To Hire, or Not To Hire: Interns
Sep
26
Written by:
9/26/2011 1:03 PM
It’s difficult to find a good employee – someone who will arrive on time, who will be dedicated to the task on hand, who won’t be a negative presence in the office. I wrote on the American Express Open Forum recently about an experience I had with an employee who was difficult, disrespectful and a negative influence on other, more dedicated staff members. In that blog, I highlighted the importance of an interview process that ensures that those types of individuals do not get hired.
There is another option for hiring supportive, intelligent, focused staff – try before you buy. Interns are, according to this Career Builder article, “employees who will work diligently for little or no money”. Interns are great because they are willing to work hard to gain experience that will impact their career path; internships build a strong portfolio for college students and are an important part of the college experience. I’ve incorporated several interns into my staff at Advantage over the last few years – one of our best interns landed a full time job here and is now our Marketing Coordinator and a star employee.
Here are some tips for making the most of your interns.
- Provide them with a task that they can take ownership of. It will make their work more meaningful to them, and as a result, they will feel more connected and work harder on that task.
- Consider putting your interns in charge of your company’s social media efforts (after careful training). Young people are in tune with social media and can give your brand a fresh voice.
- Pay them. According to this article, interns who are paid report having a more positive experience (and will work harder – no such thing as a free lunch, right?) While unpaid internship programs are available, participants often feel exploited or undervalued.
So head down to your local universities and job boards and get ready to welcome someone who could be your company’s next shining star. Or, if you’ve worked with an intern before, how has this experience enhanced your business?
2 comment(s) so far...
Re: To Hire, or Not To Hire: Interns
I have hired great interns, over the past several years and it has worked out really well. I have relied on these interns to recommend other interns who are friends of theirs, to assist me in my business.
One of my interns did all of the social media for me and she was delighted and told me that her position did not feel like "work" at all because she was doing what she enjoyed.
I asked many questions when hiring my first intern...and coupled with my intuition, it proved to be a winning formula. I consider myself very fortunate to have found such hard-working and bright individuals who are eager to assist me and my business in any way they can. They will receive glowing recommendations from me.
By Erica Prince on
9/26/2011 9:26 PM
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Re: To Hire, or Not To Hire: Interns
I've held many (paid) internship positions throughout high school and college. In fact, I started my professional career as an intern and climbed the ranks to where I am today. It afforded me the opportunity to become familiar with the business world, gauge my strengths and, most importantly, prove my value to the company. I was hired full-time and went on to hold a position in each of the departments, gaining an immense knowledge of the industry and different roles in the company. Interning, whether paid or unpaid, is definitely the way for an eager individual to get his or her foot in the door and move on from there.
By Dan on
9/27/2011 10:20 PM
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