Summer interns: How to run an effective intern program

Interns can bring new energy and knowledge about the latest technologies into the workplace, and a solid intern program can be an incredibly valuable and important business tool. Summer usually sees an influx in interns, and managing them can pose a unique set of challenges. But with a little effort, you can ensure that your company’s intern program is valuable, effective, and worthwhile, for everyone.

A great internship program covers four elements:

1. Clear goals and purposes. Determine what you want to get out of the program. What are the goals and purposes? What do we want to get out of it? Is it recruiting and training new talent? Hiring cheap summer help? Marketing our company?

2. Structure and strategies to meet those goals. Structure and strategies to meet those goals: How are we meeting these goals? How and where are we recruiting? How are we onboarding, evaluating and tracking the program?

3. Management support and buy-in. Are the right people involved? Are the managers of the interns on board with the program? Do they understand the goals? Do they have the proper training and resources to create valuable experiences for both the organization and the interns?

4. The experience of the interns. Are we providing the interns with a valuable experience for them and for company? Did we meet their expectations? Did they have the experience that we promised in our recruiting? Would they recommend our organization to other interns or prospective employees? Remember, your interns are not just free workers or potential employees; they will also be broadcasting their opinions about your organization. So make sure they say the right things.

Great intern programs all have one thing in common: the organization takes it seriously. Great programs require a great deal of work, thought and follow through. Many organizations just kind of slap them together, but this is a mistake. Here are three common mistakes companies make and how to avoid them:

Mistake 1: Not ensuring your managers are in alignment with the program goals. It is often challenging for managers to take on the additional responsibilities of an intern, but the people managing the interns are key to your program’s success. Make sure you choose the right people to work with the interns, have trained them properly, and that they are on board with the program’s goals.

Mistake 2: Not providing meaningful work or professional development for your interns. This is not about simply fetching coffee; it’s about introducing young adults to the workplace in general and your company in particular. They want to feel they have made a meaningful contribution and they want to learn, so give them something real to do.

Mistake 3: All flash and no fire. This is when organizations spend the summer wining, dining, and schmoozing their interns instead of actually seeing if they would be a good match for the organization. Law firms are notorious for this. They throw boatloads of money at the summer associates trying to lure them. Sounds great, but they aren’t really getting much for their money—research shows that there isn’t much correlation between the money spent and the retention it inspires, and lots of firms are rethinking this practice. Find a way to make the internship meaningful to both parties.