[hnriot]

Working for free does not mean the work is worthless. This is just an insane idea. Let's say I volunteer building houses for people in the 3rd world, or I give free talks at my daughter's school, or I help some friends get their startup off the ground, none of these means they are worthless. This must be a cultural difference thing, but giving freely of your time for endeavors you believe in should not make you think my work is worthless to you. Compensation comes in many forms. Money is just one of them.

[kami8845]

Yeah I agree. But they were trying to hire somebody for a salaried position and in an age where 100k salaries for newgrads are a commodity offering to do that job for 0k really does say a lot about you. I'm not saying OP shouldn't work for free, just that he should try to sound less desperate. The job search is like dating. If I tell my partner on the first or second date that I love them and would do everything for them, that sends the worst signals.

[danso]

> Let's say I volunteer building houses for people in the 3rd world, or I give free talks at my daughter's school, or I help some friends get their startup off the ground, none of these means they are worthless.

You're right, but the difference is perspective. In those situations, the "employers" expect the work to be free, because they are "paying" you in non-monetary ways (such as, continued or closer friendship). So someone offering to do work for free is meeting their expectations.

In the case of a stranger approaching a company...An employer is expecting such work to cost money...and if someone unknown offers to do that work for free...then there are multiple ways to interpret that offer, many of them detrimental to the candidate:

1) The candidate is actually not very good or is inexperienced, or else he would know that he could be getting paid good money to do what he is offering to do.

2) The candidate sees the proposed work as trivial. See 1)

3) The candidate is desperate, leading the employer to wonder if either #1 or #2 have something to do with that.

4) The candidate sees the employer as desperate.

5) The candidate is actually very good and is fully confident that his work will knock the employers' socks off.

Sure, #5 is possible. But likely?...

[lubujackson]

He was clearly #1, inexperienced. Which the job application said was OK as long as you were willing and able to learn as you go, so there is a clear narrative he's following: "let me prove that I can work myself into this role."

The side benefit is that even if he fails or works for free for a month or two he will have gained valuable experience that could get him a job elsewhere.