Isn't that rather the whole idea of 'volunteering'?
The big charities have shitloads of money. Sure, it's nice to help a charity, but why would someone want to do the job of a very well paid manager for free when they're not there? It just feels like you're being exploited.
I once got sent to an interview for a volunteering role, to find out that basically a woman wanted a volunteer to do her job while she went on holiday. So basically she was getting paid for someone else doing her job for 2 weeks?
Thanks for your replies, its interesting to read differing opinions on them. I'm all for gaining experience and training plus getting a good reference, but I think internships are appearing more and more in the place of real jobs. Particularly in my line of work (museums) and its very frustrating to spend months working very hard for no wage and to get a "it was nice having you, we'll give you a reference when you need one" at the end. But the opportunity for the reference never arises.
I think I'm just in one of those "I'm never going to get my dream job so what's the point" kind of moods.
Isn't that rather the whole idea of 'volunteering'?
Within 2 days of starting the thing, he was covering the guy who manages him (and is paid a salary!) When the manager is in, it's fine, it's more like a volunteer role where he can decide his hours, how long to take for lunch, if he needs to go and do something (say the bank) he can do. Yet if the manager is off he has to stay and cover him (usual work hours, even if there's nothing to do, he has to stay until 5pm in case a printing need happens) and he doesn't get paid for this. I wouldn't complain if it was just volunteering, but covering a member of staff and not paying him is taking the mick.
I think it depends what you do, with 'oversubscribed' industries such as media, journalism and fashion I have heard stories of interns being used as free labour, however in finance and law for example, if you 'make the grade', i.e. fulfil their requirements, you can be compensated very well.
Within 2 days of starting the thing, he was covering the guy who manages him (and is paid a salary!) When the manager is in, it's fine, it's more like a volunteer role where he can decide his hours, how long to take for lunch, if he needs to go and do something (say the bank) he can do. Yet if the manager is off he has to stay and cover him (usual work hours, even if there's nothing to do, he has to stay until 5pm in case a printing need happens) and he doesn't get paid for this. I wouldn't complain if it was just volunteering, but covering a member of staff and not paying him is taking the mick.
The beauty of being a volunteer is that if you don't like the way things are done in the organisation, you can leave.
I can't stand the word 'internship'. What happened to good old 'work experience', or, even better, apprenticeships?
Me neither. I think I'd prefer internment to internship. At least then you get your accommodation and food provided free.
And what if you come to the end of your internment (or internship) and find that you don't get on with the people/can't stand the boss/don't like the work - or that for whatever reason they don't give you a job?
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As long as you get at least one of those it's worth doing. The problem is that a lot of so called 'interships' are just slave labour these days.
The big charities have shitloads of money. Sure, it's nice to help a charity, but why would someone want to do the job of a very well paid manager for free when they're not there? It just feels like you're being exploited.
I once got sent to an interview for a volunteering role, to find out that basically a woman wanted a volunteer to do her job while she went on holiday. So basically she was getting paid for someone else doing her job for 2 weeks?
I think I'm just in one of those "I'm never going to get my dream job so what's the point" kind of moods.
Within 2 days of starting the thing, he was covering the guy who manages him (and is paid a salary!) When the manager is in, it's fine, it's more like a volunteer role where he can decide his hours, how long to take for lunch, if he needs to go and do something (say the bank) he can do. Yet if the manager is off he has to stay and cover him (usual work hours, even if there's nothing to do, he has to stay until 5pm in case a printing need happens) and he doesn't get paid for this. I wouldn't complain if it was just volunteering, but covering a member of staff and not paying him is taking the mick.
The beauty of being a volunteer is that if you don't like the way things are done in the organisation, you can leave.
It's more me that gripes about it than him. Basically he can't get a job, so this gives him something to do.
Me neither. I think I'd prefer internment to internship. At least then you get your accommodation and food provided free.
And what if you come to the end of your internment (or internship) and find that you don't get on with the people/can't stand the boss/don't like the work - or that for whatever reason they don't give you a job?