Copyright © 1998, Nanette Miner
Permission is granted to reproduce or excerpt this article if proper credit is given in this format:
Reprinted/excerpted with permission. The Training Doctor. Author: Nanette Miner. www.trainingdr.com

Work for Free!

In the spring of 1997, I undertook a four month pro bono project for a mid-sized company. My reasoning was that the area in which the project fell was an area in which I wanted to do research and by undertaking the project for them, I had a purpose to my research and a deadline for it. As a result of that pro bono project, the organization hired me in December of 1997 for a six-week, $6,000 project and, between the summer of 1997 and December of 1997, my contact at the pro bono organization referred me to two other organizations.

You might be wondering if it’s worth it. I too, wondered if I had a uniquely good experience, or if giving of one’s time and talent always resulted in a payback of some kind. You know...the idea that “what goes around comes around”. To find out what others thought, a small, but highly targeted (15), group of consultants were polled regarding whether or not they did pro bono work and if the donation of their talents was worthwhile. Only two of the 15 said that they never did pro bono work. The rest had primarily positive things to say about their volunteer experiences.

When asked what motivated them to donate their expertise the reply’s were in two distinctly different camps: either as an act of altruism, or as a way to promote oneself. Those that donated their time as an act of altruism said things like, “it’s the right thing to do,” “I do it to support my community,” and, “I believed in the organization and wanted to help out.” While their contribution is no less valuable, the other camp went into the project believing that they would gain in some way - either increasing their visibility, being able to sell a product, marketing themselves, or practicing new material. By-and-large those positive outcomes do happen.

Three respondents stated that pro bono work is an intentional part of their marketing mix and one respondent actually allots a certain number of hours per month to pro bono work. Interestingly, the respondent who purposely plans for pro bono work stated that he experienced the least beneficial outcomes in exchange for his contributions.

Numerous positive outcomes result from donating one’s time and expertise. Among those cited: paying work follows (more than half the respondents), the ability to network with people one might not otherwise meet, the ability to learn and gain experience (new topics, new industries), exposure and name recognition, and in general--feeling better about oneself. Only one respondent said that there were no positive outcomes from donating his/her time and talents.

The list of positive outcomes far outweighed the list of negative outcomes--although negative outcomes do exist and should be considered before one commits oneself to a pro bono project. It’s interesting to note that most respondents confined their pro bono work to short term commitments (a few hours to a few months) although two respondents took on long-term, continuing commitments (over one year). The negative ramifications are, obviously, a large commitment of time and energy. This is particularly hard to justify at times when one has to also endure the hassle of traveling to and from the site of the pro bono project, when a paying job conflicts and must be turned down, and when one has barely seen one’s family in the past month. In addition, some respondents felt that their time and effort was not sufficiently appreciated by the recipient. One respondent said that they felt “taken advantage of” - that the client kept asking for more and more. Another stated that the client behaved as if “my time was their time.” Over half the respondents, however, said that they associated no negative outcomes with their pro bono projects.

It’s understood that one cannot take on every pro bono project that comes along, but fool heartedly saying “I’m not taking on any work that I’m not compensated for,” can be shooting oneself in the foot in the long run. Before you make the commitment, take a good look at the project that’s being offered, its usefulness and potential for usefulness in your own practice, as well as the ramifications of taking on that project in both your personal and professional life.