Gen Z job seekers should be willing to work for free, long hours, ‘willing to do anything,’ says Squarespace CMO

submitted a month ago by return2ozma

finance.yahoo.com/news/squarespace-cmo-cold-cal…

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112 Comments

metaphortune a month ago

Gen Z job seekers should be allowed to steal everything this person owns.

sunzu a month ago

I aint gonna say I condone crime but I also did not see anything either

Clumsy rich and their property 🐸

NegativeInf a month ago

It's a crime that these people are rich in the first place.

Never forget, wage theft is the most common form of theft in the USA!

Eat the rich. Farm their unplanted lands!

sunzu a month ago

sure as fuck don't condone parasites either lol

Nuke_the_whales a month ago

When the revolution comes, people should remember her and where her mansion is

Ogmios a month ago

Good luck finding her in the first place. Why do you think they push the Internet so hard?

Modva a month ago

This is the newest form of slavery. Subtle.

I Cast Fist a month ago

Slaves are expensive, you have to pay upfront and provide "housing" and "food"; desperate workers are so much better, they have to pay for their own shit with whatever scraps you throw at them!

VelvetStorm a month ago

Slaves are only more expensive upfront. Long run it's far cheaper considering they will have kids that you then also own. There is a reason why those inbred chicken shit sister fuckers in the south had slaves instead of paying farm workers.

MonkderVierte a month ago, edited a month ago

considering they will have kids that you then also own.

Only in the fucked-up american version of slavery. It was never sustainable long-term.

edit: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery

I Cast Fist a month ago

Brazil also had that fucked up thing. A slave's children were owned by the same asshole that owned the slave. It was only around the 1850s, decades before the full emancipation (1888), that all newborn children were considered free. It didn't mean much in most cases, since the mother being a slave meant the entire cost of caring for her kid would eventually become a debt to them

It's not a "job" if you are working for no compensation. That's slavery, my guy.

But they definitely already know that.

cordlesslamp a month ago

Even slaves got food and shelter.

That's because they were "assets"! Now people are disposable– trash to be dumped when better bodies come to replace them.

We need better laws to protect workers in the US.

[deleted] a month ago

That’s because they were “assets”!

We trust you'll be a great asset to the company.

J Lou a month ago, edited a month ago

People are treated like things under capitalism. The workers are de facto responsible for using up inputs to produce outputs, but capitalism grants the employer sole legal responsibility for the positive and negative results of production. This violates the basic principle of justice that legal and de facto responsibility should match. Satisfying this principle can only be done in a worker coops. Therefore, all firms must be mandated to be worker coops

kshade a month ago, edited a month ago

There's a basket with fresh fruit right there in the break room!

aodhsishaj a month ago

If you work at SquareSpace, start talking about a union. The C-Level there absolutely gives no fucks about replacing you.

some_guy a month ago

Ask her to lead by example.

floofloof a month ago, edited a month ago

She claims to have done so:

"I went to the business listings and I just started calling up companies and asking them if they had internships available and that I would be willing to work for free.”

It worked. Mathur’s first foot in the door of employment was at the travel firm Travelocity during her first summer at the University of Texas. She did admin and research for its general council—all for free.

I wonder how the money worked at that stage in her life. Was she living off loans? Was she living off wealth from another source?

maniii a month ago

Highly likely that there was some connections to grease a bit of the wheels of commerce.

All these "i worked as an intern" usually have some connections that "picked" them from that intern pool. The other interns usually tend to be the fall guys. "So sorry all of you missed out but this person is the bestest!". While being the son/daughter/friend/family of someone in that company.

idiomaddict a month ago

I used to work at an insurance company, and I ran the internship program for my department once. When we were doing the interviews, one of the candidates was from my geographic area, which is pretty rural and not many of my coworkers were from anywhere near there. He’d launched a free tutoring program at his high school and carried it on a few hours a week through his first couple years of university until that point. For paid work experience, he had mostly agricultural work, because he had to support his family.

I’m realizing now that I may have been a little naïve about it, but no one else even wanted to consider him compared to the students who were able to do many more extracurricular activities and were able to dedicate more hours to non paid work.

