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It’s a coin toss. At least, that’s how some feel about hiring interns. And if you didn’t have any tools for finding an intern and coaching them, you’d be right

Lucky for you, you really can find interns who add more to your business than tweets, blog posts and their newfound knowledge about Snapchat. After all, many business juggernaughts started as interns. But, can you find the diamond in the rough?

Before we find the solution to “How to find an intern,” you have to ask yourself:

Is my business ready to learn how to find an intern?

You’re busy. Your team is busy. And if you think that hiring an intern for your business will make you less busy, you’re wrong. Well... maybe.

Of course, you have to have the funds to pay your intern a competitive wage. Business owners often forget to account for one of the largest investments — training their team. This can be a considerably large investment for an entry-level intern. But not if you have the right systems. Have you outlined the core processes behind the day-to-day tasks you’re hoping to hand off? Do you have time for hands-on training?

You’re going to spend more time on the front end of an intern’s experience in your business, and you need to plan for this. If you can’t slow down for at least half of a business day to kick things off, save both yourself and your potential intern a lot of heartache — don’t hire an intern. However, if you can carve out that training time and at least 30 minutes a week for one-on-one time with your intern, let’s talk about how to aim your hiring efforts and effectively pull that trigger.

Use a hiring system that works.

“We just clicked.” Or better yet, “I really like her energy.”

These are some of the things that you hear business owners say when asked why they pulled the trigger on their latest hire. We know that these biases inhibit our decisions for full-time team members. And the same is true when finding a great intern. That’s why we need a system. Obviously, you’re not going to spend the same amount of time hiring an intern as you would in hiring an executive or director. But you can still create a defined process that will get you the best intern, without wasting time.

For hiring interns, I recommend an abbreviated version of the Top Grading process. After eliminating intern candidates based on pre-determined qualifications (e.g., grade point average, experience or majors/minors), further shrink the pool with 15-minute phone interviews.

This part is important.

Do yourself the favor of following a process and give yourself a pool of candidates from which to draft your pick. You can’t find All-Star without knowing what Rookie or Bench Warmer look like. So, use some of these other intern-finding tools...

Learn to leverage an established or student internship program.

You can do this on your own. But it’s so much easier if you have an established intern organization to help you.

Many states have established their own intern networks for small businesses and startups. You can also easily plug into programs at nearby colleges and universities. The best programs have common characteristics and tools for business owners to take advantage of.

You’ll find things like online communication and resume search tools. But, the best programs have quality checks with business owners and their interns throughout the duration of the internship. There may be some deliverable from the business owner, like feedback forms or even speaking engagements. So, be sure you know what you’re getting into before you pull the trigger on hiring an intern.

Know what to look for when finding an intern.

What are the most important characteristics for your intern to have? Write those traits down on a piece of paper and rank them.

Seriously. Rank them.

You’re not going to find someone who scores 100 percent across all characteristics. So, that’s when it becomes important to know what to weight more heavily. It’s easy to be swayed by emotion or likeability after you’ve met them. That’s why we’ve got to write this down before we get in a room with any candidates.

Attitude can make or break a work collaboration. So, I like to prioritize will over skill. But we can’t forget skill altogether, because we need our intern to plug into a productive roll quickly and find their rhythm.

Continue your search until you find the All-Stars who are still humble enough to learn. Whether you run a large company or small company, your intern should come with the energy to attack (and truly own) a startup internship.

That means you should look for someone with enormous hustle, but who also makes the effort to listen actively. Does the candidate just nod their head and smile like the Chalupa Chihuahua? Or do they ask clarifying questions and repeat back what they heard you say?

Trust me, you want this quality.

Now, let’s say you find them — the one. Your first round, #1 draft pick intern that enthusiastically checks all the boxes. Even if they fit perfectly into your unique company culture...

You have to show them what success looks like.

Give them a project that’s been on your business back burner, but could really add value if executed reasonably well. Show them how you want them to operate, how you’ll measure success, then — and this is important — get out of the way.

Use these intern-hiring tools to turn this “coin toss” decision into a manageable process and flip the odds in your favor.

