就业难成了困扰毕业生的大问题。为了能得到一份工作，有些同学甚至提出"零工资"就业。这种方法可取吗？事实上，美国的学生们也面临着同样的问题。

While the idea of volunteering to work for a company for free to get your foot in the door sounds good in theory, in reality, it is simply a bad idea. 这牵涉到法律和道德问题。

Were the company to take you up on your offer, in most cases the employer would be breaking the law. 除了为一些非盈利性的组织和政府机构工作，法律规定只要你工作，就应该得到报酬，而且报酬不应该低于最低薪资标准。

"Even nonprofit and governmental organizations using volunteers cannot assign them to tasks similar to work customarily performed by employees. Volunteers cannot be involved in the nonprofit's work that is a commercial enterprise competing with other businesses (such as a church thrift store or a hospital gift shop). And if you're seeking to volunteer for a for-profit business, think again. You cannot waive the right to receive the minimum wage for the work you do; otherwise, employers could routinely exploit desperate employees by asking them to waive all or part of their wages. A reputable company is not going to risk legal liability by hiring "volunteers" - not when you could later sue them for back wages and penalties covering the hours you worked. However, as state laws vary, you should consult with a local attorney regarding the idea of working for free."

Rather than "working for free," here are a few other ideas to get your foot in the door (对中国学生也同样适用):

1. Volunteer for nonprofits to gain experience;
2. Agree to work for a lower wage for a probationary period (试用期);
3. Register with numerous temp agencies; or
4. Become active in trade, professional, or civic organizations and indicate your desire to work for the organization.

Your persistence will produce results, but don't allow companies to take advantage of you.

（改编自：英文荟萃 原作者Don Straits 英语点津 Annabel 编辑）