“I don’t want to do free work.”
This is something I hear from a lot of job seekers when we talk about going above and beyond in the search.
Here’s the thing.
The work isn’t “free” when you factor in how much you stand to gain from a new job.
Let's do the math:
The average new job nets you a 10%-20% raise on top of your current salary.
For this example, let's say our job seeker in question makes $60,000 per year.
That's a $6,000-$12,000 raise.
Now let's say that you spend an additional 8 hours per company going "above and beyond."
Researching, creating a Value Validation Project, etc.
You have 4 companies that you're interviewing for, so you're looking at 32 hours total.
Suddenly -- oh no! Three of the companies steal your ideas and totally ghost you!
But the fourth company loves what they see and they hire you for, say, an $8,000 raise.
$8,000 / 32 hours = $250 per hour.
For context, your new $68,000 salary gives you an hourly rate of $32.69.
By doing the 32 hours worth of VVPs, you just netted yourself:
- A brand new job, getting out of the search
- An $8,000 raise at a ~$250/hour "consulting rate" (~8x the hourly rate you'll make at your new job)
- A better culture, manager, flexibility, etc
So yes, some companies may not bite or they may steal your ideas.
But the *RIGHT* company will see the value and they’ll be willing to pay you for it.
In the end, the reward is so much greater than the risk.
Btech CSE @GGSIPU | Full stack web developer | Java | Writer | Sports enthusiast
3moThanks for sharing Forage