Sainsbury’s, a company with 23.775 billion in revenue, just ran an advertisement, asking for an artist to work for free. It began:
Sainsbury’s are looking for a creative and an ambitious artist to voluntarily refurbish our canteen. Gain particular experience in the creative industry whilst making our community a comfortable area for our employees to escape to. We seek to find a diverse artist, so we encourage individuals from all ethnic backgrounds, genders and age groups to apply.
Artist Conor Collins wrote the perfect response of all time.
I am looking for a company worth 150,000,000 to feed all my artist friends in Manchester. Gain particular experience in the grocery industry making our community of underpaid artists (or in your case…completely unpaid!) be able to have a cooked meal. We seek a rich company, so considering your CEO’s earn on average 990,000 more than what the average UK artist you seem perfect to apply”
To keep reading, click here: Your Company Needs to Stop This Right Now
That response is perfect by Conor Collins! I found this blog through Forbes and I’m loving the content. I’m definitely going to come back for more.
I think this is my most (not) favorite part of that terrible ad:
“We seek to find a diverse artist”
This is such a gripe for me. Groups are diverse: individuals are only one thing at a time. Corporations are using “diverse” as a shorthand for “not white, male, middle-class” which is irritating but fine, if it’s used for GROUPS. But if you want to hire A SINGLE ARTIST, that person will not be diverse. They will just be themselves.
I knew that American corporations were doing this. I’m saddened to find that it’s spread to other English-speaking countries as well.
Wonderful comeback from Collins. I had a college instructor many years ago who advised my class to never work for free. While I did not have years on me then, I do now and fully agree with him. My skills, talent, and experience have monetary worth. That is not to say that volunteering is off my plate. I am happy to contribute my knowledge, skills, and talent. That is separate from being employed and being paid for my abilities.
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This is disgusting. No for-profit company should ever ask anyone to work for free. I hope the ad does damage their reputation. They deserve it.