Recent studies show that up to 60% of college graduates complete at least one internship, and 70% of them receive a full-time job offer from the companies they intern at. This is a great statistic that represents why internships are often a win-win situation for both parties - the intern and the company. While major corporations such as HBK, AT&T, Bloomberg, and more have established internship programs, plenty of small businesses across the country actively hire interns as well. In this article by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, we’ll explore the ins and outs of hiring interns and how to ensure they get the most out of the opportunity you’re providing them.

Benefits of Hiring Interns

For businesses looking to hire interns for the first time, here are a host of benefits you’ll avail:

• Cost-Effective Hiring: Interns are often paid less than full-time employees, helping businesses with limited budgets meet their hiring needs without breaking the bank. Additionally, employers do not need to provide benefits such as healthcare or 401(k) contributions.

• Increased Productivity: Hiring a team of interns helps businesses undertake a much higher workload, resulting in increased productivity for the duration for which interns have been hired. This can also free up time for full-time employees to focus on projects of higher importance.

• Training Future Employees: In addition to being the solution for short-term hiring needs, interns can also grow into resourceful full-time employees. Talented interns can be trained by managers and slowly incorporated into projects of higher importance, as reported by Wise Step. If they continue to show growth and potential, the best option is to offer them a full-time position. This not only saves businesses hundreds to thousands of dollars in hiring activities, but also helps to bring on a team member already well-versed with the company culture and expectations.

Streamline Intern Hiring Process 

With numerous companies of all sizes looking to hire interns, your business will have immense competition for landing the best interns. However, by streamlining your hiring process, the time from application to hiring can significantly reduce, allowing you to hire the best student talent from the market: 

• Write a Compelling Job Description: In addition to a comprehensive list of responsibilities, remember to include the host of benefits interns can expect after being a part of your workplace. This can include company retreats, travel allowances, the ability to work from home, and more. Additionally, be honest about possible future opportunities, as this can serve as a major motivating factor for interns to choose you over competitors. 

• Include Managers in the Hiring Process: While HR professionals can be handed the responsibility of screening candidates, the interview process should be conducted by managers of the respective teams. For instance, if your marketing department requires an intern for the summer, instruct the marketing manager to create pre-interview assignments and prepare relevant behavioral questions for the interview. Along with the candidate’s skills, the manager will be able to assess whether they are a good fit for the team and make an informed decision.

• Create Simple Contracts: Creating easy-to-understand contracts will also help to speed up the hiring process, as interns can review and confirm the offer within a matter of hours. When sharing contracts with interns, it’s best to share them in a PDF format which can be encrypted and edited easily when you use an online PDF editor. You can use a PDF filler as well if your intern is signing their contract remotely, as this tool allows them to submit an electronic signature.

Provide a Great Work Experience to Interns

When it comes to helping interns make the most of their opportunity, here are the best ways to do so:

• Provide Regular Feedback: Whether positive or negative, be sure to provide regular feedback to interns on the completion of every project. This will help them understand your expectations better and improve their output and efficiency.

• Allow Interns to Make Decisions: Assign a few projects to interns that they need to manage independently. This can include tasks like managing the blog section of your website or creating the UX for a new app feature. The key is to motivate them to take risks and make key decisions independently.

When it comes to hiring interns, it’s in the best interest of companies to adopt a long-term view — in other words, along with providing skill-based training, provide interns the guidance and freedom needed to grow into a valuable asset for the organization. Additionally, to fend off competition, remember to streamline your hiring process by creating compelling job descriptions, sharing easy-to-understand PDF contracts, and allowing managers to hire interns for their respective teams.