THE INDEPENDENT: Are we all working for free?

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Sir Cary Cooper CBE, professor of organisational psychology & health at the University of Manchester, says this is a no-win situation for freelancers: “I think this is a serious problem. It’s natural for freelancers to look to build relationships with potential clients, and working on-spec is tempting when the client dangles the carrot of future commissions.

“But it rarely works out the way the freelancer expects and it can lead to a broad lowering of demand for experienced professionals.

“Some businesses, especially those in glamorous or competitive industries, do suffer with a sense of entitlement. They appear to believe that having their name on your portfolio is payment enough for a young, inexperienced freelancer.”