You have probably noticed the increase in internship opportunities which have been taking over the job market, in recent years – but have you considered why this is happening? Internships are proving to be the new way forward benefiting not only the intern themselves but the organisations they work for.
We’re often all too aware of the benefit for the intern – great experience, improved CV capital and new skills, but what are the advantages of having interns in the firm? Firstly, recruiting and training permanent staff can be a time-consuming investment and at times a frustrating and ineffective way of bringing new staff to the team.
However hiring interns means you can test-drive their abilities and interests in a short period of time, you never know how good someone is until they are actually working with you. Secondly, internships are akin to a long job interview where employers are able to assess and evaluate interns and see if they could become a potential future employee of the company.
Thirdly, another of the main advantages of hiring an intern is that there is the potential to examine team fit. If interns work closely with members of the team they are given a real insight into the company. They can become fully trained and versed into the company having a huge plus over those candidates who are applying outside of the company. This means that is the intern does go permanent they are ‘good to go’.
However, interns are not just an extra pair of hands; they can help a company to meet immediate objectives as well as providing a better work-flow. Whilst they often work on humble but legal pay, interns can strive to impress and can be the most motivated and enthusiastic members of the team – keen to show the boss why they deserve a full offer. Cost-effective plus delivering high quality work is the main drive for recruiters to hire interns or set up internship programmes- this seems to be extremely beneficial for small businesses and non-profit organisations who have a tight budget.
Finally, there is a social element. As business leaders it is our professional responsibility to give back to the community. Internships give the chance for businesses to support the young workforce and vice versa. Supporting individuals by offering them the chance to develop their skills, make connections and strengthen their CV gives them a wider range of options in order to succeed in their careers. Growing their knowledge in a focused area facilitates their chance of securing a permanent job in an area which interests them.
Internships can be an invaluable benefit to any business and one which none should rule out regardless of the size of the company. Providing priceless experiences for career ambitious individuals and support for businesses it only seems like it can be a win-win situation. Success can benefit both parties, as interns may secure a full-time job and employers could have a fully shaped member of the team, permanently.
James Uffindell, MD and Founder of The Bright Network
James started his first business aged nine, another one at 14. In his last year at university James setup an organisation, Oxbridge Applications, to help people apply to university and at 25, went on to co-found a social enterprise. While James has lived and breathed the commercial world for 10 years, when he left university he really had no idea as to what to do, or even how to go about it.
While some friends found their way into investment banking and law, many were left baffled and floundering. As James met more and more bright graduates who felt similarly, lacking in guidance he decided to set up The Bright Network.
