Industries like fashion and finance are infamous for hiring interns. Can start-ups also benefit from hiring students? The answer is a resounding "yes," whether you choose to offer internships for a few weeks, or months at a time.
Interns provide high-value, low-cost talent and fresh perspective. Accordingly, the interns' scope of work can (and should) go beyond stereotypical coffee making. By hiring interns, you can expand capacity for new projects or find students who bring new skills, such as graphic design, to your team. While ambitious students lack the experience of full-time employees, they genuinely want to learn and excel.
Designing an internship position
So how do you get started? First, consider the following logistics as you design the position:
Ø When will the internship occur? Full-time internships commonly occur during summer break, but you could also offer part-time positions during the fall or spring semesters. Make sure that a current employee has the capacity to mentor and manage the interns' work during this period.
Ø What level of commitment do you expect? Describe your requirements in time (days or hours per week) or key duties, such as managing your social media or achieving sales goals.
Ø Is the location flexible? Traditional internships usually require face-to-face interaction, but long-distance roles provide greater flexibility to attract more students. Will there be any travel required?
Ø What skills are required? Before enlisting an intern, determine whether you expect specific skills from day one, or if students can receive training and learn on the job. Be clear about whether you need an iOS developer, someone with a mastery of Microsoft Excel, or both.
Ø What is your goal for the outcome of the internship? Do you want to find aspiring entrepreneurs who are interested in gaining short-term experience, or candidates who are looking for full-time job opportunities? If you're looking for the latter, focus on hiring students who will graduate sooner.
The next step is finding applicants. Recruiting for undergraduate or MBA internships typically begins three- to five months in advance, although many students look for last-minute positions. Attracting great applicants is a lot like real estate: location, location, location. After outlining the position's basic criteria, you can publicize your internship in a variety of ways. Here are a few effective methods:
· Submit a job posting to a college's career centre or post a message on the campus's virtual job board. A university-branded site feels more credible than open forums like Craigslist, and helps attract high-quality talent during the recruiting cycle.
· Contact on-campus organizations, such as a consulting club or the college's entrepreneurship centre, with a description of the position and your contact information. If the location is convenient, you could offer to attend a meeting in person.
· Utilize local or national start-up-focused sites to broadcast the internship opening. While this may not reach as many eyeballs as a campus-wide ad, proactive students monitor these sites and will follow up.
· Reach out to your network, specifically contacts such as adjunct professors at local universities. They can recommend outstanding students or share your contact information with their classes.
Recruiting provides a great way to develop on-campus brand recognition. If your start-up hires full time employees, internships develop a pipeline for finding new hires. After assessing students' skills through the internship, companies can easily extend full-time job offers to top performers. While hiring an intern takes time and effort, the benefits easily recoup the costs if you plan for an intern well.
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