Business owners don’t just want skilled, reliable employees who will add value to their team and free up their time to do what they do best, whether that’s sales, marketing, training or coaching. They absolutely need them.

In today’s marketplace – or the “New Economy” as I call it – you need to gain a competitive edge, and you simply can’t do so without a skilled team behind you.

In a dream world, we could all hire seasoned pros in our respective industries, attracting them with competitive salaries and dreamy bonus packages. And that’s certainly a goal to reach for as you grow your business.

But if you’re at a point where you’re looking to gain momentum in your business by developing a team around you without breaking the bank, it’s time to find yourself an intern.

What exactly is an internship?

An internship is an opportunity offered by an employer to potential employees (a.k.a. interns) to work for their company or non-profit in a position that interests them for a fixed period of time. Often interns are undergraduate students or new grads, and internships span anywhere between a few weeks to a year.

Internships are either paid, unpaid, or offered an honorarium.

How does the intern benefit?

By and large, when someone accepts an internship position, they want to gain valuable experience in an industry or position they want to pursue as a career. For example, a marketing intern may wish to pursue a career in marketing and communications. Interns are often in the process of earning their degree or have recently graduated and have little hands-on industry experience. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have skills! They likely have academic proficiency in a professional area, such as business, marketing, public relations, graphic design or web development.

The best interns are driven, talented and capable, but they need an opportunity to apply the skills they learned in school to a professional setting, work collaboratively on projects or campaigns, and benefit from the guidance of a mentor.

Individuals seek out an internship experience – or several – so that they can gain practical experience, enhance their skills and be viewed as attractive candidates when they seek full-time, paid positions with future employers. Many who apply for an internship don’t yet have a beefed-up resume. Rather, they want to fill their resume with some great, relevant experience. An internship can also be a great confidence booster for someone with limited experience.

Where Do I Find An All-Star Intern? You can search on LinkedIn or social media for undergrads actively searching for internship opportunities. You can also reach out to local college or university professors. Some colleges have credited internship programs – or “Cooperative Education (Co-Op) classes” – that you can link up with, but even if they don’t, you can ask professors to pass the opportunity along to their students. So, for instance, if you want a business manager, connect with professors of your local business school.

Of course, sometimes the best way to find an intern is to put feelers out there amongst your colleagues and social circle. If someone comes highly recommended, bring them in for an interview.

What Do I Look For? By definition, most interns are not very experienced in a traditional sense. Look for skills, responsibility, ambition, potential, a positive attitude and an earnest desire to learn.

In an in-person interview, ask your prospective intern to show you or tell you about some of the projects they worked on in school or in a volunteer capacity. Encourage your prospect to tell you what they are most passionate about. Ask them what they know how to do, as well as what they would like to learn how to do, and reflect on whether the package they bring to the table can add value to you. Remember, there will be a learning curve for both you and your intern, so offer an internship that gives your intern time to adjust, learn and excel.

I always share with my Celeste Giordano Coaching clients that new talent is the lifeblood of a successful business. With a talented and dedicated team of experts around you, you can grow, sell and accomplish more than you ever could solo. Offering internships is a great, affordable way to add value to your organization this year.

Stay tuned for next week’s article: How to Land Your Dream Intern!

Warmly,

Celeste Giordano