7 Ways to Hire an Intern – Types, Process and Benefits
There are a lot of tasks and responsibilities that need accomplishing when it comes to working in the HR department. There are times when the HR team could use an extra pair of hands, which is where interns come in. They can provide help like assisting with basic HR roles and at the same time, learn from the team on how to do things such as recruitment and HR planning.
7 Ways to Hire an Intern – Types, Process and Benefits
What Is an Intern?
An intern is a person who works for a company for a specific amount of time. Commonly called an internship, the work usually spans from one to three months. After their recruitment, an intern would usually assist other employees in their day-to-day responsibilities, as well as learn about the work at the same time. At the end of the internship, the intern often has a checklist of requirements such as the mandated work hours and completion of certain tasks to exit the company. While many interns are undergraduate students, internships, in general, are open to all ages as long as they have the right requirements.
4 Types of Internships
To figure out what kind of internship program you would like to implement, here are the four kinds that you can go for:
Paid Internship
A paid internship means that the intern is also compensated for the work they do. The payout is usually on the same day that regular employees get paid. It is important to note that interns only get a fraction of what the employees usually make. One reason is that internships usually involve a few hours of work.
Unpaid Internship
As its name would suggest, it is an internship where the interns do not get paid with money. Nowadays it is encouraged for companies to pay interns but it is not an official law to follow. If the company doesn’t compensate them, they usually pay through other means to make up for it. The rewards and recognition usually include learning opportunities, free food, and a recommendation after the internship is done.
Partially Paid Internships
These internships still involve paying the interns with money, yet the amount given is determined by a fixed regular sum that is different from regular employees. In some ways, the pay is an allowance given by the company.
Work Research
This type of internship is usually done by students who are in the final year of their education. In work research, a certain aspect of the company is being studied by these students. It is usually something that needs improving on or else a topic of the student’s own choosing. Once the research is done, it is often presented and submitted like a dissertation.
7 Ways to Set Up an Internship Program
If you need some help in hiring interns for your company, here are seven steps to help you get started.
Identify When You Need an Intern
Before looking for an intern, figure out the reason why you need one. Common reasons a company would need an intern is to have a fresh and young mind that could give them a new perspective on their work as well as the chance to mold a potential employee.
Check About Legal Requirements
Take a look at the policies of your company alongside the laws on internship. Ensure that your internship program complies with all the regulations so you can avoid trouble in the first place.
Write a Job Description
Based on the responsibilities of the employees along with the needs of employee management, create a job description for the interns. This will give those who apply for the internship an idea of what they are in for. Include the expectations and requirements of potential interns as well so you can draw the right applicants from a large crowd.
List the Skills You Need in Intern
To attract the right applicants for your internship program, specify the skills you are looking for in an intern. Common kinds of skills include computer literacy and skill in the English language. For more specific skills, base the ones you need with the nature of the work involved in the internship.
Advertise the Position
Create job postings whether they be physical or online, and put them up in places where potential interns tend to be at. Usually, companies advertise job posts in schools or on social media to attract young people into their internship. Make it engaging as well by placing hiring tips and the benefits it entails.
Evaluate the Candidates
When you are picking candidates to be your interns you have to take a lot into consideration. Gather your reports on the candidates and see which has potential. Check which of them will do well in the training and development plans you are setting up for their internship. That way you will have the best interns for your company.
Interview, Select and Hire the Candidates
After you have interviewed the candidates, take your time during the selection process. Think back to those interviews and see who has done well, who was personable, and who made a good impression. Once you’ve figured out who makes the cut, notify them that you are offering the internship to them. When they say yes, you have hired them and gotten yourself some interns.
6 Benefits of Hiring Interns
Fresh Knowledge
Hiring young people to be your interns provides the company with a new perspective on the way things work in the business. This gives you an opportunity to improve on things and find ways to reach a new demographic.
Less Expensive
Hiring new employees costs more compared to implementing an internship program. If the work and the training are going to be the same when done to interns then it is better to hire interns instead.
Flexibility
There are days when employees don’t have much to do at work. Despite that, you still have to pay them even when they’re done for the day and spend their last hours lounging around. Interns on the other hand have other commitments outside the office and have a very flexible schedule during their internship in general. So if they aren’t needed in the workplace they can be sent away and that reduces the cost thus saving money.
Reduce Employee Workload
Having interns can improve the employee’s work in the office. Through the training of interns, the workload of the employees is reduced, allowing for more room in employee productivity and recognition. This in turn can lead to an increase in employee engagement as well.
Increase Productivity
As mentioned in the previous point, an increase in productivity is one of the positive results when it comes to having interns. With their assistance in the workplace, a lot of things can get done in an efficient manner. Helping employees can also give a boost to employee relations within the workplace.
Social Strategy
It refers to the use of social media to gain publicity for businesses. Since most interns are young people and who are tech savvy, you may have your interns use their knowledge of social media to reach out to a new demographic.
More in HR
