Rob Berman's Blog

Interns offer a method of meeting workload needs without permanently hiring staff.

The value to both parties is illustrated through a Marketing Department’s internship experience over a two and one half year period.  In some cases, the value inures more to one side than the other while it is sometimes evenly divided.

Method to Add Staff

I was asked to build a Marketing Department for our $200 million Division.  Current staff was two Marketing Professionals including me.  We faced the typical paradox of no additional staff until we produced yet, we needed staff to meet our objectives.

A partial solution came in the form of an intern.  We hired a rising Junior Marketing Major for the summer.

Continuity

Our mutual intent was to make the position year-round.  Our intern was able to move up the learning curve quickly with the professional staff teaching and supplying direction.  It was a good fit and we moved to a year-round position.  Therefore, longer-term projects could be assigned and learning carried forward. For example, the intern remained editor for our internal and external newsletters during her entire two years with us.

Recruitment Pool

The intern was a resource to us when we sought a second intern to work with our initial intern.  She provided training and advised me on candidates from local schools.   Our second intern was also a success.

We were fortunate to add two additional professional staff over the two-year period.  We had in-house a trained, experienced candidate – our intern.  When it came time to increase our staff, of course, we hired her.  In 10 years she became a Vice President.

Once again, we were fortunate to increase staff.  A tight labor market is a difficult time to hire.  However, the two interns made a recommendation for the new position.  In the end, we hired that candidate.

We then started the cycle again by hiring a rising junior as our year-round intern.

The Takeaway

Interns, when properly managed, add tremendous value at little or no cost.  Use interns to fill staffing needs while providing a launching pad for students into their careers.

Those are my thoughts.  Over to you.  Please comment below.

1. How have you deployed interns in your organization?
2. Did you ever have an internship in your career?
3. How have your interns succeeded in their careers?

If you would like to contact me, you may do so by visiting my LinkedIn page, following me on Twitter,  or e-mailing me at rcberman2 (at) yahoo (dot) com.

A mini-industry has grown up around internships.  Guidebooks and Internet sites tell you about the good, the bad, the paid and the unpaid.  Career Planning and Placement Offices, Career Advisors, and College/University faculty, encourage students to seek out internships.

Are you considering what an internship should be and the value for the students or the company that provides the internship?

My own two internships were for academic credit only.  No pay.  In fact, I paid tuition for the credits I received.  In other words, I paid to work.  Nowadays, it seems we invariably pay the students to work.

Today, many managers have started their careers with one or more internships.

Here are a variety of thoughts on internships.

Real Work: Paid or working for academic credit, the expectation is real work, not doing errands, making coffee or busy work.

Human Resource:  The internship should be a real life learning experience not a resume filler or an item checked off in the goal of obtaining a job after graduation.  The intern can prove to be a valuable human resource and should be treated accordingly.

Objectives Should Be Established:  The student should be measured against these and given feedback.  Allow them to do the job by providing “a place to hang their hat.”  Give them a desk, phone and computer access, reasonable supplies etc.  Demand value for the dollar, however allow the intern to take “ownership” in the work product.

Fresh Blood Equals New Ideas:  Book learning and theory are a foundation.  However, they do not always apply to the “real world.”  Supplementing the knowledge with experience facilitates additional learning as the student brings a broader perspective to the academic world.

Try Out a Career First:  The student obtains the opportunity to “try out” a career and perhaps refine the area of study for the major or minor.  A consequence of this experience is an enhanced resume.  The result should be a consequence, not the only goal.

Build a Portfolio of Skills:  Certain abilities come easier to some people than others.  An internship is a good place to confirm strengths and weaknesses.  If the internship is to help grow the student as well as the business, then both strengths and weaknesses should be worked on.  The portfolio of skills needs to be expanded.  Projects can be designed around both the company’s needs and the intern’s needs.

The Takeaway

Internships should be a two-way street.  In my experience it has been.  It is incumbent on both companies and interns to clearly articulate their expectations up front to maximize the return to both parties.

Those are my ideas.  Over to you.  Please comment below.

1. Have you successfully utilized interns at your organization?
2. What factors led to the success?
3. How would you change or enhance an internship program?

 If you would like to contact me, you may do so by visiting my LinkedIn page, following me on Twitter,  or e-mailing me at rcberman2 (at) yahoo (dot) com.