Indian-Origin CMO Kinjil Mathur Says Gen Z Should Be Willing To Work 'Any Hours, At Any Pay'

Internships are widely recognised for enhancing career prospects and many students or newcomers are willing to work for free to gain experience. However, free internships have faced criticism for being exploitative and for excluding individuals from underprivileged backgrounds who cannot afford to work without pay. Amid this debate, Kinjil Mathur, Chief Marketing Officer of American software services company Squarespace, has come under scrutiny for advocating free internships.

In an interview with Fortune magazine, Kinjil Mathur spoke about how she did many unpaid internships which ultimately kickstarted her illustrious career. She recalled getting her first unpaid job by cold-calling companies and asking if they had any openings. She added, “I was willing to work for free, I was willing to work any hours they needed.”

Ultimately, one internship led to another and she made her way into high-paying corporate jobs. Based on her experience, Kinjil Mathur said, “You really have to just be willing to do anything, any hours, any pay, any type of job—just really remain open.” She also complained about the high demands of “Gen Zers” and said, “The list of criteria for people coming out of college, or in college, right now is so long.’

Now these remarks have invited much flak. An X user opined, “Kinjil Mathur interview summarized: “My labour was exploited and now that I’m in a position to make a change, I want to force that same barrier of entry to the workforce because I’m a complete ghoul.”

Another person wrote, “I think Squarespace might need to host my website for free then. Or rather, I should stop paying them and start paying somebody who values employees’ labour.”

Someone else wrote, “This is a ridiculous concept that 1) can only work if you come from a wealthy family that can support you during this period, and 2) is a modern form of slavery.”

Kinjil Mathur’s parents work in STEM. As per Vogue, her father is an engineer while her mother is a medical professional. She has worked for companies like Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Condé Nast. Since joining site hosting platform Squarespace in 2017, she has headed campaigns like the company’s Super Bowl 2022 ads.