Career Edge
Organization
Launches
Vancouver Office
2006/07
Host Awards
Winners
Launching Careers:
An Intern's
Success Story
Host Employers
An Organizational Perspective.
The values and benefits of an internship for a student, a recent graduate and even an immigrant new to the Canadian job market have long been recognized. In the increasingly competitive job market, internships offer opportunities for job seekers to gain practical, real world experience, establish a valuable network of contacts, and 'get a foot in the door' of a potential full-time employer. Now, employers themselves are becoming more and more acutely aware of the many benefits and added value that interns can bring to their organizations. Indeed, internships are a win-win situation for everyone involved which is why they have worked so well for so long.
For employers, the benefits of hiring interns range from bottom-line considerations, to human resource management issues and even to strategic marketing efforts. Some of the human resource management issues to consider are recruitment and retention strategies, succession planning and the reduced risks associated with hiring an employee who has the benefit of having already worked within the organization. From a financial perspective, internships are a cost-effective way for companies to source new full-time employees. Recruiting and training costs are significantly lower as more and more companies utilize their intern programs as a pool for qualified candidates for current and future hiring. Companies that hire from their interns pools often also experience significantly lower rates of employee turnover, further reducing hiring expenses.
Internships also provide organizations with an excellent opportunity to address a key human resource issue that has come to the forefront in today's competitive labour market and expanding global markets - Workplace Diversity. Companies are making a significant move towards having their staff be more reflective of the broad cultural markets they serve. Internship programs tailored towards candidates with international skills, experience and knowledge offer invaluable resources for developing and attaining organizational diversity goals. In addition, developing diversity through internships creates a significant competitive advantage as companies compete more and more in the global economy.
On the marketing front, internships can also serve an important public relations function. Interns with positive experiences will more often than not take those experiences back to friends, family and even to other employers, helping to build a strong and positive reputation for the host organization. Since diversity is such a hot topic now in the media, incorporating it into your workforce also brings PR value.
Along with the benefits that come with hiring interns, organizations also have a myriad of important responsibilities. An internship no longer means having someone who can simply run errands. Host organizations must provide their interns with significant opportunities for personal and professional development, opportunities for new learning and skills development, and a chance to develop their networks to help them build their professional contacts. Employers must also develop clear roles and responsibilities for their interns and provide all of the necessary feedback and mentoring required, ensuring that internships are of value to both the interns and ultimately to the organization itself. This mentoring and coaching of interns can also provide developmental opportunities for current staff that is highly beneficial in their own career advancement.
Lastly, more and more employers are recognizing the value of offering paid internships. As internships play a greater role as a strategic recruitment tool, the competition for qualified interns also grows. In order to attract high-quality interns, and potential high-quality full-time employees, companies are moving toward offering paid internships. This not only strengthens their position for attracting the best and the brightest talent, but also serves as recognition of the significant value that interns add to an organization.
What is the most important skill/quality you look for when hiring an intern?
