Looking for an internship, will it cost tens of thousands of dollars?
"Paid internship" has become an industry chain, and some intermediaries claim that they can "exclusively promote"
Our reporters Pan Linqing, Zhu Yin, Tan Yifan
Right now, it is the peak period for the annual internship and employment of college graduates.
However, a reporter from Xinhua Daily Telegraph recently learned in an interview that well-known companies in many places have the evil spirit of "paid internships". Some college graduates need to pay tens of thousands of yuan to individuals or intermediaries just to obtain an internship opportunity. .
Many interviewees said that the employment and entrepreneurship of college graduates is related to the future and destiny of the country, the accumulation and creation of wealth, and the happiness of millions of families. "Paid internship" not only damages the fairness and justice of the internship and job market, but also affects the country and units. Use the big picture.
Internship positions require money, some of which are as high as tens of thousands of yuan
Recently, a brokerage research institute analyst received an email signed "Jerry".
"Jerry" said in the email that his client's child was looking for an internship opportunity, and wanted to pay a hard fee for him to help him recommend a job, and provided contact information such as phone number and WeChat.
The reporter investigated and learned that "Jerry" is a partner of a personal headhunting studio, mainly engaged in headhunting outsourcing business and career intermediary, and can provide paid job and internship introduction. .
The analyst told reporters that not only himself, but also colleagues in the company have received many emails with the subject of "cooperation" sent by intermediaries, which can pay the incumbents of securities companies who provide internship positions. Similar situations are found in investment banks and research institutes. Business departments have appeared before, and some employees involved have been punished by the personnel department after they were discovered by the company.
In addition to well-known securities companies, some leading Internet companies also have employees who illegally provide "paid internship" positions to profit.
On January 25, the anti-fraud investigation department of an Internet company issued a notice that in 2021, the company's employees will cooperate with external job-hunting agencies, and the external agency will be responsible for recruiting interns. Part of the fees paid by the intern candidate is disbursed from the external employment agency.
His behavior violated the "enterprise high-voltage line", he was dismissed, and he was never hired.
At the same time, the employee involved was transferred to the public security organ on suspicion of a crime.
The "paid internship" is not unrelated to the intermediary agencies.
The reporter learned from interviews that in recent years, the competition for job hunting has become increasingly fierce. Some intermediaries recruit college graduates by privately contacting employees who have already joined the company, false cooperation, etc., claiming "exclusive internal referrals" and "100% refunds for interviews", forming a more mature "refundable". Paid internship” and even “paid employment” industry chain.
Recently, the reporter got in touch with a job-seeking agency in the name of a job-seeker.
The intermediary said that it can provide intern positions such as China Merchants Securities, Haitong Securities, Minsheng Securities, and GF Securities, and said that "the above positions are all internal resources of the company, and the price ranges from 22,000 to 25,000 yuan. After the resume is approved, You can pay, and you can get a full refund if you don’t get the offer.”
The reporter asked some securities companies for verification.
Securities companies such as Guotai Junan, GF Securities, and Guojin Securities have indicated that they have not cooperated with similar intermediaries.
Regarding the private cooperation between employees and external job-hunting agencies, Zhang Di, media manager of the Planning and Publicity Department of Sinolink Securities, said that the company has always had clear regulations and requirements for this, and if similar behaviors are found, they will be dealt with seriously.
According to the reporter's investigation, some college graduates have been deceived.
Xiao Zhang, a fresh graduate of Fudan University, said that he spent 30,000 yuan at an intermediary agency last year to seek an internship opportunity in a well-known company.
However, the agency did not deliver as promised.
When he asked for a refund, the other party delayed it for various reasons, but has so far failed.
Fair competition is difficult, and "paid internships" are recruited crookedly
Many respondents believe that there are two main reasons for the emergence of "paid internships" and "paid employment".
On the one hand, the current employment pressure of college graduates is increasing, and many people want to take a "shortcut" to enter high-paying positions.
If you want to stand out from thousands of candidates through fair competition, in addition to a good academic background, a substantial internship experience is also a necessary stepping stone for "entering the industry".
On the other hand, some internal employees and intermediaries of some companies take the initiative to cater to this "need" and come up with "crooked tricks" such as "paid internships" to make profits.
Taking major securities companies as an example, the number of internship positions is limited and the requirements are very high, so few job seekers can get internship opportunities.
An internship position of Huatai Securities Research Institute clearly requires that the master's degree and doctoral degree are preferred, "good English skills, and internship experience in securities, funds, investment banks, etc. is preferred".
The reporter learned that for those graduates who have not passed official recruitment but still want to enter the securities industry, getting internship opportunities through "paid internal referrals" has also become a "shortcut".
An international student studying in a foreign university admitted to the reporter: "Although I majored in chemistry, I have always wanted to work in the financial industry with higher income. Due to the limited internship opportunities, there is little hope for normal channels. But if there are intermediaries I am willing to spend some money to provide similar services.”
In recent years, some job-seeking intermediaries have developed rapidly and made huge profits.
For example, a job-hunting agency claims to have “cooperation resources with industry monopoly-level enterprises, and has established relevant cooperation matters with many top financial institutions”.
The Tianyancha APP shows that the brand main body of this project is a company in Shenzhen, with a registered capital of only 95,400 yuan.
But it is worth noting that this project has completed financing of 20 million yuan in the first quarter of last year, and the accumulated financing has exceeded 100 million yuan before.
Exploring the establishment of a unified national university student internship platform
Many respondents believed that "paid internships" and "paid employment" not only harmed the fairness and justice of the internship and job market, but also harmed the selection and use of talents by the state and units. In serious cases, they were also suspected of crimes.
"For college graduates, they need to rely on their true talents and practical knowledge for internships and employment. If they try to take a 'shortcut' by spending money, they will not only harm themselves, but also damage fairness and justice, and affect the selection and use of talents." Liaoning University Business School Yao Jia, a teacher at the college, said that colleges and universities should carry out relevant employment training to guide contemporary college students to establish a correct employment concept.
Intermediary agencies intervene in internships to earn "capital fees", which is an important reason for "paid internships".
The Ministry of Education and other eight departments have previously jointly issued new and revised relevant regulations for student internships in vocational schools, and it is clearly not allowed to organize, arrange and manage student internships through intermediaries or paid agents.
Those who engage in student internship intermediary activities or paid agency in violation of these regulations, if legal responsibilities are stipulated by laws and regulations, shall be investigated by relevant departments according to laws and regulations; if a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility shall be investigated according to law.
Qiao Zhaoshu, a senior partner and lawyer of Beijing Docket Law Firm, said that some intermediaries and individuals may be involved in the crime of fraud if the circumstances are serious.
At the same time, if the circumstances are minor, the enterprise may punish the employees involved in accordance with relevant internal regulations.
There are also industry insiders who put forward some expectations: First, relevant state departments can carry out special rectification actions for "paid internships" and "paid employment" to crack down on various unhealthy atmospheres and illegal and criminal acts in the job market; Well-known enterprises, etc., explore the establishment of a unified national college student internship platform, collect, organize and publish various internship information, provide free high-quality services for college graduates to practice, and help them find suitable jobs and realize the best of their talents.