We've seen jobs with no pay in the form of internships to gain work experience. But what would you do if you had to pay to work at a company?
Sounds unreasonable but the idea was proposed last week by the CEO of Zomato, the Indian food delivery company, who said he was looking for a "hungry" worker with "a learning mindset" to fill the role of chief of staff for himself in a post on X, formerly Twitter, shared on November 20. The post noted that there is "no salary for the role for the first year" and you would have to "pay 20 lacs for this opportunity," which would be donated to a charity.
As innovative as this job opening might have seemed, career and business experts told Newsweek that the notion raises "big questions" about hiring culture and "the future direction of work."
The Zomato job posting comes amid an ongoing labor shortage in the U.S., where hiring rates have outpaced the quit rate since November 2020, the year of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 44 million Americans quit their jobs in 2023, with 3.4 million having quit in January 2024 alone, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported in November 2024.
The employment industry has seen some seismic shifts since the pandemic, such as the "Great Resignation," which has now evolved into the "Great Reshuffle," with workers "seeking–and finding–better opportunities with new employers and in new occupations and industries," according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The CEO of Zomato promised that the chief of staff job would offer "10x more learnings than a 2-year degree from a top management school, working with me and some of the smartest folks in consumer tech."
When contacted for comment following the announcement, a spokesperson for Zomato told Newsweek "none needs to pay anything," sharing a link to an updated message from the CEO posted on X on November 21.
The post said that applications for the opening were now closed and that the company had allegedly received over 18,000 applicants. According to the post, charging people to work for him was "never part of the plan" and was "merely a filter" to attract people who "appreciate the opportunity of a fast-track career."
'Red Flags About Fairness'
Zomato's controversial approach to seeking applicants sparked criticism, especially given that more companies could potentially decide to advertise "salary-less, pay to work" type positions following the interest that the job opening allegedly drew from candidates.
Zomato may have positioned the chief of staff role as "a life-changing opportunity," but it "raises red flags about fairness and feasibility within hiring and employment practices," Eva Chan, a career expert and certified professional resume writer (CPRW) with Resume Genius, told Newsweek.
She noted that "this kind of offer automatically excludes talented, ambitious workers from less privileged backgrounds. It's a pay-to-play model that rewards wealth over skill and ensures a lack of diversity at the top."
Joseph Camberato, CEO at NationalBusinessCapital.com, praised Zomato's recent unusual job opening approach, telling Newsweek: "This a really creative idea and such a different type of opportunity."
Camberato doesn't agree with the argument that opportunities like this are "only for privileged people" and that it shuts out those who can't afford to participate.
"If you're really hungry for success, you'll find a way to make opportunities like this work," he said, adding that "if you're resourceful and determined, the door doesn't close—it just takes a little extra effort to push it open."
Are Unpaid Positions Worth Taking for the Experience?
Studies have shown that "unpaid internships negatively impact graduate employment outcomes," noted a June 2022 paper published in the NY American Public Policy Review.
"In other words, due to the fact that unpaid internships are thought of as a learning experience as opposed to real labor worthy of compensation, an unfair employer-employee dynamic is reinforced," the paper explained.
According to the paper, a survey of paid and unpaid interns found that paid interns expect to earn $50,000 more than unpaid interns or those who don't possess any internship experience.
Nonetheless, those struggling to land a job in a competitive market may be willing to do anything. But does it make sense to go as far as to pay to work at an elite company? Is the knowledge and experience gained really worth it?
Christopher Kaufman, a professor at Westcliff University who has been consulting with organizations from Fortune 100 firms to small and medium businesses for over 30 years, told Newsweek that the notion of a "salary-less" position is "horrific and should be avoided by both the hire and the organization."
He added that "it is a sign of organizational dysfunction where the psychological contract of job-fit is turned on its head for the hope of 'special knowledge.'"
Daniel Space, an HR business partner who has worked with various companies including WebMD, Epic Games, Electronic Arts and Spotify, told Newsweek: "My personal mindset is 'no,' you should never work for a company without compensation. But I can see a version of someone believing that the value may be worth the experience."
Camberato believes "you'll gain more from something like this in two years than you would from a four-year MBA. There's no substitute for hands-on experience; it teaches you things no classroom ever could."
How effective positions like the recent one from Zomato are "depends entirely on execution," Cindy Kravitz, an executive coach and business strategist at The Cindykated Collective LLC, told Newsweek.
She explained: "If the individual truly gets high-quality mentorship, exposure to big decisions, and connections that they couldn't get elsewhere, the benefits could be life-changing."
However, "there's a risk," she said, noting that "it's easy for these roles to become all work and no value if expectations aren't clearly defined upfront."
For those who have the financial flexibility to take on a "pay to work" position, it comes down to one question—does this align with your career goals?
"Think of it as an investment. Will this opportunity give you the skills, relationships, or experience to leap forward in your career? If so, it might be worth it," Kravitz said. "But if the return on investment isn't clear, there are likely other ways to gain those same benefits without paying upfront."
Space said: "I hate to acknowledge that the experience being provided may actually be worth it and in a really bad unemployment market, many people who have been out of work for a long time may feel that this may reposition their value again, in addition to feeling like they are contributing."
However, he noted "this is not going to be effective, and I would hate if these became normalized."
Shifting Costs and How Companies Attract Talent
Chan believes that "this trend speaks to a bigger issue" of "how companies are shifting costs—such as donating PTO [paid time off] and getting taxed on it—and risks onto employees, and what it means for the future direction of work."
Kravitz echoed Chan's sentiment, noting that Zomato's job opening was a "bold and unconventional approach that raises some big questions about the future of work."
Non-paid positions aren't new, Kravitz explained, but "it's rare to see a role where candidates pay to work."
Zomato's job proposal "highlights a growing trend where companies appeal to purpose-driven talent by offering access to exclusive opportunities rather than immediate pay checks," Kravitz noted.
She added: "Overall, this concept is a bold move, but it reflects a deeper shift in how companies are positioning themselves to attract talent. This is likely about branding and attracting ambitious individuals who value access, mentorship, and purpose over immediate financial gain."
Zomato framed this role "as more than a job," flagging it as "an opportunity for fast-tracked growth and impact," Kravitz said. "They're betting that high-potential talent will see this as an investment in their future rather than a cost."
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