Hi all. Want to gain an outside perspective on this if I may I'll start at the beginning. End of march I was working 3 days a week in a local pc shop which isn't what I want to be doing. I had been sending out letters/CVs to company's asking for work experience and I got offered work experience three days a week with a local company for 6 weeks. After said six weeks I got offered to stay on and help them with a new piece of software which I could use but they couldn't. I've basically been working really hard at this leading the whole project pretty much by myself and also teaching existing employees he new software with the hopes they might actually offer me a full time jobs. I arrive there at 7 and often leave around 7 and always have a big chunk of work to show at the end of each day. It's coming up to three months now and I have over heard the boss saying he thinks if he pays me any money I'm just going to lay around doing nothing and they should get as much out of me as they can while they can. He is unaware I know he has said this and I am looking for other jobs as we speak however this is the only opportunity I've had in two years so I don't know what to do as I at least want a good reference out of it. Hope that makes sense. Mark
Ask them. Show some initiative, employers like that. Tell them that you are looking for employment, what would be the chances of getting a job with them. Explain to then that you already know the company and how it works, they know how hard you are willing to work and list the other things you can offer to bring to the table. Consider the fact that the boss knows that you heard and was gauging your interest/response to it? TLDR show them why they need to keep you... Good luck.
Time to stop demonstrating what you can do for this company, and start talking about what this company can do for you. At the moment the boss is not inclined to pay you because they are getting your hard work for free. Moreover if he is talking about "getting as much out of you as they can while they can", I summise that he has already calculated that eventually he will lose you, and is just seeing how long he can string you along --I suspect he was never intending to offer you a paid job. That is not going to change unless you actually tell him that you want a paid job or you will leave. He may have a change of heart when confronted with the loss of a valuable asset, but chances are that he will just shrug and let you go. That sucks, but a less desirable job that pays beats a more desirable job that doesn't, any time. Moreover you wouldn't want to work for such an immoral, exploitative **** anyway. EDIT: and when you leave, make sure the work is unfinished. Always, always leave them feeling the loss and wanting more.
The job is a dead end. With that approach to staff, I wouldn't stick around even if a job was offered. However I don't think you should leave straight away. Just shift your focus from getting a job there to getting a job somewhere else. They say it's easier to get a job when you already have one. I don't know if it's true or not. But the longer your experience term the more it will stand to you getting other positions. This **** is also a potential reference. So that's something to think about.
I would go along the lines of talking to the boss, saying you have really enjoyed the job, but it's time you need to start earning some money, so "please could I have a reference so I can start applying for something more permanent?" You'll be offered a job within a week, I guarantee it. Otherwise, you get your reference, and you don't have to work any more.
I agree with you guys I need to leave but what concerns me is. A: the reference B: Leaving and struggling to find something else, I've got about a month left on this project and I can intentionally leave out bits that only advanced users would find so dropping them in it isn't a problem per say. Is it better to leave and have nothing or stay till something else comes along is my predicament Mark
This seems to be happening more and more - companies set people on for work experience and have zero intentions of offering a job. They just set on another willing volunteer who is hoping to get a job out of it (and won't) and so on... ad nauseum.
Speak to the manager first. You maybe more valuable then someone else so he can employ you. It is better to have a job and find your next job then just being unemployed.
Find a job now, or at least start looking. So when your current project ends hopefully you'll have one. Otherwise just keep going 'til you find a job. As for dropping them in it, I wouldn't do that if you want a good reference.
Don't drop them in it. That's just punching yourself in the nuts to spite your fist. While there would be an undoubted sense of satisfaction for a short period, it would defeat the purpose of the work you have done. No reference, might as well have done nothing for them. Scale back your hours to normal working hours. Look for another job. I would take the approach suggested by JulianMartin. Take the reference or the job which ever is offered. Then keep looking for another job, because who wants to work for someone that views you as something to be exploited.
Move on as quickly as possible, even if its just cleaning toilets at Mc Donalds it will be better than what your current employer is doing. Never ever work for free, all it does is remove the only incentive businesses have to hire paid employees at all, plus it makes you look exploitable to potential future employers should they ever find out.
Depends. Every day you work for free you are effectively devaluing your own skills and reducing their inclination to pay you. However if you get useful experience or contacts out of staying, it may be a kind of gain. Ask politely for a reference and make moves to leave. If they think you're worth paying, they'll come around. If they don't come around, they were never going to pay you.
You're wasting your time there. I have dealt with bosses like that before. He's the kind of guy who will screw permanent employees out of their pay/leave/dignity. This is just the beginning, so best you leave. You're worth more than this.
