I Am Not A Cow: I'm A Marketing, Social Media, Content Professional
Thank you Megan Sauciuc for turning me into a cow.
Believe it or not, I’m not a cow. I don’t have a hide, I definitely don’t have a dangling udder, and I do not graze upon grass. I am a 32 year old woman with fake blonde hair, two wire haired dogs, 50+ house plants, and I graze mostly on everything bagels and Waterloo Peach sparkling water. Maybe this makes me and cows one in the same to some because I am constantly asked to give away the milk for free.
Obviously I’m speaking metaphorically here, but when I say milk, here’s what I’m actually talking about:
Free marketing strategies
Free social media strategies
Free content strategies ideas
Free Facebook post examples
Free Instagram stories and in-feed examples
Free LinkedIn posts and bio examples
Free paid social media campaign ideas
Free creative brainstorms for campaign launches
Free copywriting
Free website wireframes
Free audience audits
Free brand audits
Free Canva designs and templates
Free set up of paid Facebook ads.
Free press release edits
Free media contact lists
Oh, how the list goes on and on.
Whether potential clients reach out and ask for free brand audits or a comprehensive list of free content ideas for their company, I am constantly shocked at how some businesses (many with seven-figure revenues) expect to receive work for free like it’s the most normal thing to expect in business. Freelance does not mean free. This is why project proposals, scopes, and contracts are required.
Benjamin Franklin wrote in 1748, “Remember that time is money.” Freelancers do not have idle time. In fact, nearly every freelancer I know has their days scheduled minute by minute in order to achieve their goals and reach client success. The expectation of free work in 2020 is straight up ludicrous. Imagine going into Starbucks and asking for a free latte because you just want to see how it tastes before you spend $5.00 on it. Imagine the Starbucks Barista laughing in your face (and rightfully so).
Freelancers and well, anyone in the workforce that isn’t in the 1% is out here busting our asses off trying to make a living, so no — I cannot give my marketing strategies away for free because you think your company deserves them and you believe I need your brand name attached to my client list. Adding your Fortune 500 logo to my website may seem appealing but if you can’t pay me for consulting? Your Fortune 500 logo and company morals means nothing to me. I can’t go to my landlord and say “Hey, I was paid in exposure. Does that work for my December rent?”
Companies that value people — employees, contractors, freelancers, temps — will pay fair rates for what they are asking for. Period. Any company that expects free Canva templates built or free reputation management or social media best practices without signing a contract with clear cost estimations is not a company ANY freelancer should get involved with. These types of companies usually expect endless consulting that always leans far, far out of scope. And we know one thing is true — scope creeps are the worst.
Here’s a screenshot of the presentation I put together for Mattel. The one that took nearly 15 hours. The one that I had 15 minutes to present and then only 2 questions from it came up.
While people expect the milk for free from freelancers more often than not, it’s becoming very consistent in the job search industry to expect candidates to serve up work for free, to prove they can do the role. A friend of mine in NYC has been asked to put together strategies, proposals, ad spend recommendations, content calendars, etc. Was he compensated for any of these projects (some that took 3 hours to do, not including the hour long presentation)? Absolutely not. Many of his tactics ended up being utilized days later on the brand’s social media platforms and the company couldn’t even take the time to respond back and say “Thanks for your work, but we selected another contact.”
This summer, I was asked by Mattel when interviewing for their Barbie Social Media Manager position to put together a comprehensive social media strategy for a made up sustainability fashion accessory. I spent close to 15 hours working on this presentation. I had less than 30 minutes to present. At the end of the presentation, I received only 2 questions pertaining to the deck. In 2019, Mattel’s net sales were $4.5 billion U.S. dollars but I wasn’t paid even a single cent for the work and energy I put forth. A company like Mattel could have easily dropped a reasonable flat rate for the assignment they requested, but I got nothing. Not even a follow up from the hiring manager to say “Thanks for your work.” it’s 2020, at this point, if brands are going to require assignments that require heavy lifting for candidates, I’m talking more than 90 minutes of work, candidates should be adequately compensated for their time and effort.
Recently, I saw a Content Manager role for an Atlanta based influencer send out a 50 question form demanding candidates fill it out to be considered. The form wasn’t questions like “What are your weaknesses?” Or “What three things interest you about this role?” The form essentially requested potential candidates to create not only creative briefs, mock social copy, ad copy examples, a formal proposal, but it also required potential candidates to spill endless content ideas, strategies, and execution plans. Essentially, this influencer, was asking for a potential candidate to dump their entire brain and then some into a Google Form for free. I couldn’t believe the audacity that this Atlanta influencer would have to expect someone to complete all this work for free without any guarantee that the influencer and her team would reach back out.
These are just 4 writing assignments that this influencer was requiring. For free. The list continued on and on.
Now, I believe when a candidate has made it to a certain stage in the hiring process — a small assignment or example of work makes sense. If I was hiring a social media manager, I’d want to see a few mock up posts. Notice the keyword here — a few. No company should be asking anyone who doesn’t work for them to give 20 Facebook posts, 20 Instagram captions, 20 tweets, 20 LinkedIn posts, and 20 new Pinterest board ideas unless they are willing to pay for the time, the energy, and most importantly of all — the brain share that goes into that work.
Countless companies often gather content ideas, social media tactics, marketing plans, and branding strategies from candidates during the hiring process with absolutely no intention of hiring said candidates. It’s free work, new concepts from fresh meat, and work that established teams can comb through and apply to their already established strategies. And this is just flat out unethical and wrong.
If you can’t pay a potential candidate to provide some brain share, you shouldn’t expect candidates to go above and beyond and to the moon for you. Requesting a writing sample or two or giving a new writing prompt with a cap of 150 words — ok, that’s fair. Asking for a new blog post, an email draft, a monthly social content calendar, and a fully fleshed out Facebook advertising strategy and then ask them to do a 60-90 minute song and dance presentation? Nope. Nah. No way. No company needs that much from a candidate to make a decision, period.
With unemployment rates sky high and people desperate for work, I understand the anxious feeling of “I have to do these assignments because I need this job.” I get it. I really do. As someone who watched my single mother struggle immensely with finances growing up — I, too, get visions of dollar signs in my head and sometimes feel like I will do anything to get to where I need to financially be. But I’m telling you reader, this is not the way for you to find a meaningful, fulfilling job. Companies that exploit you from the very beginning are companies that you do not want to work for, period. They will exploit you once you’ve signed your name on the dotted line. When they show you who they are during the hiring process, believe them.
As an optimist, I would like to believe there has to be a happy medium, but finding this medium honestly seems impossible. Freelancers are asked to deliver free work every day. Job candidates are asked to deliver free work with nearly every application. The more we can collectively say, “No I do not work for free” or “Yes, I’d love to do this assignment but what do you pay?” is the path to stopping free milk exploitation.
So here it is — my final, solid opinion: Stop doing work for free that feels out of scope given the situation you’re in. You’re applying for a content role? Show them your examples, write a new sample. If they want you to write multiple pieces? No. Not unless you get paid. If a freelance client wants to see what your work is like when writing web copy? Show them past examples but DO NOT give them free content for their website, unless you have money in the bank. 9/10 times that copy you write will be used on their website and you will not get paid or the credit for it.
We have to all lean in and say no, together. The more we say no — the more it’s clear that work and specific skill sets need to be valued for what they are.
You are not a cow. This milk is not for free. Starbucks charges extra for soy milk. MOO-ve along, if a company or client can’t pay, even if it feels like a dream project or a company with a blue ticket name. Say no because you’re worth more and the only way we can make this change is if we stick together and ask for businesses to step up to the plate to treat candidates and freelancers with decency.