What I’m trying to say is that even if nobody is actively corrupt, it’s a structurally classist system.

maegul (he/they) a month ago

What I’m trying to say is that even if nobody is actively corrupt, it’s a structurally classist system.

Yep ... this.

Whether there are lies or nepotism or completely inapplicable experiences or just confirmation biases ... the very idea of the internship to get your foot in the door is classist.

The idea that you have time to burn for free for the sake of your career is classist. The idea that an economic system premised on everyone being employed somehow should work by having those employees constantly "hustle" to get employment is classist. To speak of these notions as universally applicable without acknowledging their classism ... is classist.

circuitfarmer a month ago

I wonder how the money worked at that stage in her life.

People can do a lot if mommy and daddy support them regardless. That's why making things work for recipients of nepotism should not be the basis of the economy.

bdonvr a month ago

Probably parents money. But even if it were a loan she'd have to have had more privilege than most to get to that position anyway.

This is where using your chemistry schooling to make street drugs comes in.

AshMan85 a month ago

Eat the rich

Wes4Humanity a month ago

From her Wikipedia page lmao:

Kinjil Mathur is an American business woman known for propagating slavery type employment for Gen z which reflects her capitalist mindset of exploiting people for her own personal wealth. Her quote “You really have to just be willing to do anything, any hours, any pay, any type of job—just really remain open.” 1 been widely slammed by Gen z generation .she is also the current chief marketing officer of Squarespace.[3][4][5] She was in Vogue's list of "49 incredible Indian women who are creating legacies across the globe". [6] [1]

pussycello a month ago

The wikipedia mods, however, keep rolling back these changes, despite the fact there is nothing wrong about it, in fact, it's backed up by articles highlighting her statements.

What the fuck is this, is Wikipedia only allowed to say good things from those fuckers?

If you have to think outside the box to get a job to survive, then the job market is critically bad.

The ownership class should be trembling.

Either the government rolls out new deal measures, yesterday...

Or all the industrialists and officials burn in their compounds,

Zron a month ago

We’re still a long way off from that.

Remember, it took Hoovervilles and mass suicides to correct from black Tuesday, and there was just as much wealth inequality then as there is now.

Until a large portion of the economy just collapses, the government won’t do anything. And they’ve learned their lesson about letting things get that bad, so they’ll just balance us on a knife edge for as long as physically possible before things inevitably collapse.

Learn how to garden if you have the room. If not, learn how to can your own food and mend your own appliances and clothes. It’s going to get a whole lot worse before we get another new deal.

The Democratic party is already in a situation where it can't make mistakes and it can't get unlucky or it loses the presidency, and if it loses the presidency then elections will be neutered and the US becomes a one-party autocracy.

And if it becomes a one-party autocracy, then it'll have to perpetuate the enemy within myth (and eventually go to war) to keep the people obedient. And that means burning (maybe literally) a portion of the population, starting with LGBT+ and enemies of the regime (that's all the principal democrats) and going for non-whites, non-Christians, disabled folk, unemployed folk, people who have unnecessary jobs, uppity women, anyone overly ethnic, countercultures and eventually, anyone who isn't sufficiently patriotic or is too slow in snapping their salute.

At least this is the model that Reinhard Heydrich created in the development of the Sicherheitsdienst, and is replicated in the standard operations of ICE regarding immigrants and anyone else they'd rather see disappear.

But the German occupation of Paris was brutal despite themselves, despite that they were ordered to govern the French gently, and the brutality was so extreme La Résistance manifested in days, starting small and becoming a formidable fighting and mischief force within two years. So if Trump wins the election (or secures power through a procedural coup d'etat or through a violent coup d'etat) the resistance will be organizing across states by the end of 2025, assuming open civil war doesn't break out.

dumbass a month ago

They try this bullshit for generations now.

You couldn't get gen x to work for free, you couldn't get us millennials to work for free, what makes you think you'll be able to get the next ones to work for free lol.

PresidentCamacho a month ago

"Eventually food insecurity will make people desperate enough"

lmaydev a month ago

Not sure how working for free would help with that though.

