The Education of a Design Intern : Working for Free
Branding is something I’m passionate about, and my time as an intern at Kristian Andersen + Associates has helped me take that passion from an exciting dream to an exciting reality. That said, when I got the opportunity to do a freelance re-brand for a major operation, I offered my services up in a heartbeat and without charge. In all honesty, I felt like I should be paying them, not the other way around. While I’m happy with my experience, I’ve learned some lessons since then.
When young designers want to pad their portfolios with high-profile work, they’re often tempted to volunteer their services like I did. After all, most large companies don’t exactly jump for joy at the thought of paying a student for “amateur” work. And we, as newcomers, are desperate for the exposure a large client can give us. (It’s certainly no secret that projects for far-reaching organizations tend to be taken more seriously than projects for the local burger joint.) So, in the end, many opt for the unpaid servitude with the mindset that it’s the only way to get a big gig, and (fingers crossed) it will pay off later.
Well it might, but it’s rarely a good idea.
When designers give their services away, they not only devalue their personal contributions, but they hurt the entire design industry as well. Essentially, they send the message that design is a free, low value service. You might have a great talent to offer, but if the client gets that talent for free, they are far less inclined to value the end product. Cost drives the perception of value. If your client has invested in the project (and by association you), your recommendations and services will possess a gravity that doesn’t exist when they are given away for free. When the client pays, you’re unquestionably expected to perform, and they are motivated to see their investment through.
I have been lucky enough to learn that good ideas are worth a lot more than nothing, and when you value your work, others are significantly more likely to follow suit.
Addendum: As one reader pointed out, I should probably add an extra touch of clarity to this post. The previously mentioned project was completely separate from my paid internship with KA+A.
2009
3:44 PM
So, did you work for free, thus devaluing your work, or did KA+A respond to your offer to work for free by offering to pay you?
Virtually every industry has this conundrum. Some think their knowledge and abilities are so tremendously elite due to expertise and experience, that anyone entering the field is lucky to be considered, much less paid. Others argue that there is a surplus of demand and a shortage of exceptional places to work, so why bother to compensate interns?
What’s perhaps most interesting is how many young people simply decide to ignore this medieval guild system entirely by starting their own ventures. In Hiring is Obsolete, Paul Graham points out that failing at a startup is more impressive than a couple of years at a safe job. The lesson may be that a respected firm doesn’t have to pay its interns, but that a self-respecting intern should ensure their work is valued and actually purchased.
2009
3:18 PM
Hi Robby,
I did work for free, but the work was for another organization and wholly separate from my affiliation with Kristian Andersen + Associates.
I really enjoyed the article you attached. It’s a thought-provoking argument to say that a “failed” start-up merits more interest from prospective employers than a staid position elsewhere. Loved the theory on Bill Gates!
2009
4:23 PM
Thanks Max, that makes more sense! You might want to think about the “user experience” of your original post, as it makes it sound like KA+A is among the firms who opted not to pay you.
If you enjoy thought provoking articles about the value of services, I hear there’s one from my personal blog about http://www.robbyslaughter.com/blog/?2008-11-26“>salary signals.