Could Your Business Use an Intern?
By Andrew Patricio
December 21, 2016
Small Business & Entrepreneurship
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Let’s face it, we can all use an extra set of hands at work. For some small businesses, hiring interns is a way to fill that need without spending a lot of money. Other businesses hire contractors, or freelancers. Ask yourself the following four questions to help you determine if an intern is right for your business.
Be honest; do you simply need cheap labor? If so, then an intern is not the right solution for you. First, not all internships are free. Second, an intern should not, and cannot, replace a paid employee. Third, if you do hire an intern for the sole purpose of cheap labor, the experience will leave you and your intern completely unsatisfied with the final result making it worst than a waste of money, it’s a waste of time. However, if you have other reasons for considering an intern, keep reading.
Maybe you need to set up a new social media program but can’t take time away from your team to build and manage it? Perhaps you have some research to conduct or a database to clean up before moving to a new CRM system? If you have a specific project that needs entry-level skills to complete, interns make terrific resources! Not only does it fulfill the promise of valuable work experience the intern can put on his or her CV, but it doesn’t take time away from keeping your business running.
Sometimes working with such a small, insular team dries up the innovation well. Because interns are not tied to conventional thinking, they can help generate new, better or more efficient ways of doing something. They may know of new technologies or hacks or their unbiased viewpoint can help make improvements where they see gaps.
An intern requires training, supervision and management. If you’re unable to dedicate the time and resources to the intern, then you won’t be satisfied with the result. However, you can use an internship program as an opportunity to develop the management skills of an employee seeking more experience with leadership. It’s a win, win, win!
After answering these questions, you should have a better idea if an intern is right for your business.
- Why Do You Need Help?
Be honest; do you simply need cheap labor? If so, then an intern is not the right solution for you. First, not all internships are free. Second, an intern should not, and cannot, replace a paid employee. Third, if you do hire an intern for the sole purpose of cheap labor, the experience will leave you and your intern completely unsatisfied with the final result making it worst than a waste of money, it’s a waste of time. However, if you have other reasons for considering an intern, keep reading.
- Are You Struggling To Complete An Important Project?
Maybe you need to set up a new social media program but can’t take time away from your team to build and manage it? Perhaps you have some research to conduct or a database to clean up before moving to a new CRM system? If you have a specific project that needs entry-level skills to complete, interns make terrific resources! Not only does it fulfill the promise of valuable work experience the intern can put on his or her CV, but it doesn’t take time away from keeping your business running.
- Are You Stuck Or Need New Ideas?
Sometimes working with such a small, insular team dries up the innovation well. Because interns are not tied to conventional thinking, they can help generate new, better or more efficient ways of doing something. They may know of new technologies or hacks or their unbiased viewpoint can help make improvements where they see gaps.
- How Much Time Do You Have?
An intern requires training, supervision and management. If you’re unable to dedicate the time and resources to the intern, then you won’t be satisfied with the result. However, you can use an internship program as an opportunity to develop the management skills of an employee seeking more experience with leadership. It’s a win, win, win!
After answering these questions, you should have a better idea if an intern is right for your business.