I posted last week about hiring some design and development help to take some stuff of my plate.

I received a lot of responses in many different forms.

Some saw what I was offering as an opportunity for them. Some saw it as exploitative. And many were somewhere in-between.

One reply in particular was something I’d like to share. This person opted to send it privately, for fear of vitriol towards them and me. They also gave me permission to share it anonymously.

I agree with just about every word in it.

Here‘s the message in its entirety.

Ugh, Dan… I’ve always admired your work and your contributions to the design community. But admittedly, these thoughts on hiring gave me pause. It took some courage to share my concerns, as I'm aware of the potential backlash (let's be honest, as a junior myself, this lone message could completely derail my career), but I felt morally compelled to speak up here.

Offering lower-rate junior-level compensation for someone who can exceed your own expectations (120%?!) is exploitative, especially in the current economic climate. I understand the desire to find someone who can go above and beyond, as you do for your clients. But expecting that level of performance for a significantly lower wage than industry standards, without even the guise of mentorship (again you are asking for senior-level top performers), feels disingenuous. It's one thing to ask for a little extra effort from your employee, it's another thing entirely to systematically underpay them while expecting them to over-perform. I know you have already mentioned that you do not aim to exploit anyone, but the every other word on the page seems to contradict that in practice. I mean, at one point, you even mention that you believe this person would be easy to find specifically because the market right now is tough. You mention that your inbox is bursting. That’s extremely disappointing to hear and is exploitive by definition. I know that $36k/year was on the lower end of the spectrum you listed but just to put some things into perspective, that is less than $18 an hour for a 40 hour workweek. It’s dangerously close to the federal poverty line for a family of 3, not to mention that the poverty line is already pretty outdated and fraudulently optimistic. I would argue that $30k/year (or $36k/year) should be considered poverty for even a family of one, in most American cities. To even suggest that is appropriate is extremely insulting. $60k/year is obviously better, but still very questionable as a junior, let alone a senior-level employee giving the role their all. If we are talking a 20 hour workweek instead (you did mention this) things start to look even more fair. But I would warn you run the risk of attracting candidates that look good on paper but aren't fully committed - not top talent. When you are barely paying enough for survival and offering no additional benefits, it means the only real benefit left is that the role could be a stepping stone. You are almost encouraging a revolving door.

Here is the tough truth: What you can personally afford to pay isn't necessarily what's appropriate to pay. And several paragraphs about why this approach will still work, does not morally excuse it. Sometimes, as a business owner, you have to make tough decisions and investments to ensure fair compensation. Employees are just that, an investment. And investments are a risk. If you are not willing to assume that risk so that the employment is mutually beneficial and fair, perhaps you just need to wait, or make some budget adjustments. I have hope that you are still well intended, and perhaps are just feeling a bit out of touch lately. Being out of touch as a result of your own success is certainly not the worst problem to have, and is something that's forgivable. You mentioned wanting to find a version of yourself from 15 years ago - while I enjoy that sentiment, we do not live in an economy from 15 years ago. I'm also willing to bet that 15 years ago, maybe not always, but at least occasionally, you were feeling pretty exploited too. Would Dan from 15 years ago find this acceptable? You're right, sometimes shifting values is necessary - but I would hope that they strengthen over time, not cheapen. Especially as you continue to gain influence, reach, and notoriety.

I hope you'll reflect on this and consider how your immeasurable influence can be used uplift designers, as you have in the past, not encourage them to settle for less. I have a lot of respect for you and I know you can do better, otherwise I would not have taken the time and the risk to write this.

To end this on a positive note, I do hope that (with some adjustments) you are able to find the perfect employee and that the deal is so sweet from BOTH sides that they’re excited to grow WITH your business, not waiting for the moment they can outgrow the role for a more appropriate wage. I wish you continued success, as long as it isn’t at the expense of others.

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