CHAIN IGNORES QUESTIONS ABOUT ITS THREE-MONTH, UNPAID INTERNSHIP
The high street fashion chain French Connection (FCUK) has advertised a full-time, three month unpaid internship on their company website — and ignored multiple emails from us asking how they feel this fits with National Minimum Wage legislation, as part of our Pay Your Interns campaign.
After 18 emails and five phone messages from Graduate Fog — sent over six weeks to four members for the HR and press office teams — we are still waiting for a response about the company’s internship policy. But we can see the brand is currently advertising a three-month internship on their own website, which is full-time and pays expenses only. It also appears to be a position which is effectively permanent; the intern is just replaced every three months. (The ad seems to be permanent – only the start date for the next placement changes). Here is the ad in full:
PRESS AND MARKETING
Work Placement DetailsAbout us:
French Connection are a premium high street brand, offering a fashion-forward, design led range of quality products at affordable prices. Our customers, typically aged 18-35, appreciate that the brand is at the leading edge of high street fashion and always create unique collections rather than throw away fashion. We design ranges of both men’s and women’s products from underwear to outerwear, casual wear to suits, denim to dresses, accessories and kidswear.Fantastic work placement opportunities for fashion-loving individuals to join the in-house press team based in vibrant Camden.
You are:
The successful candidate will be studying on a fashion, PR or media related course at HND/Degree level or come from a PR agency background who wants to gain in-house experience.You will also need to hold the following key qualities:
– Hard working
– Diligent
– Strong communication skills
– Organised
– Computer literate (Excel, Outlook and Power Point)
– Able to handle pressure in a fast paced working environment
– Good telephone manner
– Ability to work independently and within a team
– Have a passion for fashion
– Genuine interest in PR and fashionWe offer:
In return we will offer you a three-month work placement (full or part-time) within a fast pace press office where no two days are the same. You will gain first hand experience of life in an in-house press department and throughout your time with us you will build media contacts and a breadth of knowledge vital for getting your first step on the PR ladder.This work placement is unpaid; however travel expenses will be re-reimbursed.
Next work placement available starting: January 2012
So if you think you have got what it takes to make an impact in the world of PR, we want to hear from you!
French Connection can hardly claim they can’t afford to pay their junior staff — the company recently reported a rise in profits this year, when a spokesperson for the brand predicted “great opportunities” for the business in the coming months.
So what are they thinking of, advertising this role so brazenly – and not responding to any of our emails?
We’re not sure we have “what it takes to make an impact on the world of PR” – but we do hope this blog post has “what it takes” to give you a bit of bad publicity.
*Have you been FCUKed by French Connection?
Have you interned for the brand? Or are you shocked by their arrogance?
Dear FCUK, you have just lost mine and my families business due to your non-payment of workers. Its all very well saying you operate a “Corporate Social Responsibility”
http://www.frenchconnection.com/content/investor-relations/csr.htm
and investigate “working practices” and uphold the fact that employees “should be paid a fair wage” abroad, but when you actually pay no heed to the ethical considerations or law in the UK then you simply don’t deserve my business.
I’ve sent an email to them myself. I hope other readers of this site will do the same.
Follow the Careers link at the bottom of their website. The listing is under Press & Marketing on the left-hand side menu. And, yes, the ad really is there. Pathetic.
I called French Connection press office myself, as a member of the public. They haven’t returned my call.
Ask to speak to Christine in legal, she’s dealing with it.020 7036 7200.
@Peter
I haven’t spoken to her – what did she say?
That she’ll bring it up with the relevant parties and to call her again in 3 months! The usual BS!
They have a Corporate Social Responsibility statement that they’re simply paying lip service to. No wonder people camp out at St. Pauls when this is how corporates behave. Immoral and liars to boot.
Hi everybody. Really found a lot of tips from graduate fog. Couldn’t agree more with your stance on internships. I have recently written my blog about how graduates can use blogs to find work. Would be interested to see what you think. Graduate Job Hunt Blog
I went for an interview regarding a years internship a couple of years ago, i turned it down, but It would have been unpaid, with only travel expenses [zone 1-6] covered.
I can see that they will worm out of it based on the ‘you can chose to do it part-time/while still studying’ grounds. Crafty.
I interned at french connection for 5 months, it orginally was only ment to be a few weeks but I loved it so much that I asked to stay on longer. It was unpaid but I was given travel expenses (all travel expenses) and £5 for lunch everyday. Some people may look at this and instantly think that this is wrong but its extermely hard to find a decent work placement within the fashion industry that offers placements as good as they do. I know alot of people who tried and failed to find any work placements that even covered some travel as most of the time they will only cover certain zones and some places don’t offer anything. I personally loved my placement there and learnt so much.
I too interned with French Connection and can honestly say it was the best experience. Although not paid, I worked hard and gained a lot of contacts needed to move onto my next role. The team worked with me towards the end of my placement to try and find me a permanent position within the industry which horrah they did (i’d interned for a total of 12 months including other placements and nobody else gave me this support. I would not be in paid employment without them now and enjoying my position at another high street retailer.
Hmm. Two very similar accounts leaving only initials? Anyone else smelling a FCUK PR-shaped rat? XD
To the following post –
Hmm. Two very similar accounts leaving only initials? Anyone else smelling a FCUK PR-shaped rat? XD
Well I am one of the people who did leave a positive message about my experience at French Connection. Whether you believe my story is true or not is your problem. However I would like to make it clear that interning for the majority of companys is usually unpaid, I have known people who have been treated far worse. When I was there, there were a few interns who were doing one year placements and they were all paid.
I personally had a great experience but sometimes interning is just not for some people.
Have you interned unpaid for FCUK- or any other well-known brand? Fancy some free money?
Check out Interns Fight for Justice – the new campaign from Graduate Fog and Intern Aware. We are looking for interns who are feeling brave / angry / skint enough to challenge their former employers and request the wages they are owed for the work they did unpaid.
Even if your internship was a while ago and you agreed to work unpaid at the time, that doesn’t matter. The minimum wage works out at around £1,000 a month, so depending on the length of your internship you could be in line to receive a tidy sum!
Just get in touch with us for more information:
https://graduatefog.co.uk/2012/2080/interns-fight-justice-campaign/
Thanks!
Graduate Fog x
PS. None of this will cost you a penny!