Just say no to spec work

Occasionally people will ask me to design something for them, and that if they like what I've done, they'll hire me. This appalling practice is known as spec work, and it is a BAD THING. In the words of the No!Spec website, spec work "devalues the potential of design and ultimately does a disservice to the client." Amen to that. Usually what happens is the "client" (I use this term loosely, as to be a true client you would have to have actually hired me in the first place) takes a look at whatever you've created, tells you s/he doesn't like it, and then proceeds to steal your idea and use it as if it were his/hers in the first place.

Susan Kirkland has an excellent piece on why spec work is a BAD THING. Creative Latitude presents a cogent rationale as to why spec work is actually a bad idea. See also ad-rag.com and the response of a bunch of Canadian designers to a shoe company's "cattle call" for designers.

This isn't a completely coherent entry—I just wanted to vent a bit.