Yeah I agree. But they were trying to hire somebody for a salaried position and in an age where 100k salaries for newgrads are a commodity offering to do that job for 0k really does say a lot about you. I'm not saying OP shouldn't work for free, just that he should try to sound less desperate. The job search is like dating. If I tell my partner on the first or second date that I love them and would do everything for them, that sends the worst signals.