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Five Key Actions Companies Can Take To Make Internships More Efficient

Forbes Human Resources Council
POST WRITTEN BY
Expert Panel, Forbes Human Resources Council

Finding interns and onboarding them every fall is a complicated task. Companies need to make sure the new interns are a good fit for them culture-wise, but also that they are onboarded properly and given all the tools they need to grow as professionals and help the business grow alongside them.

But searching for, placing and onboarding new interns can be a lot more efficient than companies think, as long as the right processes and clear guidelines are put in place. Whether it's using someone as an in-between to get the right candidates for the job or setting aside some time to determine the needs of the company, a business can perform a wide variety of tasks to ensure that it lays the groundwork for a productive internship.

Below, five members of Forbes Human Resources Council explore some of the key actions businesses can take to make for a more efficient internship process.

Photos courtesy of the individual members.

1. Have An Internship Advocate

Every company, large or small, should have an internship advocate or lead on their team. This person doesn't have to be in HR, but they need to have a passion for internships, clear communication to collaborate across teams and a vision to create what it means to have an internship at their company. If you have this person on your team, they can focus on creating efficient processes. - Kelly Loudermilk, BuildHR, Inc.

2. Focus On Interns' Career Goals

Next time you are hiring interns, make sure to ask this critical question: "What are your career goals, and how do you see this internship will help you towards those goals?" Most often, hiring managers miss aligning interns goals with project goals. Higher engagement with interns throughout their internship will lead to better results in completing the tasks assigned to them. - Sandeep Purwar, Bevov, Inc

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3. Create An Effective Onboarding Process

Onboarding interns effectively is incredibly important. Make sure your IT department is ready for them, make sure they are taken care of on the way in, make sure the manager has meaningful work for them to do, and make sure the team around them is prepared to support them. This will guarantee a happier, more productive experience for your intern, and will help your brand with future hires. - Tracy Cote, Genesys

4. Seek Interns Who Will Become Employees

For many employers, the value of an intern program is not the work delivered during the internship, but rather building the talent pipeline for permanent full-time hires. Be cautious of intern candidate simply looking to build their resume for other opportunities. To make the program most valuable to the employer, consider whether the candidate is truly a potential fit for a permanent role. - Chris Renz, Nua Group LLC

5. Determine Company Needs In Advance

The first thing companies can do is determine what their needs are in each department, and which can be met by entry-level workers. This will give employers an idea of what skill sets to look for in interns, and what projects they can be assigned once hired. If this isn’t done in advance, employers may be forced to assign interns menial tasks that don’t provide relevant industry experience. - John Feldmann, Insperity