Jobseekers could be wasting time with internships

People trying to capture that all important first sales job could be wasting their time by interning and completing tasks which they should be receiving payment for, according to an expert.

Johnny Rich, publisher of realworldmagazine.com, said that some companies exploit interns "horrifically" and basically treat them as extra employees, without providing them with a wage or giving them any additional expertise.

"We already have the minimum wage for employees, and a lot of interns doing work are actually taking the place of a paid employee and are not getting much out in return. It's ok if you are getting skills or money, or a combination of the two, but if you are not then you are being exploited," he said.

Jobseekers should spend their time hunting for sales jobs rather than interning until the government brings in legislation that would mean businesses have to pay interns, according to Mr Rich.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development recently recommended that employers should be forced to pay interns a minimum of £2.50 an hour to prevent exploitation.

Aaron Wallis are a specialist sales recruitment agency that offers hundreds of sales jobs together with some of the most comprehensive sales tips and career advice available to UK sales professionals.

Posted by Nikki Barrister

Filed: 05-07-2010