A well-known stock photo company is currently hiring for many positions including human resources, sales and marketing, numerous tech positions, product directors, business development, photo editors and photographers.
All of these jobs are salaried and come with “first-rate Apple gear, generous vacation plan, health benefits, solid compensation/bonuses and a company culture that values empowerment, passion, integrity, courage and transparency.”
In fact, the company states that their employees enjoy “Stellar medical, dental, and vision insurance”, “Generous vacations. Game rooms”, “Competitive pay”, “Tuition reimbursement. Holiday parties”, “Fully-stocked beverage fridges. Complimentary breakfast, lunch, and snacks”, and “Subsidized gym memberships and fitness plans.”
Wow, sounds great!
Oh, wait a minute. Did I say “all of these jobs”?
I meant “all but two.”
Care to guess which two are excluded from everything?
The photographer and photo editor positions are freelance. You supply all your own gear and vehicle and get no compensation for them. You work on spec and on call. You take on all financial and legal liability and receive no benefits.
Think about that for a moment.
The people who create the actual product this company sells are paid the least and treated the worst. (The average “contributor” grosses US $511/year.)
And the company has the nerve to call this a “career opportunity.”
(I received an e-mail yesterday offering me the opportunity to become a contributor to a stock agency. The company is apparently fishing for photographers across Canada and seemingly also in the US and UK).
Spot on! (As usual).