Freemium-ization of Society
Freemium models are becoming the norm for many services
I expect free tiers for every new service. I didn’t know I had this expectation until I was outraged when met with “pay to play” services. Outrageous isn’t it? How dare they charge me for something without even giving me a taste! It’s made me wonder if the freemium-ization of everything has increased skepticism and delayed trust amongst our fellow humans.
I don’t think I’m alone in feeling this way. Looking around, freemium models are becoming the norm for many services, not just software.
It’s not just free cloud storage for X many gigabytes or three free articles before I get to read more news. Like the free first sessions for massage therapists or personal trainers, I could see a world where I would expect to trial a dentist, therapist, or designer before engaging a paid service with them.
Employment has been moving this way too. I’ve had job interviews where my interview assignment was used as a product for the prospective employer. Some assignments are even disguised as challenges when they’re another method of obtaining free brainstorming sessions.
There isn’t anything wrong with job interviews being literal trials of the actual job. I think it’s smart. I’ve answered a ton of brain teaser questions like how many golf balls I can fit in a Boeing 747 and I never used that kind of knowledge-or even method of thinking-once I got those jobs. But it’s not just job interviews.
Entry-level job postings for no-name venture-funded startups that might pay ~$50k ask for a “ninja of operations”, someone who already founded a company, will find problems to figure out autonomously and have 10 years of deep-level expertise after getting a Ph.D. in the topic. I could add the ability to make a perfect pour-over coffee and micro brewing kombucha and it still wouldn’t be a joke today. This is all required to work at a company that plans to change the world by making people click ads faster.
It’s ridiculous companies with nothing but empty promises expect the world. Yet, is that any different from wanting to be “treated well because I’m worth it” when you’re on a date? From dating to paying for software and getting hired, the widespread…
