potentially lovely, perpetually human

wagatwe:

ostentatiousramblings:

thearcanetheory:

whoistorule:

i hate unpaid internships so fucking much

• unpaid internships exploit college graduates, most of whom have exorbitant student loans, into working 30-40 hours weeks for no pay
• at which time they start owing massive amounts of interest on their student loans
• they often don’t have time to search for other jobs
• it’s really only practical for wealthy people whocan afford to work without pay to make their resumes look prettier and network (again without pay) to get a job
• under the vain hopes that they’ll get hired at that company after their internship is up
• which frequently does not happen
• or to bolster their resume so some other company will hire them
• and if they do get a job at that company the company now doesn’t have to pay for their job training, which they’re legally allowed to do
• all of which is unconstitutional because it’s fucking illegal to make someone work for no pay
• it’s in the thirteenth amendment

so why is my generation living at home?

because no one will fucking hire and pay them a living wage that will cover rent and food and their student loans, that they have to pay because in order to get that unpaid internship in the first place they have to attend a university that is costing them between $35,000-$60,000 a year

and the debt for those loans is the only type of debt in this country that is unforgivable

that’s right even if you declare bankruptcy and have nothing left, you will still owe your student loans

so in conclusion

fuck everything in this broken system

and also pay your employees

thank

PREACH

This is all super valid, but unpaid positions are volunteer positions. Don’t do it if you think it’s such a waste of time and energy.

I feel as if it’s better not to do something if you’re going to gripe about it. Either don’t do it or don’t gripe about it. Pick a side.

I’m an unpaid intern at an amazing State Assemblymember’s office. They TRIED to make room in the budget to pay for me. Didn’t work. So his ENTIRE STAFF compensates me (and the other interns) in other ways: getting us in touch with all the right people, making sure we have food and water at work, taking us to high-profile events, letting us take lead on big-time projects, etc.

I’m not saying it’s fair to have interns overworked and not pay them a penny. But there are plenty of other ways unpaid interns are compensated. And again, it’s a volunteer position. Don’t do it if you don’t want to. You’re doing it because you either are, or are hoping to get, something out of it.

That’s life. You pay your dues and you either make it or you don’t. The most you can do is try. Times suck all around. We all have burdens to bear. Instead of whining about it, let’s at least try to make what we can of the hand our generation has been dealt. And FYI the system’s been broken a long time, it won’t be fixed overnight.

Just because “that’s life” it doesn’t mean it’s fair. It’s great that you are able to survive off of connections, going to events, and being paid at work, but not everyone is. 

Unpaid internships are a privilege. The economy is crap now…you know how much harder it is to get an entry-level job without an unpaid internship? They are being exploited. Some people cannot spend time working without being compensated. 

It is perfectly ok to complain about something that isn’t fair. Don’t like people like the above convince you otherwise.

Please Google unpaid internships, exploitation, and income inequality.

From AlterNet: 

How Unpaid Internships Perpetuate Rampant Inequality in the US

Internship culture has become a source of class division, favoring the privileged, excluding others from opportunities granted to their better-off peers.

“Recent graduates, disturbed by the dearth of job opportunities, began to take internships as a last resort to stay competitive in the labor market. Although an internship used to be akin to an apprenticeship—a temporary stint of unpaid, hands-on labor resulting in an eventual job offer—the explosion of both college students and recent graduates taking internships no longer guarantees a paid position. Instead, as more and more young people demonstrated they were willing to supply an unpaid labor force so long as it was framed as an “internship,” internships have become a means for companies and non-profit organizations to re-package once paying jobs and cut corners in a tight economy.

Internships are the new entry-level job—the same duties and basic experience, only this time without compensation or benefits.”

Internships are called internships and not a “volunteer” position for a reason. It’s seen as a necessary step to even have a SLIGHT chance at getting a paying job.

(Source: popculturebrain)