There are a lot of excellent arguments as to why your company should hire an intern. They can help with tasks that may be too time-consuming, provide fresh ideas and perspectives on how the company operates, and are usually very inexpensive to hire! Plus, internships are an excellent way for students to gain valuable work experience while learning about the industry. They offer a plethora of win-win situations for both the intern and the employer. But what does it really take to hire an intern?
Whether you need some extra help in the office or want to give a newbie the chance to see what it’s like to work at a small business, we’ll go over five reasons you should consider giving someone an internship at your small business.
Interns are inexpensive
Hiring an intern is an excellent method for saving money on labor. You can afford to hire someone for more extended periods without feeling guilty about the expense. In fact, many college interns will be pretty happy to receive a salary between $8 to $18 per hour. Of course, that depends greatly on where you live and the type of internship it happens to be. Moreover, keep in mind that hiring an intern doesn’t involve a lot of overhead costs, and the risks when hiring them are low.
They come with fresh ideas
Another significant benefit to hiring interns is the fact that they often bring fresh ideas with them. For example, if you’re trying to expand your business’s reach and want some new ways of doing so, then why not invite someone who has never experienced the industry before? They could bring in creative suggestions that might be just what you need. This can also help their resume by exposing them to all sorts of things they may not have learned about otherwise, and if you end up using their recommendations, it’s a win-win for you both.
Your intern could become a full-time employee
Isn’t one of the best things about getting an internship the fact that it can be a stepping stone to something more? Well, why not let your intern become one of your full-time employees? Why hire a person who has no idea what you do and will likely leave after a few months when instead you could train someone who has potential for long-term success?
This, too, is a win-win. They’ll get valuable experience in their field and build expertise while giving them some stability. And if you don’t want to provide them with all sorts of responsibilities, then why not ensure that at least part of their workday is spent learning from experienced staff members how to deal with certain situations – like handling customer complaints or technical difficulties?
Gain brand advocates
Often interns have a strong sense of loyalty and commitment when it comes to developing relationships with the brands that hire them. They’re not afraid to pitch in wherever necessary, so you’ll get more done while ensuring each task is executed correctly. The real benefit, however, is that when an intern becomes committed and loyal to your company, they don’t stop talking about it.
Of course, what that means for your company is that you’ve got a loyal fan willing to sing and shout your praises to whoever will listen. However, to gain that loyalty and commitment, you’d better be sure that your company is worthy of it. That means you need to be at the top of your game and willing to provide the intern with valuable supervision and mentorship.
On the flip side, if all you’re looking to do is get cheap labor, you could quickly burn bridges and find the intern who could have been a fan is now someone who won’t stop trashing your company as soon as they know you’re not looking over their shoulder.
They can sometimes do the impossible
The truth is that over time, many executives get stuck in their ways. It’s kind of how adults get anyway. As time goes by we come to be fixed on what we think is “normal” and what people can and cannot do. Then “kids” come along and shatter those notions by doing what we thought was impossible.
The same can happen when you hire an intern straight out of college. Obviously, they’re not all knowledgeable, and they’ll probably make mistakes. However, younger people also don’t know enough to believe that something “you” think is impossible actually is. In many cases, you’ll find they innovate in ways that are surprisingly smart and completely unpredictable. When they do, and their recommendations or actions bring about a positive result, it’s like magic just occurred.
Wrapping up
Why hire an intern? Well, hopefully, the reasons we’ve listed above give you something to think about. Of course, what we’ve discussed here is far from the only reason you should consider bringing on a college student or another young person willing to learn the ropes.
Knowing how to hire an intern for a small business isn’t even an issue. Put out a call and they’ll usually come running. Just remember that you could be gaining a fresh perspective from someone who has no preconceived notions and the opportunity to mentor and guide that individual in teaching them your company’s values and how things are done. In the end, you may find that you get just as much out of the relationship as the intern does.