Source-huffingtonpost

There’s been a swarm of media attention surrounding internships, especially compensation, in the past few months. Recent lawsuits surrounding internships at Fox Searchlight and Sony and Columbia Records prove that hiring an intern isn’t something to take lightly.

So, what does the term “intern” mean to you and your company? If the first thing that comes to mind is cheap or free labor, then it’s time to send your definition back to the drawing board. In fact, merely labeling a worker as an intern doesn’t mean you can dole out menial activities without pay.

The definition of “intern” is broken, and it needs to be fixed before we can successfully move internship programs into the future:

The Real Definition of Intern What exactly is an intern? Well, they’re not an administrative superstar or an expert coffee fetcher. A quick online search states that an intern is a student or recent graduate undergoing supervised practical training. Is your internship program providing supervised practical training within your industry?

This educational definition actually falls in line with the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division guidelines. An internship should be a hands-on, educational experience in which a student or recent graduate gains real-world immersion into a chosen industry under the direct supervision of not just an employer, but an effective internship manager. If your internship program doesn’t fit these definitions and guidelines, it may be time to rethink the role of interns in your company.

Education Comes First Interns are a beneficial asset to your company, but at the end of the day you’re supposed to be providing them with an educational experience. In fact, 58.9 percent of students think gaining experience and building a portfolio is the most important aspect of an internship experience.

This makes it crucial for your internship program to establish and direct interns on several immersive tasks and duties that provide a firsthand perspective into their future career field. They should be receiving technical training and mentorship on a regular basis, and bonus points if the project you give your interns is actually designed to positively affect your company’s bottom line.

If you’re not providing a highly educational experience and training for your interns, you’re not just doing them an injustice, you’re leaving your company hanging, too. Hiring a talented intern doesn’t just build up your talent pool or offer an extra set of hands, it can actually make you money. Yes, offering paid internship opportunities can impact your bottom line.

How to Transform Your Internship Experience Redefine what interns mean to your company by redeveloping your internship program. Aside from providing compensation for future interns, you’ll also want to outline a clear structure for your internship program. Choose one or more effective intern managers to help train, guide, mentor and dole out beneficial feedback throughout the semester.

Depending on your industry and company, you’ll want to choose one overarching intern project, as well as a number of daily and weekly projects for your interns to accomplish. For instance, consider allowing your marketing interns to develop a new marketing plan and pitch it to your executive staff. None of these should be administrative duties. Focus on keeping your interns immersed in valuable tasks and processes within your company.

Redefining what interns mean to you and your company requires evaluation first and restructuring second. Internships are valuable experiences for both employers and students, so give your interns an educational, immersive experience to boost your bottom line and help them to kick start their careers.

Source- huffingtonpost

As college students work their way through school, they inch closer to the coveted graduation date and full time job. Along the way there can be constant pressure about getting an internship or not, and the question of whether it is really worth it? These are very good questions that each student thinks about, especially as they transition to upper-classmen status.

Why Are Internships In College So Important?

Experience: Students     that have internships acquire more well rounded experiences and also get     to see first-hand how companies work. This provides a valuable     understanding of the business and industry in which you want to work in     once you graduate.

Company Expectations: Most     companies expect college graduates to have some level of experience, even     with entry-level positions. An internship provides the all-important     “experience” all students’ need. The more internship experience you have,     especially if you decide to intern with multiple companies throughout your     college years, the more credible your background will look on your resume     and when you are in front of hiring managers for an interview.

Resume Builder: Make sure     to find internships that are relevant to your major and add them to your     resume. This provides a great foundation in your desired industry and will     propel you above other college graduates with no internship experience. TIP:     Your resume should have all internship experiences on it that relate to     your degree program.

Glimpse Into A Full-Time Job: As a     college student, you may know what type of work you want to do when you     graduate, but you may not know what the day-to-day looks like. An     internship provides a glimpse into what the work is like and if you will     like it or not. Internships provide real-life exposure to the work world     and business without committing an entire career. You may also discover     that you do not like a certain type of business and your internship may     help you change directions if needed.

