Why you shouldn't work for free?

Yeah, yeah... I know I have fallen for that trick a thousand times. If I volunteer somewhere I will gain experience, meat people, etc.... It's not all about the money and so on, blah, blah, blah...

But why I am writing this? It's because I volunteered so many times, and now I only have experience that I can't "sell".

While I was studying we didn't have any practical classes, so I thought I will volunteer in certain institutions and I will learn something new. How to use everything that I know theoretically and turn it into reality.

What happened? In many institutions they used me for the things they were lazy to do. In some places I learned a little or maybe nothing and the worst scenario is that I have earned nothing, maybe a coffee or a sandwich.

Off course the whole point of internship is that you learn something, so you can become the best in what you do. But if you already are doing someone else's job, why not get paid?

In most cases these institutions who offer you unpaid internship don't have money to actually pay you. But what do they have? Easier path to financial funds. Therefore they can always try to get you paid, but it seems that nobody cares.

In conclusion: If you want to volunteer and work for free don't do it in any institution, go and help someone. Use your time wisely.