Unpaid Internship Advice

[Hutchmaster]

Hi guys, hoping I can get a bit of advice on this.

I'm about to graduate from my undergrad media degree and as you can probably imagine, getting work is proving very difficult as the industry is so competitive. However, I've been approached by a well-known broadcaster offering me an interview for a 3-month internship. The role is more or less exactly what I want to do; the issue however is that it's unpaid and in London for three months.

Does anyone know of or have any advice on how I could fund this, such as grants or schemes etc.? I'm a massive tit and have no savings, and while my family have been very helpful getting me through financially for my degree, they wouldn't be able to help me out with this. As well as that the internship is full time and could include weekends meaning getting a part time job could be difficult.

One positive thing is that I potentially have somewhere to stay rent-free just outside of London, so that's a big expenditure accounted for. However I would obviously need some form of funding for general living costs such as transport etc.

I realise I'm clutching at straws here and I've already resigned myself to having to turn the interview down but I thought I'd give an ask in here in vain hope, due to it being a job I would absolutely love.

Cheers!

[CRW5252]

18 minutes ago, Johnkhutch said:

Hi guys, hoping I can get a bit of advice on this.

I'm about to graduate from my undergrad media degree and as you can probably imagine, getting work is proving very difficult as the industry is so competitive. However, I've been approached by a well-known broadcaster offering me an interview for a 3-month internship. The role is more or less exactly what I want to do; the issue however is that it's unpaid and in London for three months.

Does anyone know of or have any advice on how I could fund this, such as grants or schemes etc.? I'm a massive tit and have no savings, and while my family have been very helpful getting me through financially for my degree, they wouldn't be able to help me out with this. As well as that the internship is full time and could include weekends meaning getting a part time job could be difficult.

One positive thing is that I potentially have somewhere to stay rent-free just outside of London, so that's a big expenditure accounted for. However I would obviously need some form of funding for general living costs such as transport etc.

I realise I'm clutching at straws here and I've already resigned myself to having to turn the interview down but I thought I'd give an ask in here in vain hope, due to it being a job I would absolutely love.

Cheers!

I don't have any knowledge of the industry but could you not get a part time job using Deliveroo or Uber? They are both more flexible that your typical part time job. As you don't have to pay rent that should be able to cover your expenditure. It would be a tiring 3 months though!

On a side note, I think it is pretty shocking that this is legal. Exploiting the fact that jobs in this industry are so few and far between doesn't sit well with me.  

[pink_triangle]

20 minutes ago, CRW5252 said:

 

On a side note, I think it is pretty shocking that this is legal. Exploiting the fact that jobs in this industry are so few and far between doesn't sit well with me.  

Agreed, I think the intern system is wrong because it gets round the minimum wage and favours those who can afford to work for free. I think it should be banned.

[eFestivals]

8 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

Agreed, I think the intern system is wrong because it gets round the minimum wage and favours those who can afford to work for free. I think it should be banned.

Yep.

efestivals has told a festivals services company to do one with their advertising wants (paid advertising wants, this is efests turning away money) after they'd advertised for an unpaid intern - slave - for the summer.

What keeps the slavery going are the people prepared to give their support to slavery.

Edited July 2, 2017 by eFestivals

[priest17]

I did an unpaid internship at an animation company for 6 months and managed to stay on the dole the whole time, not sure that'd be enough to keep you alive in London though.