Revamp Your Internship Program

Originally posted on Recruiter.com August 2, 2013.

Summer is coming, and along with it, the interns. They need you and you need them. Don’t make this a missed opportunity. Interns are in it for the knowledge, the experience and ultimately, the chance for a full-time position. And companies are in it for the community outreach perks, the cheap labor and above all, the great sourcing opportunity.

Design the Internship Program with Purpose

When you take time to design a program and prepare a dynamic intern job description, you are setting this position apart from any another internship. When you present this position as an exciting opportunity and deliver it to the right candidates, you will generate a better pool of potential future employees.

These programs provide your mid-level employees the chance to manage and mentor; free up time for employees to dive into other tasks; provide community outreach; and get your company name out to college campuses.

If the reach of these programs consists of future recruits, the community and present employees, you might want to concentrate on getting it right.

Choose Wisely

If you enter the selection process with the, “It’s just an intern” attitude, then that’s exactly what you’ll get…just an intern. But that isn’t the goal here. When you consider the sourcing possibilities that come along with taking on an intern, this can be an important decision.

Background checks, resumes and interviews should all be standard in the choosing of the intern. Sure your trusted worker, their aunt, put in a good word for the person, but if he/she can’t show up to an interview on time, you might need to keep looking. Internships are often granted to referred candidates, but the process should be the same for everyone.

Additionally, the mentor should be taken into consideration throughout the selection process. In other words,use some common sense when pairing your intern with their mentor. The “have you seen my stapler” tech genius might not do too well with the squeaky, high-energy, newb designer. Read More…

Maren Hogan

Maren Hogan is CEO of Red Branch and general Bad@$$

Maren Hogan is a seasoned marketer and community builder in the HR and Recruiting industry. Maren started Red Branch Media and, before she hired all the smiling faces you see below, she ran it on her own. In marketing for over 15 years, she has deep experience in strategic campaigns and a long-term, results-based operational approach.