Gain Confidence: You may not     have the experience yet, or even the confidence to do the job you think     you want, however, most internships train college students on-the-job and     provide a fantastic learning experience for them to build their     confidence. This confidence show, especially if you are in the middle of a     phone or in-person interview.

Build Your Network: Building     your professional network is just as important as building your experience.     Internships allow students to connect with professionals that are involved     in similar work. It’s important to build your professional network. These     connections can be very important for you when looking for a job. A good     way to keep your connections in one, simple location is LinkedIn.

Reference Letter: As you     build your network with the people you are working alongside in your     internship, you may be able to ask them to be a professional reference.     This is critical because companies ask for references in the hiring     process. (Tip: Using friends and family as a reference is not good     business practice).

Get Hired: An     internship is ultimately designed to get the student a job offer. However,     before you get an offer, students must go through the process of applying     for and working with companies that offer internships. This can be a     multi-year process from the time you enter college all the way through     your senior year. This process can and does lead to valuable experience     that students want and need. If you perform well in your internships as a     student, the company may end up offering you a full time job when you     graduate. 

      Source- blog.enc.edu

The entertainment industry is probably one of the toughest industries to break into, but it’s also the most rewarding. The industry is full of excitement, and fast paced jobs in television, film, and music are in high demand, especially among young people. However, this widespread interest only makes it harder for recent graduates to land their entertainment dream jobs.

One of the best ways to get your foot in the door in the entertainment industry early in your undergraduate career is an internship position. If you’re able to land one of these prestigious entertainment internships, then you’ll be well on your way to getting a full time job in the business. Here are five tips for landing your dream entertainment internship:

1. Be open about which part of the industry you want to go into.

Even if you are 100 percent sure that you want to get a career in television, don’t limit your search to entirely television related internships. The important part of an entertainment internship is that it gives you the valuable experience and contacts that will help you get the job that you actually want after graduation.

Opening up your search to entertainment internships which may not exactly be in your first choice part of the industry will give you a lot more options to apply for, which will increase your chances. It will also give you more insight into the process of actually getting an entertainment job, which is similar across all of the different industries. Plus, having experience in different parts of the industry could help you stand out when it comes time to apply for a full-time job.

2. Be creative, but not too creative.

As InternQueen’s website points out, entertainment internships receive hundreds of resumes and cover letters per year. Many applicants fall into the common trap of thinking that because it’s an entertainment internship, they should submit creative resumes and cover letters. However, even for creative internships, try to keep your resume and cover letter in traditional formatting, unless they ask otherwise.

Let your creativity show through what you write in your cover letter, and through the interview. You don’t need to use crazy fonts or colors to show that you’re different — let your personality show through in natural, more organic ways. As a general rule, though, remember to always be professional, and to try to keep everything as simple and straightforward as possible.

3. Be realistic.

While everyone wants to work for one of the big names in the industry, like CBS or Paramount, these may not be the most realistic internships to get for an applicant without much experience.

Try applying for smaller scale internships, especially locally based ones. Often, major companies will have locally based branches with their own internship listings. Check with your university’s career center to try to find something smaller that may be a better fit for you. There are lots of locally based film companies, television news stations, and radio stations that are always out there looking to hire talented, motivated interns with knowledge about the area — if you fit into this criteria, then you could be close to getting the in you need.

4. Nail the interview. 

The interview is probably the most important part of the internship process, especially in entertainment. The interview is your chance to show who you are and why the company should hire you. Be sure to do research on the company — learn their different divisions, their CEO’s name, their goals and initiatives. If you seem knowledgeable about the company, it will show how passionate you are about them in particular.

You also want to let your interest in the industry shine through — come up with specific reasons why you want to work in entertainment. Talk about people who have inspired you in the industry, specific works of art that you really admire, or times in your life when you realized that entertainment was the perfect fit for you.

There are lots of different ways to show your passion, and in the interview, you want to make sure that your enthusiasm shines through in as many ways as possible. Remember, you want them to want to hire you, so show them what they would be missing if they didn’t.

