The controversy stemmed from Sridhar Arunagiri’s candid declaration: ‘This is an unpaid role until you match all the checklist.’ He elaborated that candidates would need to meet an extensive list of requirements before receiving compensation, with the first month remaining unpaid regardless.
Sridhar Arunagiri, founder of the Bengaluru-based asset management firm 16VC, has faced significant backlash after advertising unpaid job positions on LinkedIn. In a post from last week, Arunagiri announced vacancies for four roles—product manager, software engineer, UX developer, and growth marketer—emphasising that only “top performers” would be considered. He specified that these positions required working from the Bengaluru office, with no option for remote or hybrid arrangements.
The controversy stemmed from Arunagiri’s candid declaration: “This is an unpaid role until you match all the checklist.” He elaborated that candidates would need to meet an extensive list of requirements before receiving compensation, with the first month remaining unpaid regardless. “We’re not hiring anyone just because they have the right skills on paper or some outdated projects. Come join us, prove what you can do in a real environment, and from the next month, we’ll make it paid,” he stated.
This approach ignited widespread criticism across social media platforms, including LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and Reddit. Users have denounced the practice as exploitative and contradictory. One user on X remarked, “Post keeps getting worse with every line.” Another described it as “Labour exploitation wrapped into motivational trash.”
“I was fine with everything till I read unpaid,” another user commented. A user wrote, “Most of these are just engagement baits, I don’t think they’d really hire and also worst case if they get someone for free why wouldn’t they. But the primary objective is engagement!”
Users also highlighted the inconsistency in Arunagiri’s post, noting that while he expressed a preference to pay above market rates for top performers, he simultaneously labelled the roles as unpaid.
Doubts have been raised regarding the legitimacy of both the job postings and 16VC itself. Discussions on Reddit echo these concerns, with users questioning the firm’s credibility and sharing experiences suggestive of deceptive practices. One Reddit user noted, “He’s been hiring fresh graduates and offering them nothing in return—no compensation, no experience, and certainly no opportunities.”
The debate over unpaid internships and job roles is not new. Users argued that such practices are unethical and exploitative, deepening existing social divides by favouring individuals who can afford to work without pay. An article in the Harvard Business Review emphasised that unpaid internships are unfair, unethical, and exploitative, highlighting that 43% of internships at for-profit companies are unpaid.
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