You may be feeling overworked or overwhelmed. It’s possible that you don’t have the skills needed to complete an important project. Perhaps you can’t afford to hire a full-time employee. You may even have the desire to mentor and give back to your community. All of these are reasons that companies have hired interns.
I want to caution you that an internship is not a quick fix to any of the scenarios listed above. Hiring an intern and starting an internship program require commitment, planning and attentiveness. Think you can handle it?
Ask yourself these 10 questions before you hire an intern:
- Why do I need an intern?
- Do I fully understand what an intern needs to succeed?
- Will this intern be welcomed by other employees?
- How will this internship relate to other positions within the company?
- Do I have enough substantial work to keep an intern engaged, occupied, and growing?
- How will I find my ideal intern?
- How will potential candidate apply for this internship?
- Who will directly supervise the intern?
- Can I provide adequate work space or tools?
- What will I tell my intern on their first day?
If you can’t answer these questions definitely, contact me for support in finding the best interns for your company and developing a strong, sustainable internship program.
Nicki Sanders, The Packaged For Success Coach, is an Adjunct Professor with an extensive background in developing and managing internship programs. She is a skilled program manager, coach, trainer, and group facilitator who has packaged her Masters of Social Work degree and 20 years of work experience into Packaged For Success, a full service training and professional development company.
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