Did you know when you build an internship program, you get benefits for both your company and the intern?
Businesses across a wide variety of fields are starting to implement internship programs. Some internships are paid, and others are unpaid. Both types of internships offer you a wide range of benefits.
Below, we'll get into why you should hire an intern. After reading this article, you'll have more knowledge about how developing an internship program can help you. Keep reading to learn more about how your company can grow through internships!
1. Build an internship program to identify future workers
When you build an internship program, you will gain a key new opportunity: the ability to find new employees.
Usually, interns are students who are looking to enter a field once they graduate. They're not just looking for work experience; they're learning the ropes of a position they hope to someday have.
Internships for businesses give employers the chance to identify people who can later become talented and productive employees. Usually, internships are a few months long. As a business leader, this gives you just enough time to assess whether someone is a fit for your company.
Some employers even offer interns jobs at the end of their internships. Yet, if you don't want to hire the intern, you can always part ways at the end of the internship in an amicable manner.
If you have an internship program, you can also start the process of identifying potential high performers and company leaders. Then, once you hire them full-time, you can start mentoring them.
2. Develop strong relationships with schools
When you create an internship program, you can start to develop stronger relationships with colleges and universities in your area.
Schools are often eager to help their graduates obtain employment. As such, they help connect them with businesses that have internship programs. You may even hear about opportunities to attend job fairs or other campus-related events.
Doing this will give you access to more potential future employees (learn how to manage team check-ins here). It will also help you build brand awareness and get more involved in community events.
If you're developing an internship program, you should reach out to local schools and let them know about your new opportunities. Ask faculty members to refer interested students to a hiring manager.
You can also get permission to post flyers about your internship opportunities on campus.
3. Get fresh perspectives
Interns often come into their positions with fresh perspectives and ideas. They may have just finished studying the latest technology and developments.
They may also have great, innovative ideas.
So, you should always try to encourage your interns to contribute to the company. This includes involving them in team meetings and assigning them projects that stretch their skills. Ask for their feedback and opinions on certain products or processes.
In addition, you can survey interns at the end of the internship experience to see if they have feedback on how you can improve your work or the program.
Internship programs also give you a great opportunity to make your workplace more diverse. You can hire interns from diverse backgrounds and give them the chance to use their experience and knowledge to improve your work.
4. Get extra help when you need it
Did you know that 1 out of every 2 workers in the United States believes their company is understaffed? This means workers feel like they don't have the staff resources to get their projects done. If workers feel overwhelmed on a consistent basis, they may become burned out and look for work elsewhere.
If you know you need some workers for a period of time, you should consider hiring interns. Schedule your internship opportunities for the busiest seasons of your business. Then, give the interns the work that your workers struggle to keep up with. If you do this, you'll free your workers up to focus on their primary job responsibilities.
Hiring interns when you need help also makes the interns feel like they're a valuable part of the team.
Here are great examples of times you might need to get extra help:
- When you're facing a busy sales season
- When you have an upcoming event
- When you have lots of little projects that always end up on the backburner
5. Create mentorship opportunities
Interns come into their positions hungry to learn. They want to experience everything they can in the role. Likewise, they may want to know how they can advance their careers after they graduate.
When you build an internship program, you should create mentorship opportunities for these interns. Ask some of your employees to mentor the interns that come through your program and offer them career advice. If they agree to do this, walk them through how to help interns identify their personal goals and how to build a roadmap to get there.
Mentorship can also help your employees feel like their work is more meaningful. This is because they will get to sow into the future generation of workers.
Ready to better manage your interns?
Now that you know why you should build an internship program, you need to know how to best manage your interns.
Interns often do great work, but you'll need the ability to keep track of their projects and give them feedback. Mesh specializes in helping employers manage their workers, including their interns. On the platform, you can leave feedback for your workers and help them keep improving their performance.
Want to learn more about Mesh's platform? Contact us today!
