Want An Intern?

Most women at the top of their game manage and multi-task like a pro – but with the ever-increasing piles of work on that desk, sometimes it seems we need a clone to handle it all – or better yet, an intern. Businesses are hiring interns now more than ever as a way of seeking talent and growing business without draining their budget.

Where to start? Lauren Berger, CEO of the Intern Queen, Inc., suggests examining your need for interns first. “Start the internship conversation internally, in the office,” she says. “The entire chain of command needs to know about the importance of the internship. A lot of these students have never been in any sort of professional setting before, so they need a structured program, they need direction.” And to avoid major mistakes – “encourage [interns] to ask questions and provide an open forum for discussion.”

Need help setting up? Allbusiness.com and the Intern Queen suggest outlining basic tasks, program dates and picking an internship coordinator. Plus, CareerBuilder.com gives you the best questions to ask to get that star intern, like where do you see yourself in this industry? and what skills can you bring to this company?

Working with interns can be a challenging task – especially those Facebook-addicted ones. Core77, BusinessWeek and Entrepreneur.com suggest ways to deal with inefficient interns – such as treating them like real employees and offering rewards for good work.

By Muriel Vega

“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard
to sleep after.” Anne Morrow