Recruiter looks for IIM, FMS, XLRI, SPJIMR graduates for unpaid role: 'Is job market so bad?' ask netizens

A LinkedIn post has gone viral for the wrong reasons, gaining significant controversy. In the post, a recruiter invites applications from premier business schools such as the IIMs, XLRI, MDI, FMS, etc., for an unpaid internship. Taking to LinkedIn, the recruiter shared that the intern will work on a short-term remote project for some weeks without any compensation.

“It’s a 3-4 week remote project with no stipend, but a good opportunity to work closely with the leadership team on strategic initiatives. Ideal for someone looking to get real-world exposure and contribute meaningfully…” the post read.

While the comment section on LinkedIn was full of comments from interested applicants, the post went viral on the subreddit Indian Workplace, and Reddit users were far from amused.

The post was viewed as a direct affront to the hard work and dedication required to secure admission into these prestigious institutions. Many commenters felt that the lack of even a token stipend devalued both the intern's labor and their academic achievement.

A widely upvoted response on Reddit broke down the problematic framing of the post. It questioned how meaningful strategic contributions could be expected within a span of just a few weeks, especially under an unpaid format. The comment further criticized the often deceptive corporate language that disguises exploitation as opportunity—terms like “contribute meaningfully” and “work closely with leadership” were called out for exaggerating the scope of the role.

Several Reddit users took a broader view, tying the situation to a shrinking job market and increased financial stress among students. They pointed out that despite claims of near-complete placement rates, many top institutions have struggled to secure jobs for all their students in recent years. For those saddled with education loans or family obligations, such unpaid roles, while exploitative, may still seem like viable foot-in-the-door options. As one commenter noted, if companies continue to cut costs and leverage the desperation of job-seekers, we may soon see more unpaid or even “intern-funded” internships becoming disturbingly normalized.

In an interesting twist of events, it was found that the recruiter was himself an alumnus of IIM Lucknow. This added an extra layer of irony to the post.