Pro Bono work

[Tasslehoff]

Working on a contact currently with very tight budget and deliverables.

Another department has an issue that I think would take between 1-3 days fix (real finger in air stuff probably much less) . The app they need fixing is totally unsupported but is business critical and they have had a falling out with the original devs.

Problem is the other department has zero budget.

Long story short, I am considering offering to fix the issue pro-bono on the provisio that they would consider me for further paid work on the system if/when arises.

Risk is I fix it and nothing comes of it, on the other hand I could get quite a bit of work out of it.

Anyone ever been in this situation before, any advice?

[vwdan]

Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole personally. Seems like a lot of risk just for a small potential chance of a small reward.

[tractor]

...

Working on a contact currently with very tight budget and deliverables.

Another department has an issue that I think would take between 1-3 days fix (real finger in air stuff probably much less) . The app they need fixing is totally unsupported but is business critical and they have had a falling out with the original devs.

Problem is the other department has zero budget.

Long story short, I am considering offering to fix the issue pro-bono on the provisio that they would consider me for further paid work on the system if/when arises.

Risk is I fix it and nothing comes of it, on the other hand I could get quite a bit of work out of it.

Anyone ever been in this situation before, any advice?

Why did they fall out with the devs? Is it just a question of they don't want to pay the bill? I would be pretty sceptical.

The other risk is that as soon as you touch it, they will hold you responsible for it whatever agreement you may make with them.

What kind of organisation has no budget for business critical assets?

[TheFaQQer]

Risk is I fix it and nothing comes of it, on the other hand I could get quite a bit of work out of it.

No - the risk is that you bugger it up, and are then left having to fix your mistake in your own time without being paid, when you could be elsewhere working.

Avoid.

[sal]

Why did they fall out with the devs? Is it just a question of they don't want to pay the bill? I would be pretty sceptical.

The other risk is that as soon as you touch it, they will hold you responsible for it whatever agreement you may make with them.

What kind of organisation has no budget for business critical assets?

^This

[Batcher]

Agree with the above and would add that very rarely does working for free lead to paid work.

[stek]

You'd think Bono could afford to pay the money he's on......

[v8gaz]

You can always use the 'my insurance wont let me work for free' argument to get out of it.

[tractor]

...

You can always use the 'my insurance mum/wife/boyfriend wont let me work for free' argument to get out of it.

FTFY

[SueEllen]

Stay well away

If it's business critical then they will find a budget.