[Khanz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrivatioBoni Was he actually convicted or just held, or are you just trying to provoke for no apparent reason.

He actually was, and who does he think he is to coming here again, with his next big 'innovation'. He clearly has problems with customer service which he should address.

[kaisersouse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by renegade334

Indeed.

I was held btw, not convicted nothing hanging over anyones head. I'm sure with more practice I can be just like you Khan

Not that any of that matters at ALL in what I was asking, and good work being so self absorbed you thought I was asking people HERE for actual internship. Just looking for opinions...but you knew that already

[Danny]

Let's face it guys, if you want a job nowadays you just NEED to have some experience, and if something like this comes along you just have to take it with both hands. I agree that maybe it isn't fair to have a non-paid intern, but that's how the job-system works. (in 'rich' Western countries at least)

To kaiser, I don't know how 'real' this hypothetical situation is, but I would at least give the intern a good recommendation if he did a fine job. I guess that's the least you can do. Maybe some Christmas discount, I don't know. Just let him know you appreciate him and give him something to help him succeed in life.

[kaisersouse]

If they did a good job, learned well and didn't catch anything on fire they would definitely get a glowing review from me and I would encourage them to put such internship/volunteer work on their resume, absolutely!

[GWMPT]

I haven't read the posts besides the first post.
Anyways...

Since the moment you allow the boy/girl use you as a reference IF they're going to work in the IT area, that's great.

[caoraivoso3]

well i am seventeen, and if i get that opurtunity i ould not get it, first i just earn experience that i cannot prove i have, second i don't earn a single dime, third i can get a part time (not in that area) and earn some profit and forth i have school and if any way i accept you should make it conciliate with schools, other stuffs i have in life.

[TakeiT]

Clearly, most people here have no idea how the workforce works.

Fucking right I would take that opportunity, it gives you experience and looks great on a resume, if you do well, you have a good chance at actually being hired at that place. Not to mention, that's one more reference you can add when you try to find a real job.

[toXioneer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny Let's face it guys, if you want a job nowadays you just NEED to have some experience, and if something like this comes along you just have to take it with both hands..

I disagree. I study motion picture and television, and trust me, documents and papers are FAR more important than experience and knowledge itself. Knowledge can be obtained from anywhere.

[kaisersouse]

"documents and papers are FAR more important than experience and knowledge itself"

Oh my.

[ikey07]

By knowing what you do and how you are growing, I must say soon you will need to look for workers, like real ones.

and about your subject I believe many would willing to do such thing, because many already does that, for example, my staff team, I dont pay them, they are volunteers who is helping me even more than 8 hours a week.

[kaisersouse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikey07 By knowing what you do and how you are growing, I must say soon you will need to look for workers, like real ones.

Thats actually (partially) what this is about. I've landed two repair contracts and will be busy very soon. On the one hand, yes I'm getting lots of work...but on the other hand it will be 30 days before I get paid for that work. I expect to be proper-hiring in Spring, and I was kind-of looking at a volunteer/intern model as a way to help me out, help people get repair experience...and possibly hire them on as staff once I start bringing in the revenue to pay them properly, afford benefits, etc.

[Kaperstone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by toXioneer I disagree. I study motion picture and television, and trust me, documents and papers are FAR more important than experience and knowledge itself. Knowledge can be obtained from anywhere.

Then your job requires this piece of paper, congratulations.

Yet, you didn't got the point.

[DavidKember]

I don't know what the other peoples are saying, but i agree with you.

[Potassium]

It depends on the person themselves. Yes there will be people out there who just want work experience.

[R@f]

I opened my company a few months ago. It's mainly a software development company but I'm also offering various services (pentesting, sysadmin, ...). Currently, I don't have enough money to pay people and not even myself as I'm currently working on a product that isn't yet on the market.

But in order to get things going faster, I need people to work with me. So I found two friends. The first one has a part-time job (80%) and he spends one day per week at my office. He's not paid but he believes in the company and he knows that once we get things running, I can pay him and he can have a full time contract. The other friend is still is studying but he needed a 3 months internship, so he came to my company to give a hand on a side project. The important thing with interns that stay a fixed time is that you need to plan carefully the work you give them. If you give them too much to do in 3 months, they won't be able to finish it and you will find yourself finishing their work. Usually for interns, I give them a little something at the end and of course the possibility to come back once the company is going well.

