That time is upon us once again: Intern season. Internships have become increasingly popular, in fact approximately 500,000 to 1 million Americans work as interns every year.
Internships are a great way to find new, fresh talent and bring innovative ideas to any industry. When done right, interns are such a rich talent pool that approximately 70% of employers offer their interns full-time jobs.
Recruiting talent from all over the country is also becoming increasingly popular and common. As a result, relocation assistance is offered to interns by over half of employers. The most popular forms of relocation assistance typically fall under housing stipends and moving allowances (lump sum).
College students are often very willing to relocate for internships, especially since the time period is definite. They know that at the end of the summer, they can return to the safe comfort of campus (or wherever their next chapter takes them). Use this opportunity to your advantage by making their summer relocation seamless. If they know they can last three months in another city successfully, they'll probably be willing to test the waters for a little longer if job opportunities come up after graduation.
When recruiting interns, it's crucial to be able to pitch not only a killer internship program full of great opportunities, but also a relocation package that seems logical and worth the move. Think about it from their side: They’ve just moved in and out of their university housing in less than a year, and while moving again for an internship will be exciting, it can also be pretty stressful.
What can you do? Make their internship experience worth their while! Here are 4 ways you can make your internship program more robust and beneficial for both parties (employer and intern) this summer:
Interns can be great targets for future full-time hires, which is why it is especially important to make their experience as valuable as yours. This all starts with onboarding. The onboarding process should begin right when an intern is accepted into your program. The process of onboarding will set your interns up for success with your company.
When it comes to interns, they're primarily looking to grow from their experience. Taking advantage of that desire can help you a lot in the onboarding process. Sit down with your interns and tell them exactly what they can expect from their new position. This can be anything from how to communicate with their supervisors, to the tasks they'll be responsible for throughout their time, to the various social events you might be setting up for them.
Setting these expectations early on will allow them to have a clearer picture of what their job entails. A great way to set expectations is to give them tangible items (ie: things they may be able to write on their resume at the end of this experience) that they can expect to add to their skillset.
Another way onboarding helps your intern experience is by encouraging collaboration and group cohesion early on. Onboarding your interns all together in an organized and planned way will help them feel like they're a part of the same team. Today's interns typically work best with people they're also friends with, and they crave a work environment that is fun and friendly.
As a result, the lines work-life balance is extremely important. Younger generations thrive in settings that feel like they're working with their friends (and often, they are). Especially when it comes to interns, try your best to replicate that college feel in which they get to work and play with the same people. It will end up paying off for your company’s performance in the long run.
Onboarding doesn't have to be all work and no play, either! You can plan fun events that help your interns relax and simply get to know one another better. Things like baseball games, free tickets to theater productions, or even just group meals will allow them to get to know one another on a personal level, leading to an added sense of community within the work setting. In the office, it's important to give them opportunities to work on both individual and group projects. This shows that you value each of them for their unique skillset, while also emphasizing the importance of a cohesive working environment.
Universally speaking, interns (whether college students or college graduates) are in your program to try something new. They're looking for a
Facilitate group cohesion to enhance their overall internship experience. In today’s technology-driven world, internet communication is a key part of any group dynamic. Interns are used to using social media, like Instagram, SnapChat and LinkedIn to get to know one another.
Take advantage of this by creating social groups in whatever channel makes sense for your organization (Slack is very popular) and set up a facilitator. This should be a member of your company who interacts online with the incoming intern class, serving as a moderator to answer questions or spark up fun get-to-know-you conversations. Starting e-communication early will ensure that your group members feel a basic level of comfort knowing some familiar names from their online chats.
Once your interns physically start the internship, it's so crucial to maintain that same effort in fostering group cohesion. The entry-level workforce cares a great deal about their social needs when it comes to careers. They focus on team cohesion, supervisor support, and flexibility, sometimes even more than development opportunities and salary satisfaction.