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Why does the fact that they're unpaid interns matter?

• sago 10y ago
  Because they do not provide significant value to the company that isn't fungible. They learned how valuable they were to the company: less value than the hassle of dealing with their petition. They dramatically overrated their value, what the company thought it was already giving them, and what they deserved as a result. Entitlement can mean various things, but in terms of acting entitled in the workplace, it's a pretty good example.
• smsm42 10y ago
  Unpaid internship usually means they need the job more than the job needs them. This is not the best situation to be in, for sure, but that's the power dynamics usually.
  • foota 10y ago
    While it's true that in the short term the position benefits the intern more, I think that internships can be a significant part of an effective college grad recruiting program. Not just directly, but from mindshare and word of mouth.
    • smsm42 10y ago
      This is true, and I've worked in a company that had a very successful internship program and hired very good people as a result of it. However, when people start with pressuring you on dress code being interns, you can't help but wonder how the matters would be developing further... And then you ask - are they really that good that I should take a risk, or it's easier to me to just pass on them? Looks like in this case the decision was "pass".