Everyone needs a right hand now and then. Bringing in an eager intern, who’s there to learn as much as she can for educational or professional purposes, can be a wonderful way to gain it. Sure, it may save you paying a worker salary, but it ultimately may result in you gaining a fulltime employee who’s learned on the job. You also might have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped shape a career.
Finders keepers
Contact high schools, universities, colleges, vocational schools, community centres. Check with local educational facilities for youth intern recruitment events. Posting a classified ad might bring a good response, as might your listing in the Yellow Pages. Ask other biz owners how they’ve tapped the intern-al vein.
Establish, update, invite, enlarge
Establish checklists, regular progress reports and ongoing goals. Encourage input and feedback. WCDA member Dilys Tong, owner of Sew Be It Studio, says, “I often ask my interns what they want to learn, and try to incorporate that into their jobs.” Give them increasing challenges with the opportunity to use the skills they’ve learned so far.
Rules and regs
It may be important for you to ensure your intern fits into the “company culture.” That may mean compliance with dress code or lack thereof; attendance at company meetings, etc. Ask your intern to contribute if folks at your firm take turns bringing in baked goods every Friday. You also may have to set rules regarding cellphone and Internet use. Many biz owners also stress ensuring the intern is never left alone on the premises.
Diversify duties
Dilys Tong might have her workers shopping for and cutting fabric, sewing or newsletter-designing. Rita Gordon, proprietor of Gordon’s Park camping and nature-activity destination, says her interns have worked in customer service, reservation bookings, cash management, statistics gathering, marketing and promotions. Not to mention park maintenance, housekeeping, office administration, entrepreneurship, event planning and facilitation, nature interpretation, guided hikes and school programs….whew!
Patience is a virtue
Both mentor and protégée must have the willingness to take time. As a biz owner, you may have students who need to attend school functions, or interns who cancel or don’t show up. But you also may get to see them become more responsible. For WCDA member Michelle Simpson, owner of Diggity Dog and Lonesome Kitty Hotel and Grooming Spa, it ultimately resulted in a fulltime employee able to work largely unsupervised. And more—a worker able “to project the high standards I wish to maintain for my company.”
The buck stops here?
The idea is that interns are getting “real world” experience and a business education they’d otherwise pay for. Michelle Simpson says that some duties her students learned were the equivalent of going to pet-grooming school for eight weeks at $3000 to $6000. School-based intern programs for credits may negate the whole payment aspect anyway. Some biz owners do extend a “gift” of $50 or $100, or company discounts or similar benefits. And some facilities, like the Ontario Internship Program, do pay salaries to participants learning on the job.
Variations on the theme
Sometimes you get an intern when you don’t expect it. Monique Howat, self-esteem and youth character motivator and founder of Confident Girls and Guys motivational workshops had one teen workshop member who felt she was too old to participate. “So I did a little problem solving and asked her to intern and mentor a younger group. She did and says she learned a lot!”
The futures market
Encourage your intern, if she goes elsewhere, to stay in touch with you. Isn’t it nice to know you’ve helped build someone’s future? Rita Gordon says, “Nature interpretation, character strengthening and confidence and independent thinking, decision making and entrepreneurship are specific skills students have benefited from in other employment.”
With school holidays right around the corner, now is the time to line up that intern so that you both can enjoy the benefits.
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