It happens every week, sometimes more than once.
A person will contact me and ask me for an hour of my time. They may be doing some academic work or research. Or they may simply ‘want to run something past you’.
I cannot understand how such persons cannot make the connection between my time and what I do for a living.
I sell my time.
Any solicitor will give you his/her hourly rate if you enquire. It could start at €250 plus vat, depending on experience and skill, and go upwards from there.
I view the person asking me for an hour of my time for free in the same way as me going into a restaurant, sitting down and asking for a free meal.
Or going into Supervalu at the other end of the village on a Friday evening and asking for a couple of large fillets of steak and a nice bottle of red. And not expecting to have to pay.
It’s absurd. It’s panhandling. Freeloading.
That is not the way the requester sees it. I accept that. But surely it’s time.
P.S. I am doing an interview this morning for a podcast. I am not getting paid. But I am getting something in return for my time: exposure, branding etc.
At least I am getting something, regardless of value.