Indian-origin exec says Gen Z should work ‘any hours, at any pay,’ gets dragged on social media

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Squarespace’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kinjil Mathur, has sparked a social media backlash after advocating for unpaid work in today’s job market. According to The Hindustan Times, in a recent interview with Fortune, Mathur shared her story of cold calling companies and offering to work for free to land her first job two decades ago. This approach helped her secure an internship at Travelocity while studying at the University of Texas, and she later rose through the ranks at Conde Nast, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Foursquare before joining Squarespace.

Mathur’s comments on Gen Z jobseekers, encouraging them to be willing to work “any hours, at any pay,” were met with strong disapproval online. She emphasized the importance of gaining experience early in one’s career and shared that she was willing to work evenings and weekends without pay. “You’ve got to be willing to do whatever it takes,” Mathur stated.

However, her remarks did not resonate well with many on social media, with one critical post garnering 8.6 million views on X. Critics argue that the job market and societal expectations have evolved, and unpaid labor is no longer acceptable.