My answer is yes to the question “can I really grow my business with an internship program”. An internship program can help businesses address several critical challenges including staff turnover, employee disengagement, and the skills gap.
An intern works in a company to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification. Most interns hope to be hired at the end of their internship, but this is not always possible.
You have read my articles and as a result you have:
- Assessed whether an internship program will be beneficial for your company
- Recruited and hired the right intern
- Provided a thorough orientation
- Welcomed them into your company
- Provided a valuable paid learning experience
- Helped your intern develop the skills employers in your industry value
- Acknowledged the mutual benefits of the internship partnership
- Recognized and rewarded your intern for quality work
- And conducted an exit interview to receive feedback on how to enhance your internship program because you are unable to transition your intern into employment.
A mentor is an experienced and trusted advisor. A good internship manager is also mentor who takes their responsibility seriously. A good mentor/internship manager is invested in the success of their mentee/intern. Since many employers use prior internship experience as a hiring criterion there are things you can do to help your intern build a successful career if you are unable to transition them into employment. If you are unable to hire your intern, you can help your intern update their resume and you can serve as a reference, write a letter of recommendation, share their resume with your network, introduce them to industry insiders, or hire them as a consultant. To sum it up, make a concerted effort to help your intern get hired.
Related:
What If I Can’t Hire My Intern As An Employee?
25 Characteristics of a Great Internship Manager
Give Your Intern Roots and Wings
Nicki Sanders, MSW, is a travel and cupcake lover with a passion for self-discovery and career advancement. She has a strong background in developing and managing interns and successful internship programs. She is an accomplished manager, professor, coach, trainer, and group facilitator who has packaged her Master of Social Work degree and 20 years of diverse work experience into Packaged For Success Enterprises, a full-service training and professional development company.
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