Opportunities are the key to success. By welcoming and providing opportunities for our aspiring leaders, we play an integral part in encouraging students to consider careers locally versus leaving the region.
There is no doubt there is some skin in the game for you as an employer, but for those that have made the effort to take advantage of this great resource, they will agree the benefits far out- weigh the work.
It has been said that approximately 80% of interns move into positions with the employer upon completion of their internship. What a great recruiting tool and success rate!
So how do you secure a top notch intern for your team?
- Post and promote your position – create a concise and detailed job description and job posting for the position. Creating an attention catching job posting is key. This should be different than the job description you use during the interview process.
- Partner with your local education institutions – Career Centers, professors, Experiential Learning Directors, etc. are all incredibly valuable resources to help promote your opportunity with the right student.
- Provide meaningful experiences to your intern – establish key projects for them to provide support, involve them in key strategic meetings when applicable, and give them responsibilities. This is not the opportunity to hire a “gopher” for the office. It is certainly acceptable to ask them to do a variety or work that could include some errand type roles, but they should not dominate the experience.
- Provide flexibility in scheduling – Allowing a varied schedule allows you to attract a variety of candidates to choose from. Once you determine the goal of your intern, then determine what hours best fit the needs of that role. Many times they might be completing projects that can be accomplished at any point in the day and not at a certain dedicated time.
- Give them attention – Interns do not require constant support, but it is critical that you set aside the necessary time to check in with them. How are things going, what questions do you have, how can I best assist you, what experiences would you like to experience during your time with us? – These type of questions keep the intern engaged and feeling as a part of the team while ensuring everyone is on the same page.
So invest in our future. Look at opportunities for your company to engage internships or experiential learning experiences like apprenticeships, job shadows, informational interview and more. Not only do you help a student learn more about the working world and careers available, you are also helping the region retain top talent to ensure our continued growth.