Why you should consider working for free

I am often asked how it was possible that I went from a real estate agent who only transacted a few deals a year, to the Director of Sales and Marketing for one of Canada’s top teams, in less than 2 years. My answer: I was willing to work for free.

At 30 years old, I had just started a new career in real estate. With plenty of work experience and a Master’s Degree, I had made the incorrect assumption that this immediately made me valuable in the industry. It took 2 grueling years and one serious reality check for me to understand that I had a great deal of learning to do. How does one gain experience when nobody wants to give work to somebody inexperienced, I asked myself? The answer suddenly seemed so obvious, volunteer for the people who are successful in doing what it is you are hoping to do.

I must admit, I was not thrilled with the idea of interning; it felt like something people in their early 20’s did, but without working for free, there was simply no way to gain the exposure I needed. Luckily, there were people at my office who I knew were growing and who desperately needed the extra help; I started off doing a great deal of administrative work but slowly received greater and greater responsibility.

It’s important to understand that when you’re trying to make a major career change, that you are likely going to have to eat some shit and what I mean by this is that you may have to work long hours at tasks you are over-qualified for and for no pay. I know it sucks, but trust me when I say there is massive opportunity in this.

Few people will turn down free labour; by providing that free labour, you will be able to work with and for people you may not otherwise be able to. You just need to get in the door, once you’re in there, now you can show them your worth and they will eventually make room for your permanently.

So now that I’ve hopefully convinced you that interning is a great stepping stone, I wanted to provide you with 8 strategies that I truly believed propelled me to my current roll, in a very short time period.

1. Show up.

When volunteering, it’s easy to prioritize pretty much anything else in your life, specifically those things that will in fact make you money. If you are really looking to make drastic changes in your life however, you have to show up and show up EVERY SINGLE DAY. Show up early, show up prepared and in my opinion, show up dressed for the job you want, not the job you have. Now is the time to show others how badly you want it.

2. Observe.

You’ll be excited to want to show your value right away, which is great, just make sure not to ruffle too many feathers right off the bat. Being the newbie means you have a fresh set of eyes; perhaps there are problems that you can see that the people you work for no longer can. However, it’s important to keep in mind that you do not necessarily see the full picture. My suggestion, observe and listen for awhile, then slowly, and deliberately, make suggestions. Be open to feedback and adjust accordingly.

3. Self awareness.

Through self reflection I have learned a great deal. As it turns out, the job I originally thought I wanted, was not necessarily a job I would be good at. I lack some of the hustle and grit required to really make it as an entrepreneur but I’m great at executing, systematizing and looking for ways in which we can be more effective. These traits make me a great #2 and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s only because I was open to making adjustments along the way, that I was able to see this, however, and so I challenge you to have some self awareness when it comes to your career and never let your ego stand in the way.

4. Don’t come with problems, come with solutions.

Anybody can point out a problem because problems are everywhere. What I believe made me stand out from others was that if I saw an issue or challenge, I would deal with it head on. If something doesn’t exist that should, then create it; if you recognize a bottleneck in the system, then fix it. Take the initiative, work additional hours and come with an answer and not another issue. Trust me when I say they will appreciate your resourcefulness.

5. Share knowledge.

In an industry as competitive as real estate, it’s easy for people to be guarded with their ideas because after all, every individual at the office is technically your competition. I come from the opinion that the pie is always big enough; the true winners rise to the top not because they know something others don’t know, but because they executed and worked harder than everybody else. So, with that in mind, share your ideas and your knowledge with others. You may only have one shot to prove your worth so now is not the time to keep quiet.

6. Say yes.

When you’re new, it’s important to have your hands in as many pots as possible. If an opportunity comes up, put your hand up. Say yes and figure it out. Exposure is key here; exposure to others as well as exposing yourself to new tasks. This is how you’ll learn and it’s also how you will figure out what aspects of the business you truly excel at.

7. Never let money be the deciding factor.

If you are in it for the money, you will make different decisions then if you are in it because you are truly passionate about your job. It’s unfortunate but I’ve seen people make decisions for short-term profits which ended up being detrimental to their own career or business. Be patient. The money will come.

8. Trust.

There will be moments where you may feel you are being taken advantage of; but if you are working for people who you admire, then you need to trust that they will eventually reward your work and ultimately your loyalty. Trust the process.

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