Unpaid internships.....

Blackmagic89

Im just about to finish my Msc and start looking for work. However, every job i seem to find on the internet in my field are full-time unpaid voluntary internships. Im not very knowledgable on the legality of things like this, but is it right for an employer to have someone working for them full time with no pay whatsoever, when theres things like rent, bills, food etc to pay for. If it was a student looking for work experience while they study, i could understand because i did quite a bit of industry experience during my degree and Msc, but the majority of them are advertsiing for fully qualified people like myself. How do they expect someone to live on no pay? It just doesnt seem fair to me.

mynameistallulah

Is recruitment always "fair"? Surely you knew this was the case before you did the MSc?

There is an argument that internships should be paid, but try to enforce this and you can guarantee you will not work in that industry again. There will always be someone that is willing to work for free in order to get their foot in the door.

dandelionclock30

Working for free doesnt always get your foot in the door, I know loads of people who have volunteered and then still not been able to get a job. Its not like 15-20 years ago when it would have more or less guarenteed you a job in that area if you wanted one.
You have the choice either to do this for a few months while applying for paid work or try to get jobs either in or out of your area of work that are paid without it.

Lokolo

What are are you trying to work in?

The_One_Who

What field is it?

Unfortunately unpaid internships can be rife, and more often than not they are based in London, which doesn't help those not able to live there for free. However, depending on the field there might be ways to get experience elsewhere.

I believe that there are some rules regarding internships and the National Minimum Wage, but enforcing it is a whole other kettle of fish.

dizzyrascal

If you are "working" in a proper job the law says you should be paid the minimum wage at the very least.
It really depends on what you are expected to do in the internship and for how long?
Journalism is one area where you are still expected to work for free but the pay off is that there is usually a paid role at the end of the free stage and the rewards are good once you have a foot in the door. If there is no job at the end of the unpaid internship then it is a waste of your time.

gibson123

This drives me insane, it is a wide spread practice and is against NMW legislation. However no-one will take up the campaign... you may ask why, and here it is.... campaigns against unfairness only work if there is a political or media focus and who are the worst offenders when it comes to graduate labour .... politicians and the media especially the news media, so there is no-one decrying this practice.

k12479

As others ask, what field is it?

Unpaid internships are unheard of in many sectors, just as they are prevalent in others. If there is an excess of supply over demand (i.e. graduates/entry-level workers) then unpaid or low wages will be the norm. In fairness, you should've considered this before undertaking an MSc.

The_One_Who

dizzyrascal wrote: »

If there is no job at the end of the unpaid internship then it is a waste of your time.

I would disagree. Obviously you would be doing it with the intention of getting a job at the end of it, but in some fields you need to do it to even stand a chance in the first place. I think you just need to be careful of how long you intern for (I'd say six months should be a maximum, but it might depend on the field) and ensure that you really take advantage of the opportunities offered to you.

gibson123

The OP was asking if it is fair, the answer is no it is not fair. The fact that this is becoming the norm is shocking. It's time for some-one to intervene and tighten up the laws.

The_One_Who

I don't think they are fair either, and have faced obstacles in not being able to undertake one myself.

I don't know if they are becoming "the norm", but they have been so in some sectors for quite a while. It won't change overnight. There is always more people looking for and willing to take them, than there are places available.