Hiring an intern this summer can be a great way to help your business and at the same time provide a valuable experience to the intern. Here are some reasons why you should consider having an internship program.
1. Interns can offer a fresh new perspective
One of the benefits of hiring a summer intern is that they bring new ideas to the table. The fact that they are still learning and growing means they can see things from different perspectives, which may be helpful in finding innovative ways to solve problems.
Think about it this way: If you’re working with someone who has been at your organization for several years, they will have a good sense of how things work. But if you’re working with someone who has only been there for a few months or even weeks, he or she may be able to spot problems you might not notice because they have not been exposed to them yet.
2. Opportunity to test out candidates for permanent hires
Hiring a new employee is complicated. You want to make sure that you’re hiring someone who has the right skills for the job, who will be able to fit into your company culture and work well with other employees.
However, hiring a summer intern is a great way to get a feel for whether or not someone will be the right fit for your company. Because the job is temporary, you can observe them over time before making any long-term commitments. In addition, summer interns offer employers unique opportunities to test candidates on their skills and see how they interact with co-workers of different ages and backgrounds.
3. Hiring interns show that your organization is growing and supports the local workforce
Hiring interns is a sign of growth. As an organization, you want to show that you’re growing and expanding your workforce. In addition, the summer internship is a way for young people to get involved with your organization early in their careers, which can be beneficial for everyone involved. Not only does it allow you to train and develop new talent within your organization, but it also gives interns an opportunity to explore different areas of work that they may not otherwise have had access to.
Furthermore, by hiring summer interns, you create opportunities for the local workforce (students returning from college) to learn new skills and develop a deeper knowledge base. This can help your business grow in the long term by leveraging an existing talent pool and creating a pipeline of potential employees with relevant skills.
4. Interns reduce your current employees' workloads
Summer interns are a great way to lighten the burden on your current employees. As you know, many employees are stretched thin right now—and with summer vacations approaching, it’s only going to become more challenging. The last thing they need is another issue to worry about, especially when your employees are already doing their best and working hard. Summer interns can take up some of the slack and allow your current staff some much-needed time off.
5. Summer interns can up your social media strategy
In addition to bringing new ideas and creative vision to the table, interns also help you stay relevant. Because of their age and experience with social media platforms, they can bring an inside perspective on what’s trending right now and what kind of content will resonate with your audience.
Plus, their knowledge of digital communication could give you insight into how best to improve your current online presence by introducing new and different platforms to promote yourself or your company without wasting time or money on marketing plans that do not work.
Conclusion
In the end, there are quite a few benefits to hiring interns. The most obvious is their help with day-to-day tasks, which will give you a chance to focus on bigger picture initiatives. Another is the opportunity to mentor someone who’s just getting started in their career, as well as give them a chance to learn more about your business and industry. And of course, you may also find that that intern can help you discover some new processes or ideas you never would have come up with otherwise. When all is said and done, the benefits definitely outweigh the cost of hiring an intern for your business—as long as you’re ready for them.
