent my weekend working on a resource that wasn’t compensated. I did it to convey my enthusiasm for the company’s mission.
The problem with unpaid trials is that you are effectively giving up time and money to a new client who may not offer you any work. On top of that, compensation for any future work was being offered as an hourly rate. The problem with hourly rates for content development contracts is that the client typically decides the time it’ll take you to produce the content. The problem with both is an implied devaluation of your professionalism and trustworthiness. Nevertheless, I went ahead in this case in good faith because I shared the company’s values and supported their mission.
After delivering the resource, I was told their response was positive and I was now requested to attend a final interview. I attended the interview where the role was explained in more detail. I was questioned about my experience and qualifications a third time and about my support for the company’s values. I grew increasingly uneasy after the final interview. This was taking a lot of time out of my life for such a minor role. I had some questions.
Firstly, would they be using my intellectual property without paying a fee and signing an IP agreement? I did not agree to that, believing that providing the resource would be the final stage of the contracting process, as it always has been with other clients. However, my existing clients only ever requested a paid trial which conveys respect for my time and value. It sets a solid foundation of trust which is the basis of a mutually beneficial collaboration.
Secondly how did they propose to determine how long a project would take? My existing clients pay me per product- whether it’s an article, an online learning resource, or an editing project. It’s a much better way of working freelance, as I get to decide how long something will take and if it’s worth my time based on the product fee.
I once accepted an hourly rate several years ago when starting out as a freelancer. I was provided with a brief and told it should take a day – 7 hours work. It took between 11 and 12 hours of me working at a rapid pace. It was a recipe for burnout. I told the client how long it was actually taking and they assured me I’d speed up. I was already working at my maximum speed. I quit on day three due to additional scope creep- the client kept adding little bits of work- such as ‘then just write a social media post with a curated image’, ‘then just add these links’. It was unsustainable. It meant I was being paid a much lower hourly rate than originally agreed.
The potential client in this case explained that the organizational lead on the project I was working on would decide how long it should take, then brief me accordingly. Alarm bells began ringing and I was reminded of my previous promise to myself never to accept hourly rates again unless I can quote the time it will take. It can so easily lead to conflict otherwise.
During my final interview I was assessed again to see if I brought into the company’s mission and strategy. While I can understand that’s important when recruiting an employee, it seems like an overreach when hiring a very part-time freelancer. As it happened, I did buy into the company’s mission which was demonstrated by providing a unpaid trial. Usually requests for unpaid trials end my involvement there and then. In this case, I made an exception. Yet it felt like despite my act of good faith, I was expected to provide still more evidence of commitment.
Unpaid trials and hourly rates require freelancers to absorb all the risk entailed in working with a new client. The power relationship is unbalanced from the start. I felt like my trustworthiness and professionalism were in question despite my established profile.
So, I did some research in the freelance content development community and found that the request for an unpaid trial often ends badly. Some freelancers reported that despite not landing the role, their work was used by the client with minor changes- with no IP agreement signed or fee paid.
Potentially, an organization can leave the gig unfilled and collect a whole raft of free resources until much of their project work is complete- for free. That is what is called a rogue client by experienced freelancers. I couldn’t find any reputable freelancer who would offer an unpaid trial- except to demonstrate that they supported the company’s mission wholeheartedly. That is what I did.
The moral of the story is never accept an unpaid trial. Never agree to hourly rates when developing a product unless you quote to the client how long it will take. Hourly rates that are applied to human services like tutoring, coaching or training are another matter. The time boundary there is easy to adhere to. However, when applied to research, writing and editing, a client’s imposition of their expected time limits can lead to scope creep, push the actual hourly rate down, and the client has all the power.
Let me know in the comments if you have a similar story or if this ever worked out well for you. I ended up withdrawing my application and asserting ownership of my intellectual property. The implied lack of trust in my professionalism conveyed a potentially rocky relationship ripe for conflict. Sometimes we have to draw a boundary, reflect on previous experiences, and say no.
Investigating the writing process 