Have You Ever Considered Offering an Internship?
Introduction
We are all experiencing and unprecedented time economically as business owners. I believe it is safe to say that all business owners are having difficulty with hiring and maintaining talent for various positions within your company. A possible solution to this problem could be extending your business to those looking for internships. Let’s look into how the guidelines you should follow when hiring internes and how this will help your team to flourish.
Internship Guidelines
Internships are positions that have been offered for many decades. Starting in the 1920s internships have become common amongst college students looking to gain experience in the field of their choosing. Internships can be offered as paid, unpaid and co-op positions.
Paid internships are similar to part-time positions but in addition to the job tasks there is an ending project that is presented to management.
Unpaid internships are usually 10 to 20 hours per week for 15 to 18 weeks at a time. Due to labor laws, it is important to understand that individuals participating in unpaid internships must not perform essential tasks of the day-to-day operations of your business. Their goal is to focus on completing a project that aligns with your business but is not essential to it.
Co-op programs are a unique merger of classroom based and practical work experience that offers school credit to the student participating. To become a company that participates in a co-op program you must become accredited with a university or college.
“Providing internship opportunities... changes the whole equation.”
How can this benefit your team?
Internships offer a powerful opportunity for both employers and interns to benefit from each other. Employers can lighten the workload of their staff, develop potential new employees, hone specialized skills through projects, leverage students' tech acumen and social media savvy in cost-effective ways - all while giving enthusiastic interns invaluable experience! It's truly an ideal exchange with rewards for everyone involved.
“Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.”
Conclusion
While it is currently a challenge to source top talent for your company due to unforeseen economic issues. We are in an era where it is necessary for business owners to think outside of the box in order to push their companies to new heights. Are you considering internes to fulfill roles within your company? Do you need more information on how to facilitate this if so, Talk to Me Consulting would love to help you. Please reach out to us with any questions you may have regarding internships.