For context, I am paid. However, I am paid by my previous employer (within the same organization) because I was an “outstanding employee” that worked part-time and was severely underpaid. I worked for this company part-time for three years while in high school to get extra experience in preparation for undergraduate school. Years later, I came back to the organization looking for a full-time position that I could use to gain additional work experience before going back to school for my Ph.D. This led me to my current position, but in a different department. They were able to make it so that I could be paid by one of their grants, as a way to thank me for my previous work for them.
I make $17.00 an hour now as an administrative intern and my current department has been a total mess in the past few months. I was not admitted to any schools that I applied to, so I am currently looking at potentially staying in my department in a more permanent role. I genuinely do enjoy my work and would like to transition to a position with better pay and take on more responsibilities that would better prepare me for graduate-level work. However, over the past few weeks, I have constantly tried talking to my boss about a new position, with them constantly brushing me off and promising to “talk with me when it’s more appropriate.” At this point, after sending multiple unanswered emails and asking in Zoom rooms/office visits, I am fed up and have begun applying to other companies.