How Do I Set Up an Internship Program?

If you need some extra help around the office, but not enough to warrant hiring another full-time employee, consider hiring an intern. Here are some pointers for setting up an internship program.

An ongoing intern program can be a great way to lighten your employees' workload. It's

When setting up an internship program, keep a key point in mind — the intern should take as much away from the internship as your company does. Don't treat your interns as gofers or expect them to spend all of their time filing. A good internship program will include some "grunt" work, but it will also provide invaluable opportunities for a young person to learn about the work world and a particular industry or discipline. Involve interns in real projects — if only on a low level — and include them in meetings to listen and learn.

You'll also need to compensate your interns. This can be done in a variety of ways. Either pay them at least minimum wage (more if minimum wage won't cover their lunch and transportation to and from your office), or help them to earn college credit by working for you. A bonus of working with your company's local university to help your intern earn credit: the college recruiting office will get to know your company, send more interns your way, and recommend you to recent grads as a place to apply for a full-time job.