How To Find An Intern

By Jennifer Fletcher, 21 Jan 19:12

Internship ... You are understaffed, need help, but don't have the money to hire anyone.

You could keep working 15-hour days to pick up the slack, or get creative - get an intern. Intern programs are the best way to get work done in your office for low cost (possibly even free), while giving a student an opportunity to get on-the-job training.

While it seems like the perfect relationship, the cost of school and the low unemployment rate are making interns hard to come by these days. Here are a few places to look for that most elusive of workers, the intern.

Intern Resources
Go To Where They Are. Where are all the interns? At school, of course! (At least they're supposed to be.) There are many angles to take when it comes to recruiting at a university, or even a high school. Most schools have job centers that accept flyer submissions, and Internet sites that allow you (sometimes for a fee) to post job descriptions. As with every other business endeavor, networking is key. Talk to department chairs or professors in your field to see if they can recommend any students. At the very least, you may get the professor to announce that an internship is available. A large class equals free advertising to possibly hundreds of people.

An internship with the right company can lead to a dream career. Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky now has her own line of fashion purses.

If you're feeling nostalgic for your exhibitionist college days, volunteer to be a guest speaker in a class. If you're a good public speaker, this might be the best route. It gives you an open forum to sell your company and to motivate future interns or employees to come to you.

Use The Internet. If you're looking for an easy way to advertise for interns, there are plenty of answers on the Internet. Not only are there the standard job search sites, there are also sites devoted solely to internships, such as www.internweb.com and www.internshipprograms.com. Both sites are free to employers and students. Another site, www.ecampusrecruiter.com, recruits directly from schools, but charges a small fee.

Use Sponsored Interns. There are organizations - usually connected to universities and sponsored by big business - that sponsor internship programs. The interns that come through these organizations are screened beforehand and tend to

Other famous interns:
Madeleine Albright - The Denver Post

Bill Gates - Congressional page

Spike Lee - Columbia Pictures

Brooke Shields - San Diego Zoo

have a high pedigree. Check with your local university as to whether they run an internship program, and whether they offer college credit for the internship. College credit is a huge motivator for students to sign up.

Use The Newspaper. Advertising in the newspaper is still a quick and affordable way to get noticed. It will also make your focus local, as people outside of the city will not be checking here to take an internship. The key with a newspaper ad is to keep the ad short and simple. (See also How-To Write A Want Ad )

Take A Trip To The Fair. Job fairs are the dating services of the employment industry. Many students flock here looking for their future employers through internships with just the right company.

Word Of Mouth. If you have offered internships in the past, one of the best ways to get a new intern is by having the old intern talk to people at their school. If the intern enjoyed their experience at your company, they will be glad to tell their friends about it.

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