Hiring Interns
September 7, 2006

Q:  I have had a nice summer, taking it slower than usual.  But now that I am gearing up again I am faced with the same problem I had last spring, namely, how do I hire staff to grow when I don't grow enough to hire staff?  Catch-22, Mr. AllBiz. -- Leonard

A:  Nice try Leonard, but I think I have a fine solution for you, but first, a little background:

When I was finishing up my undergraduate work at UCLA I had no idea what I would do once I graduated. Fortunately, a dean on campus saw something in me and directed me towards a graduate fellowship / internship program called the Coro Foundation.

I applied, was interviewed, made it in, and moved to San Francisco. That was one of the best years of my life. I spent it doing a series of month-long internships -- everything from working with the Mayor's office to create a program for at-risk kids to interning with a department store to canvassing for a school board candidate.

Some of the internships were great and some were not. The best ones where when the organization took me in and gave me a birds-eye view of how it worked. Real projects with real deadlines made a huge difference.

I am reminded of that time now as the kids are headed back to school and internship season has begun. If you want to grow your business without spending a lot of money then might I suggest bringing in an intern or two. Not only is it a chance to give some smart, ambitious college kids some real-world skills, but it is also a chance for you to get some much-needed help at little or no cost. That's a win-win.

Here's an example of what I am talking about: I have a friend who started a new business last year, and like you, he doesn't have enough capital to hire everyone he needs to hire at this point. Undeterred, he has created a business based in part on the intelligent use of interns. He uses several, they are given real work to do, and in the process learn a lot, make some contacts, and get a great recommendation.

Having both been an intern and having hired interns, I have learned that there are some keys for doing it right. Here then are some tips:

Draft a job description: Both you and the intern need to be in sync with regard to what the his or her duties will be. If a project is needed, be specific and give deadlines. Who will be the supervisor? What is expected of the intern. When will the internship end?

Make contact: Call a few local colleges and locate the internship coordinator. Pass along the job description and have the coordinator get the word out.

Interview: Interview your prospects just as you would any other employee.

Give feedback: My best internship was with a labor leader who let me follow him for a month and watch him negotiate. He gave me plenty of pointers and insight. Interns are there to sharpen their skills and it is your job to help them do that.

Hiring interns is a great way to help a smart kid get ahead while he or she helps you get ahead. With school starting, now is the time to jump on the intern bandwagon.

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Today's Tip: According to a new survey by SCORE and Visa, sole proprietors (not surprisingly!) have a hard time finding the time to grow their business. 35% said that is their main challenge. Other challenges include:

 

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