Josh TolanThe sun is out, grills are lit, and pools are open. You know what that means — it’s summer-internship season. As the job market heats up, employers need to approach the intern hiring process with more attention and detail than ever.
In fact, Vaults The Top Internships for 2018 report found pay was the No. 1 deciding factor when choosing an internship. Location was No. 2, followed by career advancement in an intern’s chosen industry at No. 3, and the opportunity for a full-time job offer at No. 4. Approximately 50 percent of the interns who responded to the survey received full-time job offers.
To attract your own fresh top talent, mold them, and turn them into successful, long-term employees, follow the advice of these experts:
Make it a learning experience
By the time interns reach the hiring process, they hope that they will be hired based on the work they did for the company. Most interns, nowadays, expect that their internship will lead to being considered for hiring by the company.
Whether or not you decide to hire them, they, at least, expect to have feedback on their performance and results of what they accomplished in their internship time
If you do decide to hire them, have the internship lead into a position within the company. Ideally, you are looking to fill job positions and you can use the internship phase to see which role they can fill properly.
Make sure hiring an intern makes sense with your company’s succession planning and pathways. Think of the program period as a time to evaluate and assess candidates to measure their potential fit within the company.
Crystal Huang, CEO at ProSky
Be specific
Many interns don’t know what to expect or don’t relate professionally. People who struggle to find good internships usually underestimate the fact they are being made an offer to be treated seriously and as professionals.
Hiring managers need to communicate their expectations more clearly and specifically. They can also develop close relationships with the universities or ‘intern pools’ that their preferred interns will come from — that way they can help mentor potential interns.
Help them be successful by defining what you are looking for, specifically. Screen for the best. Then create opportunities, projects or mentorships that allow your interns to gain real experience with your profession. View your internship program as a real part of your recruitment pipeline.
Christian Muntean, President at Vantage Consulting
Give them guidance
When an internship is a match on both sides, nearly 80 percent of interns will accept a job offer from their internship employer, making it a powerful talent strategy for future-based hiring planning.
Most intern candidates know they need to complete an internship for their best career success post-graduation, but few have experience in navigating the process. They will need a lot of guidance as you educate them on how an internship works and what you offer as an employer of choice.
Focus on the intern(s) and providing value to them, rather than what you can get out of it. If you can showcase how much you have to offer as an employer, then you have a chance to convert them into a full-time employee.
However, if you have no plans or strategy to use your internship as a talent pool for future opportunities, then you have glorified a temporary job. Be sure you’re clear on your outcome.
Lindsay Mustain, Founder at Talent Paradigm
Discover their strengths
Interns don’t want to be ‘handcuffed’ to a fixed job description or a mundane process that takes away the opportunity to learn. What they want from the hiring process is a role that maps into their interests from day one. They expect hiring managers to dive deep into their interests, asking questions about achievements and offering roles aligned to their strengths.
Apart from that, interns expect the hiring process to be a reflection of their strengths with an assurance that potential mistakes would lead to course corrections; not disciplinary actions.
In the case expected outcomes are not achieved or they decide to opt for a different avenue, interns desire flexibility to experiment within different roles. Since they have raw potential, they only want a shaping channel; so as to reach their highest potential.
Ketan Kapoor, CEO & Co-Founder Mettl
How do you create the ultimate intern hiring experience? Let us know!
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