But to take another example that might be closer to your case, my office is currently in the same room as another start-up. They also don't have enough money to pay people and their workload is too big for one person. So they also have skilled people volunteering for them (about 5 people) for a unfixed amount of time. They all believe in the project of this start-up and the work they do is interesting. Some have been working there for more than a year without being paid. They all have side jobs like McDonalds, pizza delivery, sound engineer for concerts, etc... And they know that the company is close from taking off and that keeps them motivated.

So to answer your question : Yes, you will definitely find people, even skilled ones, that are willing to work for you for free. They can be friends or strangers, but there are a few important things to remember :

• Make them believe in your project. People are more likely to help knowing that they are useful in something they believe in.
• Don't do false promises. Never tell someone that you can pay them in 3 months if you are not 200% sure that you will be able to do it.
• Clarify things in a contract that you both sign. That protects you from any problem you might have in the future. It's very important to set a few points like : All work done in the company belongs to the company. They have no right on the work they made inside the company except if they have the permission from the owner. You owe them nothing, even if the company is making billions, they can not ask a single dime (if you are making billions, I hope you're kind enough to give them something). Working hours, dress code, etc... Also, I know that it isn't easy to come up with a contract to your friends, even the best ones, the ones you trust the most, but it has to be done like this. It never happened to me, but I've hear so many stories about best friends fighting for money or the ownership of the company (it even happened to some of the top 500 companies).
• Give them comfort. They work for free, so they need at least some comfort. Create a nice working atmosphere, be flexible with some things (working hours for example), pay them things from time to time (lunch, drinks, coffee, ...), encourage them, share a positive attitude. But don't forget that you are the boss, don't let them too much freedom but also don't be too harsh.
• Don't be an a**hole. If they helped your company, don't forget them. Once you have money, offer them a paid job, give them a reward for what they did.

But the thing you need to know now is how to find these people. It's not so hard :

• Friends : Just ask around, some of them will like you project and/or respect you because you had the courage to open your own company, if they have some free time you can convince them to give you a hand. But friends are not always the easiest people to work with. If everything is going well you won't have any problems, but when things are going bad it's a bit hard to manage.
• Students : Ask IT schools around if some students need an internship in a local IT company. Or try to get those who finish their studies for a small internship just in order to get some working experience. As I said above, most internships are for a fixed time, so try to plan their work the best you can (short projects with additional things to do if they work fast).
• Random people : Put some nice job announces on websites or in the street. People will call you and you can plan interviews. Be careful with inexperienced people. You need someone to help you with your workload, and this person needs to be autonomous. If you spend to much time learning them things, you will be faster without them.

Hope it helped. Good luck with your company and I hope you'll find the right people to help you Also, I was a bit in a rush when I wrote this post, don't hesitate to send me a PM if you need to know more.

Cheers,
R@f.

[StrangeLove]

I'd volunteer for like 2 hours maybe on something like this but beyond that I need some kind of 'allowance' for something like fare etc.. because I'm into computer hardwares. Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near your place and I'm currently taking engineering, still... this would be nice if you are close. I'm 18 btw

[admantis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaisersouse Hypothetical: Pretend you are between the ages of 16 and 25. You have an interest in repairing computers and doing other general IT type stuff (break/fix, infrastructure, sysad, etc). You are currently working at McDonalds, there are NO IT shops within 100 miles offering you a job. If this situation described you, would you be willing to volunteer 3 or 4 hours, twice per week, at a place that would give you hands-on experience and training in computer repair? This wouldn't count towards any university credits, it wouldn't snag you a cool piece of paper saying you are 'certified' for anything, and you won't earn a single dime. No commitment, just the expectation that you'd show up, help the owner fix things while he shows you whats what, answers questions, gives free advice on any personal projects you're working on etc. I'm not offering this to anyone here, unless you live in Maine haha. Just wondering if 'your generation' (fuck i feel old saying shit like that) would be willing to give up 8 hours per week, not being paid for it, to serve in an apprentice role. I guess this question could apply to any field of work. Anyways, coffee.

Yes. I would take the training if I was preparing to make my own business or to get a real job in the IT field. Likewise I'd do it if I knew my boss wasn't a complete jerk and he knows his shit!

Kaching!

[Scones]

If I'd get a recommendation, hell yea.

[Blade_Cervetti]

I have actually done this, however, I strongly advice anyone to be careful, this backfired on me

[Classical]

Interesting answers here.