PresidentCamacho a month ago

Because when everyone except the upper classes is financially insecure you would be willing to do anything at a chance to not be, including giving away your labor for free for a chance of a paycheck maybe.

Blackmist a month ago

The peasants in the French revolution were "willing to do anything" as well.

e_t_ a month ago

Rule of Acquisition #91: Your boss is only worth what he pays you

psmgx a month ago

There has got to be other measures, such as how much her skin would fetch as a couch, or taking her trappin

HootinNHollerin a month ago

She’s ensuring her place in line for the guillotine

I'm sure feeling hungry for a bit of the aristocratic white meat.

aphonefriend a month ago

Except she isn't white.

Uriel238 [all pronouns] a month ago, edited a month ago

Not in the way Swedes are white. I was making a reference to the other white meat but it turns out pork is red meat, and so are human beings.

I Cast Fist a month ago

It's still meat, tho

Sensitivezombie a month ago

Spoken like a true capitalist. Work for free, kiss the boots of corporate execs, and maybe we'll throw you a none.

milLeNnIaLsAnDgEnZdOnTwAnTtOwOrK

we’ll throw you a none.

If that wasn't on purpose that typo is apt.

Sensitivezombie a month ago

It wasn't on purpose but glad it works even better

Hey, Squarespace CMO? You're a cunt.

henfredemars a month ago, edited a month ago

Working for free only communicates that you don’t value your labor, expertise, nor your time.

Never work for free. You disrespect yourself and your profession.

Ragnarok314159 a month ago

Also communicates her family is well off enough she didn’t need to get paid.

Which really shows how bullshit anything she says really is. It’s likely her family connections got her where she is rather than her own hard work.

[deleted] a month ago

Squarespace's CMO can suck my left nut.

GladiusB a month ago

No thanks. I have already had enough of selfish women in my life.

sudo42 a month ago

This is exactly how she managed to advance so quickly. By being willing to spout this BS on demand.

As a Millennial: Hahahahahahaha fuck you no.

The Snark Urge a month ago

I am "willing to do anything"

Except I mean it as an ultimatum

whotookkarl a month ago

You wouldn't get the picture from any finance or economic article because they never quote labor leaders, always executives, and can't tell the truth about a union to save their life, but labor organizing is on the rise after big victories last year that continue to impact negotiations and forming new labor unions. Never work for free, always value your time and labor at least as much as the wealth class values their capital.

sunzu a month ago

Never work for free, always value your time and labor at least as much as the wealth class values their capital.

Remember kids, these people would not piss on you if you were on fire.

and there is one thing nobody ever said on their death bed: "I wish I made a parasite more money"

ArdMacha a month ago

What is wrong with America. In the UK and the EU it is illegal to work for no pay

SuddenDownpour a month ago, edited a month ago

It is indeed illegal, but unfortunately it still happens.

https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/workers-uk-put-more-ps35-billion-worth-unpaid-overtime-last-year-tuc-analysis

Workers in the UK put in more than £35 billion worth of unpaid overtime [during 2019]

https://www.cgtbs.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1543:horas-extra-el-mayor-robo-de-la-historia&catid=59:circulares-2011&lang=es&Itemid=0

58% of overtime hours in Spain during the 2nd semester of 2015 were not renumerated

Illuminostro a month ago

It's a culture built entirely on greed. What's not understood about that?

fizzyvelcro a month ago

I hate the softball fluff-pieces.

Even a halfway decent journalist would have asked how she could have afforded to do all those internships for free or how she thinks young people might afford-to now…

psmgx a month ago

Wtf is a CMO?

Sunforged a month ago

Chief Masturbatory Officer

Ragnarok314159 a month ago

That is a solid plan to advance your career.

HootinNHollerin a month ago

Chief Marketing Officer

sparkle a month ago

The fact that we have people getting paid multiple times the average wage for fucking *marketing and advertising* is proof our economic system is a complete and utter failure

This is slavery

blarth a month ago

Indian leadership in American companies. The fucking worst.

