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5/3/2017 |
Insights |
Should You Consider An Internship Program? |
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Should You Consider An Internship Program? by Danielle Manley It's almost summer break, so it's time for your business to start preparing. For what, you might ask? Summer interns. While not all internships are during the summer, it is one of the best times to bring on an intern (or set of interns). If you do not currently have an internship program in place, now is the time to start creating one. Internship programs are highly valuable to businesses, and interns can gain the experience employers need. Plus, if you don't bring on interns, you are missing out on potential talent. Did you know that both Bill Gates and Steven Spielberg (just to name a couple) started off their careers as interns? Creating an internship program and bringing on people with no experience can be intimidating, but take it from us, it's worth it. In summer 2012, MultiBriefs hired on their first set of interns — and I was one of them. My internship led to a full-time position, and I am not the only success story. The internship program has brought on seven full-time employees, five of whom are still with the company. The internship program has proven to be "one of the highest return on investments that we have," according to Steve Brittain, director of publishing at MultiBriefs. How does it benefit the business? Creating and sustaining an internship program will require additional resources, but benefits outweigh the costs. Internship programs allow a business to test out an employee before they make the long-term commitment of hiring them. During an internship, the intern will need to be trained and mentored. Thus, the internship program can also benefit your other employees by giving them the opportunity to assist in training. "I think a bigger benefit to your company are the mentorship opportunities that internships afford to your current staff," Brittain said. "Allowing current workers to coach, train and guide these interns is great for their career development, too." While internship programs should not be created for the sole purpose of cheap labor, interns offer the business extra hands during busy times or when multiple employees are out on vacation. If the intern is hired on after the internship, the business again benefits because their newest full-time employee is already knowledgeable about the organization and experienced in the day-to-day responsibilities of the position. How does it benefit the intern? Soon-to-be college graduates don't always know what they want to do with their degrees. Some might have an idea, but they don't know what the job will actually be like. Taking an internship allows them to get hands-on experiences and determine if the job is right for them. "For the intern, it's obviously the exposure to the real-world aspects of the industry they're trying to break into," Brittain said. "Seeing the day-to-day operations and participating in the work are two aspects that simply can't be duplicated in a classroom." Fresh graduates with no experience may be timid and lack confidence in their skills, and that will show when they are searching for a career. So even if the intern decides the job isn't for them full-time, it gives him/her the experience that most employers require. Ross Lancaster, the other "first intern" and now full-time MultiBriefs employee, interned at Fox Sports Southwest in high school. The experience was beneficial, even though it wasn't for him. "It actually wasn't great, and it made me realize that I might not want to go into the broadcast side of media," Lancaster said. Internships give the opportunity to explore. What should you consider when creating an internship program? Should you target a certain age group? According to statistics from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 83.4 percent of internship programs were designed to recruit entry-level candidates. While that doesn't mean they only want entry-level candidates, it clearly shows where the focus of most businesses is. "I try to target interns who are no younger than sophomores in college," Brittain said. "I think it's important for them to have some classwork related to their field under their belt. It also gives them time to get involved in other organizations related to their chosen industry." Read full article on MultiBriefs.
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