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 thrift¹ store or a hospital gift shop). And if you're seeking to volunteer for a for-profit business, think again. You cannot waive² 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 probationary³ period (试用期);
3. Register with numerous temp agencies; or
4. Become active in trade, professional, or civic⁴ organizations and indicate your desire to work for the organization.

Your persistence⁵ will produce results, but don't allow companies to take advantage of you.