According to information highlighted by SHRM, hiring interns goes back to the guilds of the Middle Ages, when apprenticeships were highly sought after and prestigious.
While internship roles are still important to many organizations in the modern world, many employers still aren’t sure how to hire them or compensate them, so they avoid hiring them altogether. This is a mistake because interns can help your organization gain a more positive reputation, become more productive, and even help it earn more revenue.
Below are some tips for how you can go about hiring and compensating interns in 2019.
Tips for Recruiting and Hiring Interns
Use social media and online job boards for recruiting. According to insights highlighted by Inc., most of Generation Z (those born after 2000), are searching for jobs on Indeed, LinkedIn, and Google. And 70% of them will look for company reviews before they consider working for a company, while nearly 69% will apply for a role with a company that is active on social media and effectively manages its presence and brand.
In other words, if you want to attract younger interns who are just graduating from high school or college, you’ll want to make sure you have an active social media presence on the right social media sites.
Host or attend job fairs. Members of Generation Z (over 50%) also attend job fairs. So, if you’re interested in attracting more candidates for intern positions with your organization, host or attend jobs fairs at local high schools, colleges, or universities. Or, host an industry-specific job fair, and promote all the fairs you’re going to host or attend on social media outlets, too.
Use e-mail as your main method of communication. Eighty-five percent of Generation Z prefers for recruiters and employers to contact them via e-mail for job offers and information. Less than 20% of them prefer to be reached via social media, only 39% prefer to be reached via phone, and 38% want to be reached via text message.
Tips for Hiring and Compensating Interns
Decide on pay and employee type. If you decide to pay your interns, consider what type of degree they’ve attained, how many years of work experience they have, whether they will need to relocate for the role, and their daily commutes and living situations.
Also, consider the type of work they will perform. Some interns may not be able to work for no pay or will struggle with a low wage while they work, especially if they’re paying off student loans or have a mortgage.
In addition, how you classify your interns for tax and legal purposes will also depend on what type of work they’re doing and how much you’re paying them.
Offer real learning and development experiences. Even if you can’t pay your interns, you should offer them some sort of compensation by way of enriching their learning and development experiences. Offer them real opportunities to learn new skills and to exercise those skills while they’re with your organization. Offer them regular feedback on their performance and provide them with opportunities to lead or manage challenging work.
Overall, when recruiting, hiring, and compensating interns, think about their individual experiences with your organization and what kind of lasting value it can provide them. And then your organization will see the returns on your investment in them.