NFIB

Save Money by Hiring Interns, Part I
03/ 28/ 2002

If you're considering hiring a part-time employee or two, you might want to think about starting an intern program. Workshop contributor Jeffrey Moses talks about how to do this in today's and next week's articles.

A common intern program pairs businesses with students who would like to work part time and receive school credit for the experience gained. Most internships take place during the school year, but may extend into summer months. Many employers hire their interns as part-time help during school breaks after they’ve completed their program.

Many colleges and high schools have ongoing intern programs, supplying part-time workers to large and small businesses in varied industries such as high-tech, retail management, hospitality and service-based companies.

When working with interns, first determine how your company would use such an individual. You must be able to train and utilize a person who does not have fully developed skills.

Many times, interns handle basic, ongoing chores such as mailing and shipping, answering phones and running errands. Because they're students, interns normally do not have extensive business experience. They rarely mind doing the "little" stuff, as long as they're occasionally exposed to the "real" work being done around the office.

In some cases, you may need to bring in an intern with some degree of training or experience. While a software design firm should not expect to find an intern who could fit right in with the top design team, the company might find a student with enough education to handle some of the basic programs, allowing the company's experienced programmers to focus on more complicated projects.

After determining your company's needs, write an exact job description. Include all activities, hours and days of work, and level of experience required. Then begin contacting appropriate departments of local schools or colleges. When contacting high schools, call administrative offices, asking to speak with specific departments or individual teachers. When contacting colleges or universities, first determine if there is an authorized intern program, then follow the appropriate procedures. If there is no existing intern program, contact the office of the Dean of Students or a comparable administrator. Be prepared to describe your plans and needs in detail and offer to fax or e-mail job descriptions.

Next week's Workshop continues this topic, addressing issues such as wages for interns, interviewing intern applicants and considering interns for future full-time positions.

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