Tim Eavenson has written a thought-provoking blog about working for free, based on a story on NPR this morning profiling Ariel Horn, the head of a small ad agency in New York, who thinks he’s come up with a novel model for riding out the recession.
Horn has opened his doors to out-of-work execs to come in with their laptops, and utilize his company’s empty workspaces to look for work. They can use the company’s desks, and presumably the internet connection, and can spend all day just sending out resumes, if they want.
They can also “brainstorm” with Horn about possible pitches to TV stations or other clients. If one of the job seekers’ ideas hits, it could spell work at the Horn Group for a member of the unemployed brain trust.
From the NPR story:
If one of the ideas takes, it could lead to a job for Horn and his agency. It’s happened before, and when it does, Horn hires the person who came up with the idea. He pays them by the project, with no benefits. For Horn, this kind of business model has a big advantage. The people who come here have all kinds of backgrounds — digital marketing, social networking, music videos. It means Horn’s agency can function like a much bigger company than it really is.
Eavenson debates the merits and potential problems of this strategy
He asks, ”Is it a little deceptive to “open your doors” to down-on-their-luck executives just to tap into their various networks and ideas? Maybe. But like the story notes, one of the biggest problems with losing your job is the feeling that your talents aren’t being utilized. If Horn’s method lets these guys keep their mojo while they’re searching, doesn’t that stand for something?”
Yes it does.
On the downside, Eavenson wonders if the business model a blatant violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act? ”Yeah, maybe,” he says, ”but so are most of the unpaid college internships in this country.”
My new-lawyer/compliance/fear-of-lawsuit brain says he should be putting some enormous waiver or contract in place before the “job searchers” ever plop down at a desk, but the part of me that wants to see the economy improve, see the concept of employment evolve, wants to encourage fostering partnerships with all levels of workers, that part of me wants Horn’s thing to be the Next Big Thing, no roadblocks, please.
Here’s my take:
In my former life as a graphic designer working in advertising and marketing, what you describe as working for free was called working on spec, and perfectly acceptable for many, especially for those starting out and wanting to get a foot in the door. Agencies still have to work on spec to create elaborate ad campaigns to win accounts.
I think Ariel Horn is doing a world of good providing work space for the unemployed. As a life and business coach I have been working with corporate refugees, the newly unemployed in recent months and I can tell you they are scared, depressed, cut off from their network and suffering from a loss of confidence. If their identity is tied to their job, they are really in trouble.
Tough times call for creativity, and it can be hard to find solutions in isolation. Ariel Horn is creating a win-win situation, giving people a space to connect, collaborate, create and find hope for the future, as well as keeping talent close by. He may not be able to hire them full time, but isn’t it great he can hire them on a freelance basis?
