City AM dismisses internship auction complaints, saying “It’s for charity”

BUT THE INTERNET IS NOT IMPRESSED

* STORY PICKED UP BY THE GUARDIAN! *

Free London newspaper City AM has refused to re-think an internship at their headquarters that was recently auctioned for £650, on the grounds that, “All the money goes to a cancer charity.”

Graduate Fog had politely asked the business publication to reconsider whether it was appropriate to offer a CV-boosting one-week internship as a prize, when experience is so difficult for budding journalists to obtain.

One of our readers drew our attention to the advert, posted on charity website Givergy.

But last night, City AM’s audience development manager Tim Miller defended his employer’s right to offer the opportunity to the highest bidder, highlighting the fact that the proceeds would be donated to Maggie’s Cancer Centres, piously pointing out:

He also stressed that City AM also offers ‘no cost’ internships, which people don’t have to pay for (!)…

 

But then he admitted that some of these weren’t paid, which means they aren’t really open to everyone at all…

Needless to say, the internet was not impressed:

*ARE INTERN AUCTIONS OKAY IF THE CASH GOES TO CHARITY?

Or are CV-enhancing work placements simply an inappropriate ‘prize’ in 2016? Have your say below…