Why's that

KinglyWeevil a month ago

They tend towards toxic attitudes about work and work/life balance.

They bring the caste system mentality with them

Shadywack a month ago

This right here. They go down the fixed hierarchy rabbit hole really hard really fast, no mobility or movement in the company either.

Eezyville a month ago

Is she saying stupid shit like the to get attention?

DrFuggles a month ago

maybe, but the article really doesn't justify the headline imo. The article reads more like her statements are coming from a "this worked for me, so try my way if you're struggling" place rather than a "work for me for free, bitches" place.

not saying that in itself is good, but, you know, also way less infuriating than condemning those entitled youngsters

Maeve a month ago

That's great if you live at home with plenty of family money to sustain all.

TheReturnOfPEB a month ago, edited a month ago

Chief Marketing Officer ? That should not be a thing.

That is just a fancy word for VP of marketing which also means "not in charge of reality based stuff"

BlameTheAntifa a month ago

Experience *is* priceless, but this is just justifying exploitation.

sunzu a month ago

They are still saying that shit to middle aged millennials 🐸

Steve a month ago

Sure. If you want to climb the corporate ladder, chasing money and power, that's the way it works.
If you want to paint houses for a living, or take X-rays, or something simple that just allows you to comfortably pay your bills, this is fucking stupid.

sunzu a month ago

If you want to climb the corporate ladder, chasing money and power, that's the way it works.

Nobody gets ahead by providing free labour, that shit is a myth so slaves work "hard" and nepo babies get promoted...

shalafi a month ago

OP's talking about the necessary grind, not working for free. Though that *can* be part of success.

20-years ago I was grinding on my computers non-stop. That got me a tech support job. Few jobs later, I'm grinding on my home lab to learn more for what I wanted to do at work. That packed my resume and I doubled my pay and benefits on the next job.

sunzu a month ago

OP's talking about the necessary grind, not working for free.

what are you basing this on? OP prompt is "free work:" Steve said "sure"

but ok (gen-x) boomer

way to bring your personal non sequitur anecdote int this tho, you really hit peak boomer here

VelvetStorm a month ago

Tbf, I am sick of Gen-X getting a pass or being ignored completely. They had great opportunities just like boomers and they are also pulling up the fucking ladder.

ramchak a month ago

Sure. If you want to climb the corporate ladder, chasing money and power AND daddy is paying your expenses that's the way it works.

Fixed that for you. Internships only benefit the wealthy.

Steve a month ago

Internships only benefit *are only available to* the wealthy.

sunzu a month ago

Bruhh... if my internships = career movers, then yes

But there is so much parasitic "business owners" out there... looks like they are activating again. They got lucky in early 2010s when millennials were desperate for jobs because there were not enough boomers retiring. These parasite are looking for a similar set up, demographics are different.

Let's see how it plays out.

[deleted] a month ago, edited a month ago

Deleted by author

n0m4n a month ago

I am astounded that people think that you must work for free. This is illegal for good reason. The most valuable commodity that we have is our time. It is limited for every person. My time is as valuable to me as her time is to her.

Serious question to up voters. How do you defend a privileged person demanding that time be given for free? Do you not value yourself?

JovialMicrobial a month ago

The only practice I can think of where people work for free that is socially acceptable are internships(which I fundamentally disagree with).

One of my younger coworkers was required to do an internship, for free, for a set amount of hours so she could graduate and earn her degree. That internship took valuable hours away from her paying job, which she needs to afford to go to school full-time come fall.

Wealthy people, or kids from wealthy families can afford to do that. People who have to work can't really afford that, which filters out poor people trying to better themselves, or runs people into the ground trying to do both.

It's honestly disgusting that schools still do this and that it's an accepted practice. I don't know why anyone is okay with it to be honest. Maybe it's just that normalized or something.

Mirshe a month ago

I'm so glad my community college refused to offer or honor any internship that was unpaid (or paid less than a set amount). We even got the local university to go along with it, so now pretty much nobody offers unpaid internships in the area because they all realize that they'd be missing out on a huge labor pool otherwise.

caboose2006 a month ago

Chief Muppet officer?