5. Be persistent.

This can be applied for any industry, but the key to getting your dream internship is to be persistent. Being persistent can mean any number of things — applying to large numbers of positions, contacting internship supervisors directly, calling the company to ask about the status of your application. If you have an internship that you really, really want, be sure to show this to the company by trying to get in contact with people directly, rather than through the general internship channels.

However, there is a cap on being persistent. Don’t be annoying. Show your interest, but don’t contact anyone who has specifically asked not to be contacted. You don’t want to scare them away from you.

Source- http://www.huffingtonpost.com

Katie Dunning wanted to be a prosecutor.

She felt it was her calling and set her goals accordingly.

But her goals changed during her internship at the Tulsa County Public Defender’s office.

Now the University of Tulsa College of Law student wants to devote her career to criminal defense.

She first worked in the office during the summer after her first year in law school. There was a break in that service when she went to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Tulsa in the fall of 2014. She returned to the Public Defender’s office in the spring of 2015, leaving in December that year.

“I really came to law school to be a prosecutor,” Dunning said. “There were opportunities at the Public Defender’s and U.S. Attorney’s offices, and I applied for both.”

The Public Defenders internship was first.

Dunning never thought she would enjoy being on the defense side of the bench, but she was introduced to that role by Jack Zanechaft, former chief public defender, and Stuart Sutherland, first assistant. That introduction later would be reinforced by Rob Nigh Jr., now chief public defender.

As an intern, the Denver, Colorado, native had the opportunity to meet with clients at the David L. Moss Correctional Facility and get to know and understand what was going on in their lives that led to the criminal activity. She learned to view the clients as people and not criminals.

She also learned the public defenders were doing more than just trying to keep clients out of jail.

There is an effort in the office to getting these individuals help to break the cycle of crime, she said. Most needed to be introduced to community resources that would help them, not jail where little or no help is available.

The interview process provides a deeper knowledge about the client when negotiating with the district attorney’s office and making counter offers to proposed plea agreements.

Dunning was excited at the internship opportunity with the U.S. Attorney’s office and found she was doing a lot of research and writing on cases.

She was able to watch forensic interviews in the office but did not have direct contact with people.

Dunning was surprised at the discretion that prosecuting lawyers had in handling cases.

She was able to make recommendations about whether or not the case was strong enough to take to court.

Trent Shores, assistant U.S. attorney, worked closely with his intern, showing her how to outline cases.

“My work in the U.S. Attorney’s office developed my research and writing skills,” she said. “It made a difference when I returned to the Public Defender’s office and in law school classes.”

When Dunning returned to the Public Defender’s office, having earned her Limited Law Intern certificate, she became interested in the Drug and Mental Health Courts and asked if she could watch defenders assigned to those dockets.

Permission was granted and before leaving Dunning was the legal intern for the two specialty courts.

“I understood how clients struggled with addictions,” she said. “I got the opportunity to interact with and interview individuals wanting to be admitted to the specialty court that fit their need.”

When the state did not want a person in the program, it was up to the public defender to show the judge why they should be admitted.

Dunning was saddened when the state said “no” and admission was denied.

“I knew their client’s story and situation,” she said. “It was hard not to get emotionally involved with them because they knew they couldn’t get clean and sober through a prison program.”

The drug and mental health courts were the last chances for clients to avoid long term incarceration.

The Limited Law Intern certificate allowed her to handle cases without the direct supervision of an attorney.

Dunning learned many lessons during her work with both offices. One of the biggest was how emotionally draining the cases are.

“I had a hard time not taking the cases home with me,” she said. “Yet, I really enjoyed the work and liked the client intake. It was difficult because I wanted to help everyone.”

She especially liked doing the holistic defense work that has been introduced at the Public Defender’s office and is used in the Women In Recovery program.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to work at the Public Defender’s office,” Dunning said. “The internship was an important way to get immersed in the role of defending people. I was given a lot of responsibility. My focus was to do a good job and the work was intense.”

Dunning plans to stay in Tulsa following graduation in May and focus on a criminal defense career.

Source- tulsaworld.com