The Campuspedia PR Crisis: Is It Due to Poor Company Policy or Employees Who Just Go Along With It?

Campuspedia has gone viral on social media recently and has garnered national media attention for paying interns 100,000, with a 500,000 fine if they resign. A PR crisis like this is a very compelling topic to analyze and study, especially for Media Buffet PR as a PR agency with experience handling similar PR crises.

Here, Media Buffet PR does not wish to discuss the matter from the perspective of Ministry of Manpower Regulation No. 6 of 2020. It seems pointless to discuss regulations when compliance and oversight levels remain minimal. Besides, it would be more interesting to look at this issue from the perspective of how Campuspedia handled the PR crisis, as well as the lessons that can be learned by students interested in pursuing an internship.

Campuspedia’s PR Crisis from an Employer’s Perspective

“Campuspedia is a platform for sharing information about colleges, majors, scholarships, professions, careers, and events, presented in an informative and educational way.” That sentence is a direct quote from Campuspedia’s LinkedIn profile.

It feels ironic to see a company that offers an informative and educational platform discussing college and careers (including internship preparation, of course) fail to learn from the very knowledge it provides.

Campuspedia’s CEO acted swiftly and responsively to quell the public outcry by issuing a press release containing an apology and a statement promising to evaluate their policies—a move certainly worthy of appreciation. However, it seems the clarification provided was a bit “off the mark.” Because in another statement to the media, Campuspedia’s CEO admitted that none of the interns had questioned the salary or the fines, and that everything had been clearly stated in the contract from the very beginning.

Of course, that statement didn’t need to be made, because the question on everyone’s mind—and the one that’s more important to address—is, “How can they possibly pay people such a meager wage? And on top of that, impose fines!” It feels inappropriate for someone at the CEO level to pass the buck to innocent interns who didn’t ask questions and still signed a contract stipulating a wage that would barely cover five meals in Surabaya, where they were interning.

It would be wiser if, every time Campuspedia’s CEO makes a statement to the media, that statement were based on the apology that was issued from the very beginning. It would also be better if the CEO took full responsibility for the incident, without pointing fingers.

In this case, what needs to be addressed is Campuspedia’s internship policy itself—not the interns’ decision to simply agree to work for inhumane wages. This is a valuable lesson for other startups: how a company’s treatment of its employees ultimately shapes the public’s perception of the company’s credibility.

A Lesson for Those Seeking Internships

Just like used car prices, which have skyrocketed recently yet still sell well, for some reason Campuspedia’s internship openings—offering meager pay—are still being filled by students eager for work experience.

It all comes down to priorities. In this case, students generally pursue internship programs to gain work experience, add to their list of credentials on their resumes, or fulfill college credit requirements.

It’s interesting to look at this from the psychological perspective of prospective interns. Given the current pandemic, where it feels incredibly difficult to even land a job—let alone an internship—it seems students eager for an internship are willing to sacrifice anything to secure an opportunity, regardless of the pay. It’s a matter of priority, but it goes too far.

That’s why, fellow students, don’t forget about the rights you’re entitled to while participating in an internship program. It’s important for you to do some research before deciding to sign a contract with that organization.

Conduct in-depth research on the company you want to apply to and understand the “jungle” you’re entering, as Media Buffet CEO Bima Marzuki puts it. This research can include the internship policies implemented at the company—such as working hours, company policies regarding sick leave or time off for interns, resignation procedures, the duration of the internship, monthly pay, job descriptions, and much more. By doing this research, you’ll get a good idea of what kind of work you’ll be doing and what rights and incentives you’ll receive during your internship.

For Media Buffet PR itself, every intern at a PR agency like Media Buffet is a crucial part of the team, contributing with the same level of intensity as the core team. As a result, interns with little experience will learn a great deal at Media Buffet PR, while those with prior experience can hone their skills firsthand at Media Buffet PR. Don’t believe us? Check out their stories here.