I'd expect better from a Chief Muppet Officer.

cabron_offsets a month ago

Fuck off and die.

FatherGascown a month ago

She should whore herself out for free and see how she likes it.

DerArzt a month ago

Narrator: She likes it

ImpressiveEssay a month ago

She said she is willing to forgive all of her pay to actually stand by her word?

SuddenDownpour a month ago

What did you say? 100% income and capital gains tax *specifically* for Kinjil Mathur? Where do I have to sign?

Don't be silly. She's talking about poor people.

EnderWiggin a month ago

"geriatric millennials" How old does this author think millennials are?

RudeOnTuesdays a month ago

It's a term used to refer to older millennials. I am 42 and apparently a "geriatric millennial." I hate the term, for what it's worth.

SolarMonkey a month ago

Pregnancies over age 35 are considered geriatric as well. So maybe they are just confused because of that..? (I’m being generous)

SkyNTP a month ago

Take your crab mentality and fuck right off, Kinjil.

maniii a month ago

What is with these Coconuts telling other people to be slaves.

Im sure not so long ago some of these same people came from struggling families barely making it living food to mouth.

It has to be the "Fuck you Got Mine" mentality that they got going on.

Mataresian a month ago

That's very easy to say if it wouldn't gas meant for most people these days that they be in even more debt if they did so. That is just not the risk people from non rich families can take.

alyth a month ago, edited a month ago

Deleted by author

uienia a month ago

Please stop normalising unpaid internship.

bionicjoey a month ago

It's fucked up that unpaid internships are even a thing in the US. In Canada, they are illegal. And guess what? Most companies still hire interns. The only reason they don't pay them in the US is because they can get away with it.

plz1 a month ago

Their quoting of "unpaid internship" as something other than "unpaid work" is a distorted view, and part of the problem. No one should work for free unless they are volunteering for charity or something. No one should work for free at a for-profit company, that's for sure.

Chakravanti a month ago

Six one way half a dozen the other. I mean, it's not so different as you imply. No conditions are right to exploit this way.

When looking back at her own success, going from internship to employment, and eventually landing at Squarespace, Mathur insists “you’ve got to be willing to do whatever it takes” early in your career. “I was willing to work for free, I was willing to work any hours they needed—even on evenings and weekends. I was not focused on traveling,” Mathur concludes. “You really have to just be willing to do anything, any hours, any pay, any type of job—just really remain open.”

Unpaid internships are basically just a way for rich kids to leverage their parents wealth into a career. The vast majority of people cannot afford to work for "experience", this is only applicable advice for people whose parents are willing and able to foot the bill.

Mirshe a month ago

Exactly this. You're either rich, or you're working two full-time jobs, which will absolutely wreck the shit out of your mental and physical health in the long run.

Buddahriffic a month ago

While I disagree with your comment, I do like that you made it because it presents an opportunity to say that there's nothing special about unpaid internships that make them more ethical than any other underpaid work. It's all about the exploitation of people who are in weak positions for the benefit of people in strong positions or setting the requirements for entry such that someone must already be in a strong enough position to survive those requirements. It *seems* different because it's been normalized, but "normal" doesn't equal "good".

I'd also say similar about how healthcare workers are treated, though that is more about the ridiculous hours and on call times than pay. And any other profession that has accepted it "needs" to abuse people trying to get in.

Btw, that "underpaid work" above includes the majority of jobs in the western economy because capitalism itself is all about exploiting the labour of those who don't own everything they need for survival or participation in the economy. Ironically, the owners themselves are in the same boat, since they don't own the labour they need for their own participation, but somehow we've landed in a situation where most people think that ownership is far more important than time and effort.

MisterFrog a month ago, edited a month ago

This isn't click-bait. An unpaid internship IS unpaid work.

In Australia and a number of other countries they are ILLEGAL. (Other than when it forms a small part of a degree).

Unpaid internships are work, and it seems you agree. This CMO is literally saying people should be willing to work for free to get their foot in the door, a disgusting and illegal practice which only gives employers even more power.