Unpaid internships - Is the system fair?

A couple of years ago, the word 'unpaid internships' was not used massively, but now it has become a common starting point for most graduates.

It has now been just over a week since I had to leave my deputy editor position with Total Football Magazine.  To give a short story, a paid freelancing contract which had been agreed on, fell through due to financial issues.

I had to leave, I had no choice.  I had worked unpaid for six months, and while I was annoyed and disappointed with how it all ended, I have still learnt a lot and will take this into future employment.

An opportunity into the working world

So is the system of unpaid internships a fair one?

In my view, it is not fair at all.  What do they offer to graduates?

Admittedly, they do offer upcoming graduates an opportunity to get into the working world.  You do learn some new and valuable skills while in these positions.

In my role, I learnt a lot more about the editing and subbing process of stories, how to use a CMS (Content Management System) and improving my confidence in adapting to communicating with various press agencies and liaising on press releases – deciding if they were worth being turned into a story for the website I worked on.

There were some stressful times, occasions where I doubted myself but as time went on, I did grow in confidence and I did enjoy it.  Working from home as it was an online position did make it easier too.

There was talk of a paid position and it was frustrating to not get official confirmation, despite repetitive requests.

Perhaps deep down, I knew that this could be the final outcome and sadly, this is what happened.

Many senior people are abusing the system, treating new employees very badly.  Perhaps there were some financial issues but I've believed since my second year at University that honesty is the best way forward.  

On occasion, I didn't think this was always happening but that is just my general feeling.  The  experience of running an online football website wasn’t a complete waste of time for me, but I could have done with some cash. 

It would have been more worthy filing papers and making tea in a tedious office job.  At least you will more than likely get paid for that!

Employment law says it all

The guidelines of the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) say:

“If someone is expected to undertake ‘work’ for any organisation, they are entitled to be paid the NMW (National Minimum Wage) – even if there is no written contract in place.

“However, the issue of whether an intern classes as a ‘worker’ is made more complicated by the fact that, in some circumstances, they could instead be classed as ‘volunteers.’  In which case, the NMW legislation does not apply.”

However, there is also a difference between work experience and internships.  Work experience programmes often happen for a fortnight and sometimes could last a month.  

If you apply for this, you know that you will be getting experience but won’t be paid, unless there is an arrangement with travel expenses.

Work experience though does not last six months.  It means in my situation and I’m sure in many others, it is wrong.  The system is quite frankly illegal.  

Graduates are being made to do slave labour basically.  Everyone is aware of the economic meltdown on a worldwide scale, but it doesn't hurt to show some equality here and again.  

The experience is valuable, don’t get me wrong but entry-level staff should be paid after four weeks if an employee wants to keep them on for a longer period of time.  

This isn’t just to write one article per fortnight (which you wouldn’t expect to be paid for), this is if you are doing a minimum six-hour day, five days a week.

Filing papers is tedious but you are likely to be paid for it

Under employment law, people who work and do set tasks, which can be as simple as writing notes, making coffee and typing up letters into a Word document should be entitled to being paid.

Unpaid internships are illegal and there are more cons than pros.  Experience is one thing, slave labour is quite another. 

As I am a 2012 University graduate, think very carefully before applying for these positions.  The chances are there is more likely to be sacrifice rather than gain at the end of it all. 

For me, it is now paid positions or I’m not interested, it is as simple as that.  And I might even return to education if that will help.

My experience was testing, valuable and useful, but I got out at the right time.  

Perhaps this is one avenue that should be looked at in future by the coalition government.  Ban unpaid internships – they are immoral and illegal.  End of story!    

Categories: Coffee, Employment, Experience, Freelance, Graduates, Internship, Skills, Unpaid, Website, Writing

The graduate job market

You would have thought that after getting a 2:1 degree classification from a three-year journalism course in the summer, it would have been easy to get a paid job. 

Realistically, that was never going to happen and so it is proving out to be the case.  In an uncertain economic climate, the graduate job market has serious pressures. 

Nobody wants to be unemployed especially as in my case; you have moved back home to live with parents and are having to pay to stay there. 

Although I am doing some freelance work in my free time, the process has been frustrating to go through.  Even the retail industry isn’t interested, which doesn’t help matters.

Shortly after I finished my degree, I was lucky enough to get an online internship with Total Football Magazine, initially during Euro 2012 and as a sub-editor and features writer.

I impressed the editor so much that I got promoted into the deputy editor role from the beginning of this month, which has extra responsibility and has made life much tougher for me.

Growing frustrations

The challenges thrown at me have been immense and largely, I have enjoyed the experience despite some growing frustrations along the way.

I am being tutored by an editor who was masses amounts of experience in the media industry and he knows what he is talking about. 

Trust me, stray commas, sentence structure and poor headlines have annoyed me too!

He changed my covering letter from a dull and drab piece into a sharper, shorter piece. 

While I shouldn’t be using a template and won’t be from now on, his example to me was invaluable for myself.  I apologise now to anyone who thinks I’m a boring old fart.

The only disappointing thing is I’m not being paid and therefore, a long-term future is unlikely.

I have applied for countless paid jobs.  Some of them have been internships; others have been temporary contracts and some in permanent positions.

Determined to make a breakthrough

I’m determined to breakthrough into journalism.  I was put onto this planet to get into the media sector, not to be a waiter, a bin man or to stack shelves on the supermarkets of ASDA every weekend!

Most got back to me with the term ‘high volume of applications.’  Some didn’t even bother to reply.  I wish all employers did find the time to reply in some form of way, it’s unprofessional otherwise.

I’ve even tried to get back into retail.  I had to quit my job of six and a half years in June as I was leaving Northampton and couldn’t get a transfer back to my local store due to the lack of desired hours. 

You could actually earn more signing on than working a measly four hour Saturday shift nowadays – I checked those figures a long time ago.

Has there been any joy with retail?  No.  I’ve done eight applications, just one interview and no job.  With Christmas around the corner, I need something fast or it will be slim pickings this year.

I have had a bit more luck this week, with some unpaid article work for a student graduate website which should be setup in the next few weeks.

An unlikely avenue

Radio and headphones with a microphone could be a new avenue

Then, on Friday – I got the go-ahead to start an online talk show for an online radio company on a topic of my choice.

I have to record three 15 minute auditions in October, before whether they decide to take me on permanently in one hour slots.

Should I be successful, I would be earning a little bit but nowhere near enough to survive and please those closest to me.

The search continues and as the temperature starts to drop rapidly outside, here’s hoping for the big breakthrough in the graduate job market.

From my experiences, I have felt downbeat on occasions and annoyed too when you get no responses back to job adverts but I won’t give up. 

Some advice for those in a similar position, keep trying, keep applying because you just don’t know what is around the corner.

If someone had said radio was a potential career avenue last year, I would have laughed at them.  The news at the end of last week shows to always expect the unexpected.

Categories: ASDA, Christmas, Degree, Economy, Editor, Internship, Job, Journalism, Media, Northampton