Definition: A person, usually a student, participating in a program of
temporary, supervised work in a particular field in order to gain
practical experience
Some colleges encourage students to work, for a small stipend or
even for free, through internship programs. Student interns trade
their time and talents for learning marketable job skills. Every
year, colleges match millions of students with businesses of all
sizes and types. Since they have an eye on future career prospects,
students working as interns are usually highly motivated. Does your
small business have anything to offer an intern? Actually, small
companies offer ideal learning experiences for interns since they
typically have a great variety of job tasks and offer a chance to
work closely with senior employees.
Keep this in mind: In most cases, offering routine secretarial
or "gofer" work won't get you an intern; colleges expect their
interns to learn specialized professional skills. Hold up your end
of the bargain by providing meaningful work. Can you delegate a
direct-mail campaign? Have an intern help on photo shoots? Ask her
to put together a client presentation? Get involved in a technology
implementation?
Check with your local college or university to find out about
their internship programs. Usually, the school will send you an
application, asking you to describe the job's responsibilities and
your needs in terms of major, skill level and other qualifications.
Then the school will send you the resumes of students they think
could work for you.
The best part of hiring interns? If you're lucky, you'll find a
gem who'll stay with your company after the internship is over.