Building out an internship program seems like an easy enough concept, right? Students and young professionals who are just starting out want experience, and maybe your company could use the extra help. However, it’s not quite that simple. Especially when you recruit and hire interns from all over the country.
When your interns temporarily move to your city, there are a few things you must consider before they all get there. Otherwise, you may end up with a lot of questions and an administrative nightmare. Below, we’ve compiled a list of things to consider when relocating interns for the summer, or the semester.
One of the first and most important things you need to consider is how you're going to get your interns from Point A to Point B? Relocating interns is a whole different ball game than your average relocating employee; and the steps and procedures that need to be taken are different.
For starters, interns need a lot of support. They're likely still in school, and things you'd typically expect your full-time employees to figure out on their own are things you'll have to handle and mediate for your interns.
For instance, the act of moving in itself, let alone all the details involved, such as figuring out shipping, short-term housing contracts, tax ramifications, and more, is likely something your intern has never dealt with before. Is this something your company wants to provide assistance with?
Additionally, where will your interns live once they’ve figured out how they'll move? How will your interns find temporary housing? Will you offer them a lump sum of cash, a stipend or a living allowance? Or will you source and secure intern housing for them?
Interns need as much information, education, and support, as you can give them. This will not only make their relocation experience less stressful, but it makes your job easier in the long run too.
Accepting an internship in a different city is a big monetary risk for students. While many relocating interns will receive some kind of cash flow (such as a monthly allowance, stipend, lump sum, or even a paycheck), their costs can trend higher than someone relocating to a city permanently.
Since most internships only last a few months, many interns have no need to ship their furniture across the country. That said, this means they won’t have furniture and will look to their employer to provide it.