Indian Woman Offers to Work for Free in UK, Faces Online Backlash

An Indian woman’s desperate bid to secure a job in the UK by offering to work for free has sparked intense online discussion. Swetha Kothandan, an MSc graduate in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Leicester, took to LinkedIn to express her frustration and plea for help. After moving to the UK in 2021 with high aspirations, Kothandan struggled to find a job despite her efforts to secure a visa-sponsored position after graduating in 2022. With her Graduate Visa set to expire in three months and facing the possibility of deportation, she turned to social media for help.

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Kothandan shared an emotional post in which she offered to work unpaid for a month to prove her worth, saying she was willing to work 12 hours a day, seven days a week. She also assured potential employers that if they were not satisfied with her work, they could terminate her without notice or compensation. Her post read, “Hire me for free for one month. If I don’t deliver, fire me on the spot, no questions asked. My Graduate Visa EXPIRES in 3 months, repost this to help me stay in the UK.” She highlighted the fact that she had applied to over 300 jobs without success, leaving her feeling undervalued and hopeless.

Her LinkedIn post quickly gained attention, with many users expressing mixed reactions. Some criticized Kothandan for creating unrealistic expectations, calling her actions “ridiculous” and accusing her of damaging the reputation of international students. One user commented, “This is usually the case with most rich/spoiled folks who don’t think twice before pursuing a Master’s abroad. When reality hits, they have nothing left.” Another added, “Working for free thinking companies would not take advantage of it...creating this entire hell hole in this job market? Why are these grads doing this?”

Others, however, showed empathy, understanding the pressure she was under. They pointed out the emotional and financial burden of facing deportation and a large student loan. “I couldn’t imagine what’s going through her mind right now. In 30 days, she has to get a job or else it’s back to India with a huge loan to repay,” one user wrote.

While some users questioned the legality of her offer, as working without pay for extended periods can violate labor laws, others saw it as a desperate attempt to buy time and stabilize her future in the UK. “If this is real, I’d understand. They went there because they couldn’t get great jobs here,” said one user, acknowledging the tough position she was in.

The post, shared a month ago, has gone viral on LinkedIn and Reddit, raising serious questions about the challenges faced by international students in the UK, the job market, and the pressures of student loans.

Nov. 6, 2024 1:46 p.m. 361

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