This has got me really angry!!!!

Its hard to get a foot on the ladder when your starting out, especially in some industries where you have to 'prove' yourself through doing unpaid work experience placements. Before I start the rant I must say I have done a number of unpaid work experience placements, they have proved useful but have meant I have had to take a hit in the old finances with travel expenses etc. This hit can be bad for some especially if you have to pay for a hotel, as I know some people who have done this, but as the experiences are usually around two weeks the damage is limited. There is also the argument that by offering unpaid experiences you limit down your candidates just to, mainly, middle class/upper class educated people who can afford to work for free for a period of time, therefore depriving a larger number of people who are more than capable of doing the job, but cannot do so as they cannot afford not to work! The answer to both these problems is pay work experience! I think this is only fair as when you undertake work experience you don't just sit there watching, you perform actually duties that help out the company and in effect do a job for them, so as as you are doing a job you should be rewarded accordingly. Therefore companies should only offer work experience when they can pay the people for doing the placement and if they can't pay they shouldn't offer any placements!

With that in mind I found this morning a perfect example of how companies are exploiting graduates into working for a long period of time for no money, with the prospect that 'there could be a full time position at the end of it' .

Here's the job post in full

The Bank (I was going too keep the company name to myself, but sod it!!) has decided to look for a number of interns, firstly because the company is doing well and needs more people, but secondly because of the current employment situation for Graduates it is the right thing to do.

After several account wins this year, we are growing. We've recently employed a number of new employees and we are now looking for several interns to come and help our busy and vibrant agency.

We’re looking for intelligent and ambitious graduates (minimum 2:1 degree); wanting their first break into the agency-world.
You must be presentable and articulate, possess strong interpersonal skills, and have a great command of the English language.
This is a busy, fun but sometimes stressful environment, so a strong sense of humour and a degree of calm is absolutely necessary.

We would like successful candidates to commit to a minimum of 3 months

All sounds great so far, 3 months at an agency who seam to care that the graduate market is on its arse and want to do 'the right thing' by offering intern opportunities. Well I'm afraid their 'morals' go straight out the window with the remuneration!

We feel this is an opportunity for you to learn and gain industry experience first-hand. However, please note this is non-paid as we believe this is an internship of mutual benefit. We will though be paying travel expenses, and you will receive lunch each day (we have a fantastic award winning chef who feeds us all every day).
We are growing, and if you prove yourself over the 3 months whilst you’re here, employment is a real possibility.

Firstly if you are doing so well then you should be able to pay interns!

Secondly, you have narrowed your field down even more then I discussed previously from middle class who can afford it, to now only middle class who can afford it who live in London! Put it this way for a three month internship you would have to live in London with rent costing anything from £500 a month this means you could be paying a total of £1,500 exc food bills!!! That's a hell of a lot for anyone never mind graduates who are already thousands of pound in debt! So therefore this rules out anyone from outside the London area!

Thirdly this opportunity is not 'mutually beneficial' as you describe but only beneficial to you, the company, as you get someone in doing a job for no pay what so ever, and the argument that you are providing the person with invaluable experience and a great CV is a pile of sh*t!! Your employees are probably getting invaluable experience and a great CV but they are also getting paid for the job they do! Plus there is no guarantee of a job at the end of it, either at the company or any other company!

Fourthly, wow a top chef cooks lunch!!!! If, as I mentioned, the intern has to spend money on rent (£1500, exc food!!!) this may be the only meal the intern gets so it best be bloody good!

Why don't you stop pretending that you are doing this for the 'right reasons' and just say that you are doing this to get some kid in to do your dirty work for no pay what so ever! Maybe your just trying to justify it be making yourselves out to be the good Samaritans of the industry, well I can tell you that you ain't!!