5 Reasons Internship Programs are Valuable to Your Business
By Jeanette Maister
There is a surplus of college students looking for internships every year and bring unopened doors of opportunities for both students and businesses. Most companies don't realize the value interns bring to their organization until they finish the program and are gone. Interns bring the company and its team a fresh face full of energy, ideas and a desire to learn. Check out these five advantages to bringing students on board
Energy
Students are young, eager and excited. They are the definition of bright eyed and bushy tailed and they can bring a lot of energy to the work environment. Interns are eager to learn and soak up all the knowledge they can with their short time at the company. No doubt, there is a lot of information to take in, especially if this is their first internship but many interns will come into the company with an energetic, positive vibe, that really makes an impact on your culture and environment. With all these new personalities mixed into the company culture, it can spark engagement amongst your employees and the interns.
Ideas
We live in a crazy generational era where the workforce is currently blending Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and the newest, Gen Z. Each generation, of course, has their own ideas but your interns are interested in the latest tech savvy strategies they will be able to bring into the company to teach others. Using internship programs, you have the opportunity to harvest new and unique ideas from these entrepreneurial minds. Coming in with an outsider’s perspective, they can go beyond the walls of the company and develop fresh, innovative ideas to hopefully inspire your teams to keep the ideas flowing.
Productivity
There is always a task to be done, or something you wish you had an extra set of hands for that your team just can’t seem to get to. What better way to solve this problem than with an intern? An internship program is also an inexpensive way to get another mind wrapped around a project to bring insight and allow your full-time employees to focus more time on priority tasks or projects. It can also alleviate pressure for your employees knowing they have extra help, which can lead to boosting your overall productivity rate. It’s important to not underestimate interns just because they are students. These individuals are there to work, learn and experience real-world projects. Don’t be afraid to let them in on actual projects and get their hands dirty.
Feedback
Interns are outsiders looking in and they will be able to spot flaws and improvements faster than you might think. These individuals can give feedback to you, your team and the company in general and it’s important to listen and try to make some of the improvements suggested, or at least consider them because they could be advancements to launch you ahead of your competition. Team members could very well be stuck in a “why fix it” mindset as they race through each day from task to task, but taking the time to listen to the perspective from someone just coming in could increase productivity or even make a process already in place more efficient.
Talent Pool
When it comes to making a new entry-level hire, would you rather hire someone who’s never worked for your company or a young professional who started as an intern and already knows the ins and outs of the organization? Many Fortune 500 companies retain over 80% of their interns as entry-level hires. An internship offers a test trial for both the employer and the intern. Both parties get a sense of fit for the company and you as the employer get to assess what the intern is able to bring to the table. By the end of the internship, you have the option to extend an employment offer or keep these interns in mind for future open positions. By doing so, your organization is able to save recruiting costs.
The benefits internship programs bring to a business are undeniable. Whether you have a small class of interns each summer or do a large rotation each season, it’s important to navigate your program to achieve all of these benefits. Simplifying the recruiting and management process of your interns with a software solution can help alleviate administrative burden so you’re able to achieve these benefits to an even greater extent.
About Jeanette Maister:
Global talent acquisition technology leader with extensive experience in global talent acquisition, applicant tracking systems & recruiting technology, recruiting metrics and process. Deep insight into all aspects of campus recruiting strategy. Recognized for driving growth and helping clients transform their recruiting efforts.
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