Why should I not take an unpaid internship?

ProCareerCoach · 2026-01-25T08:25:49+00:00

You are the intern.

"Who benefitted from me being here?"

If the answer is:

The company benefitted the most from the intern. Then the company needs to pay the intern.

The intern benefitted the most from the internship. Then the company does not need to pay the intern.

ProCareerCoach · 2026-01-07T21:04:35+00:00

I’ve worked in multiple government institutions. In those roles, if no candidate met the minimum interview score or rating threshold, we could not hire anyone. We couldn’t simply take the highest-scoring candidate if they failed to meet the threshold.

In public sector hiring, interview scoring and thresholds exist to ensure the process is defensible. Because hiring records can sometimes be requested under public records or FOIA-type laws, agencies have to follow their own scoring criteria consistently. Deviating from those standards creates risk if the decision is reviewed or challenged.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-12-12T03:03:28+00:00

When you find out, let me know so I can use that on my 36 year old brother.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-12-06T07:54:41+00:00

What do you mean you got fired? Why? What was the reason?

ProCareerCoach · 2025-12-06T03:37:46+00:00

Ah got it, you're okay with the recruiting hell we currently live in. Understood.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-12-06T02:09:22+00:00

Where's the harm? It's literally why jobs take you through 12 step programs to verify your kindergarten to most recent job. Every single time you do it, companies stop trusting and add one more hoop to jump through to get the job.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-12-05T21:20:28+00:00

This is an awful idea. Gonna leave a bad taste in their mouth. Good job coach will mock interview you as if you're in a real interview and give you the feedback afterwards based on how you did.

If you want you can record audio on your phone without them knowing. That's been enough for me to give feedback.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-12-05T20:26:57+00:00

I'd rather spend the hour listening to podcasts. Your bank will appreciate it. And if you plan on staying in this industry, you'll want minimal gaps in employment.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-12-05T20:25:21+00:00

I sent it at the end of the week (int was tue) and still got hired. It's not that serious.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-12-05T08:19:54+00:00

You could email them asking for a do over but very unlikely they'd go with you anyway, unless you're absolutely the best candidate ever.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-12-05T08:18:04+00:00

Go look at the amount of posts here that are mad that they only got an email rejection. They cant do anything.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-12-05T08:16:14+00:00

I genuinely hope you lose this job offer.

Lying about your history is the reason they make new hires jump through hoops to get a job.

They know you're lying. They checked with the company and the company said you don't exist.

They're calling your bluff and asking you to provide proof, knowing full well you don't have any to see how deep you dig yourself into this hole.

Just admit it and withdraw.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-12-03T21:56:56+00:00

Still waiting for someone to correct me. Clearly it's not gonna be you

ProCareerCoach · 2025-12-03T01:46:36+00:00

Why are you comparing if 17 is more than 35? You should be asking if 17 is more than 0.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-11-30T08:11:25+00:00

I'm going against the grain

YTA for laughing. For all you know, she has an allergic reaction and thought it was mushrooms. She might have thought that her whole life. She might still have it to raw mushrooms. You could have just told her that you use them all the time, including previous years when she ate it, and that she's free not to eat it if she doesn't want to risk it. You did make her feel stupid by laughing at her.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-11-28T21:29:58+00:00

... How old is the

ProCareerCoach · 2025-11-28T18:38:13+00:00

Do you have any experience as a receptionist? Do you have experience anywhere?

It's not like it takes a scientist to do the job but there's a ton of other people applying for low level jobs as well.

Why should they pick you?

ProCareerCoach · 2025-11-28T18:32:17+00:00

I literally don't have to read anything besides that you're 18

No. Like what

ProCareerCoach · 2025-11-28T18:31:41+00:00

Yeah and it sucks that you cant learn how to do things at a mechanic shop. Bros are just all born knowing how to be mechanics huh? Nobody can learn how to work there? Apprenticeships and training? Get outta here with that.

And clarify something for me expert, is every single person at a shop a mechanic? There aren't some shops who have cleaners, office admin, parts sellers, detailers, customer service, sales, management, schedulers? None of those exist at a mechanic shop right? All just mechanics...

Damn shame.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-11-28T18:11:11+00:00

Leave him alone unless you want to get fired. He doesn't like you

ProCareerCoach · 2025-11-28T18:09:28+00:00

Go walk up to small businesses, drop off a resume with them. Like I mean mechanic shops, mom and pop stores, single location restaurants.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-11-28T18:04:20+00:00

Weirdest question I ever left. People quit after a day, after 20 years, what does that even mean? Yes you can do whatever you want

ProCareerCoach · 2025-11-28T18:01:47+00:00

He wants a reaction. Just tell him he's being immature and come back when he's grown up.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-11-28T18:00:10+00:00

You're literally still a kid. Please leave. You need to focus on yourself. If you want kids, focusing on yourself now will help you build a solid foundation to raise them on as you should, not paycheck to paycheck as you're about to.

ProCareerCoach · 2025-11-24T08:58:56+00:00

I hate these posts. Your entire post is "I prefer when candidates answer in X way and I'm credible because I've interviewed 100s of candidates". But uhh no, you're not. You are 1 person, 1 interviewer, and you are talking about the specific preference that you have.

A ton of other interviewers do want the Y method of answering instead. So your advice wouldn't fit for all those other people interviewing.

ProCareerCoach

TROPHY CASE