Review by Win Wiacek

Much as we’d like to think otherwise, the world of work is pretty similar everywhere now and no longer possessed of purely national characteristics. We all slave under a universal system that sidesteps borders in the name of global corporate philosophy. Thus, this stunning and still so very germane glimpse of one French woman’s frustrated struggle against modern employment practice is one that’s being repeated all over the planet every day. In this case however, Capitalism picked on the wrong person. Yatuu has enough spark, gumption and talent to fight back and eventually turned a strident cartoon objection into a sparkling comics career.

When Cyndi Barbero graduated from college and began looking for a job, all she was offered were unpaid internships. Eventually, she took one, still believing the mantra everyone with a job repeated: “if you work hard enough they may offer a permanent position”. The work-placement role ran its legally-mandated course and she was promptly replaced by another sucker. After the third time it happened she began a blog sharing her experiences, venting her opinions on such a manifestly unfair system, and deriving a soupçon of justifiable payback.

This subtly understated, over-the-top manga-styled, savagely comedic exposé tracks one exhilarated graduate’s progress from college to the world of no work through three internships before a rat is smelled. After much soul-searching, she took her dream job at a major ad agency. At least it would have been, were she not the latest addition to a small army of interns expending their creative energies for insane zero hours, zero thanks, or acknowledgement and at their own financial expense.

Amongst so many short, pithy lessons compiled here we see and sympathise with ‘Intensive Training’, observe ‘The Pleasure of Feeling Useful’ and realise there’s ‘Nothing to Lose’, before an intriguing game of office ‘Dilemma’ explores whether to have lunch with the Employees or Interns and what to do if asked to do ‘Overtime’.

As much diary as educational alarm call, this beguiling collection reveals how the hapless ever-hopeful victim developed survival strategies. Mostly however, this addictive collection deals with the author’s personal responses to an untenable but inescapable situation for far too many young people. It reveals insane episodes of exhaustion, despondency and work (but, tellingly not job)-related stress, such as too many scary midnight cab rides home, constant nightmares and grinding daily insecurity.

What’s amazing is that it’s done with style, bravery and an astonishing degree of good-natured humour. Yatuu’s trenchant cartoon retaliations were published in English some years ago (so we’re long overdue for a new edition) and makes for fascinating reading. Although it really should be, you probably won’t find Young, Talented… Exploited! discussed in any school careers lessons or part of any college job seminar, and it’s almost certainly banned from every employers’ Orientation and Training package, but that’s just a sign of how good it is.

Best get your own copy and be ready for the worst scams, indignities and excesses that the Exploiters and Bosses will try to spring on you. At least once you’ve paid for it you can be assured that it will deliver on its promise…