💭 Who Can Afford to Work for Free in Tech?
Recently, I came across yet another unpaid or "volunteer" job posting in tech. And honestly, it left me with a real question:
Who is actually able to work these unpaid jobs?
Do they eat air instead of food?
If yes, I’d gladly work for free forever — but everyone needs money to live.
It might sound sarcastic, but it’s a genuine concern. As developers, designers, or engineers — our time and skills cost something. Rent, food, bills, family… none of those things go away just because the job is called "volunteer."
🧩 So, who does work unpaid tech jobs?
1. Students or beginners
Some people just getting started in tech might take unpaid work to build a portfolio or gain hands-on experience — especially if they have financial support from family or scholarships. But even then, it’s not sustainable.
2. Passionate contributors
There are developers who volunteer for open-source projects, nonprofits, or causes they truly care about. In that context, the work isn't about money — it’s about impact. But that’s very different from working for a for-profit company offering $0 in return.
3. Internships
While many internships are paid today (as they should be), some unpaid ones still exist — especially in startups or countries with weaker labor protections. These are highly debated and often exploitative.
4. People being exploited
Unfortunately, many unpaid tech roles are just scams in disguise. You’ll hear:
"We’ll pay after we get funding."
"You’ll get exposure!"
"You’re part of a founding team (with no equity or salary)."
More often than not, these promises fall apart. Developers spend weeks building products, only to be ghosted or replaced.
💬 My take
If you're asking someone to build a live demo based on your SOW (Statement of Work) before even discussing terms or a hiring agreement — that’s not a test, that’s free labor. And unfortunately, some shady companies do this just to collect ideas or code and then disappear.
No professional should be expected to deliver full work for free, without an interview, contract, or even a conversation about compensation.
✅ What’s fair?
A paid trial is fair.
A time-boxed technical challenge is fair.
A live coding interview is fair.
Asking for someone's portfolio or previous projects is absolutely fair.
But expecting full unpaid development before hiring? That’s not a job — that’s exploitation.
If you're a developer, especially a freelancer, protect your time and skill. You’ve worked hard to get here, and your work has real value.
And if you’re a company doing this: maybe rethink what kind of talent you're trying to attract — because good developers don’t work for air.