| Each summer, college students across the | | | | internships, or at least a weekly stipend, as |
| country get a taste of the real world by | | | | Laing suggests, as additional enticement. |
| participating in internships. It's worth it | | | | |
| for companies to put time and effort into | | | | Finding the right intern for the summer, even |
| developing a summer student program that | | | | if it means interviewing a dozen candidates, |
| benefits your business. This worthy | | | | is worth it in the long run. |
| investment can help reduce overhead and boost | | | | |
| productivity. What’s more, who knows? | | | | Interns are there to help you and your |
| Your best interns may end up being your next | | | | company. If your hire turns out to be |
| new employees. | | | | sub-par, you'll have to run after them and |
| | | | clean up their mess. |
| Choose Your Intern Wisely Finding the right | | | | |
| summer intern for your company is half the | | | | Create a Rewarding Experience Smaller |
| battle. If you know what kind of intern your | | | | companies may be at a disadvantage when it |
| company needs -- for instance, a student | | | | comes to finding the best and the brightest. |
| studying engineering, journalism, or biology | | | | Interns are often attracted to the large, |
| -- you can target certain schools that | | | | established name-brand companies because that |
| specialize in a certain field. Creating | | | | name can puff up their resume. To compete |
| relationships with career counselors at | | | | against bigger companies, smaller firms need |
| colleges and universities that offer degrees | | | | to take the time to create an internship that |
| on those topics is a great way to find top | | | | will benefit the student's career. Filing and |
| quality intern candidates. | | | | coffee runs won't attract the caliber of |
| | | | students you want to spend the summer months |
| Some ways to become involved with a school's | | | | with. |
| career centers are: Participate in career | | | | |
| fairs Hold informal brown-bag lunches on | | | | Walker suggests assigning a person in the |
| campus with students and professors Serve as | | | | company to manage and mentor the interns. It |
| a guest lecturer Tony Laing, senior graduate | | | | takes time and effort to find, train, and |
| student services coordinator at the New | | | | manage your interns, but if you do it right |
| School in New York City, says he has had the | | | | you'll have skilled employees. Having several |
| most success placing qualified interns at | | | | projects planned ahead of time for the summer |
| companies he has the most experience with. If | | | | intern is also a good idea. These may be |
| Laing knows what kind of student would be | | | | projects that regular employees don't have |
| successful working with a particular company | | | | time to do but are still important to the |
| it makes it easier for him to suggest | | | | company, Walker said. |
| qualified candidates. | | | | |
| | | | "Creating projects with set goals will be the |
| Most students working an internship for | | | | most effective for the intern," said Laing. |
| credit already have some skills and knowledge | | | | "Have an outline so that the interns know |
| under their belts, according to Susan Walker, | | | | what they are going to be doing for the |
| associate director of internships at | | | | amount of time they will be there." Laing |
| Middlebury College in Vermont. | | | | also notes that companies should understand |
| | | | that undergraduate and graduate students have |
| "There should be an understanding that the | | | | different levels of abilities that should not |
| intern brings some skills to the situation | | | | be applied indiscriminately to assigning |
| and can perform work right off the bat," said | | | | internship duties. Whereas most graduate |
| Walker. "The intern is there to contribute to | | | | students have already held down full time |
| the organization but also to enhance his or | | | | jobs in a particular field, undergraduates |
| her professional skills as well." It makes | | | | are usually less experienced when it comes to |
| sense to spend a little time getting to know | | | | the working world. |
| the intern coordinator, and familiarizing | | | | |
| them with your business. Finally, make sure | | | | Summer interns can help your company by being |
| you conduct in-person interviews with | | | | a flexible helper for your staff. |
| potential interns before you hire them. This | | | | |
| may sound obvious, but Laing and others | | | | Because they are not an expert in just one |
| repeatedly stressed the importance of a | | | | area of your business, they can easily be |
| formal interview. Interns may seem like temps | | | | transferred to different departments in the |
| in one way, but because they’re on a | | | | company to lend a hand. This not only helps |
| career track, they are often exposed to | | | | smooth the workflow during summer vacations, |
| sensitive business matters and clients -- the | | | | but gives the student a broader understanding |
| same as a salaried employee. | | | | of the company as a whole. |
| | | | |
| "The key is having an interview with | | | | The opportunity to attract a young, eager, |
| prospective interns to find out what their | | | | and enthusiastic intern is not something a |
| skills are and what they want to get out of | | | | business should squander. |
| the internship," said Laing, "It also doesn't | | | | |
| hurt to offer a small stipend." All | | | | With a little guidance and an outline of job |
| internships offer some sort of reward, but | | | | duties and expectations, your summer intern |
| with a proliferation of internship programs, | | | | could end up being your next hire |
| companies should consider offering paid | | | | |