Developing an internship program in your office is a important to ensure both the future of your company and the industry. By hiring an intern, the company gains an extra set of useful hands and potentially a new candidate for hire. The knowledge you can provide into the industry is a great opportunity for any college student looking to learn about the professional world. Here are four tips that may help to narrow the search for the perfect intern to join your team.

Tip #1: There are many ways to find an intern

By taking the extra time to post on multiple avenues such as through a university program, job posting, network referrals or social media, a company can really narrow the candidates and choose the best one that fits the company’s mission and values. Each platform has a different reach of audience, along with different approaches to consider. The final list of candidates should include some from every avenue utilized.

Tip #2: Summer is the best time to post your internship position

Students really start to consider their life after college during their junior and senior year. The summer months are the best time for students to start planning their upcoming class schedule as well as fitting in time for an internship. Plan to advertise your internship during this timeframe.

Tip #3: When considering hiring an intern, look at more than their expected degree.

The main goal during an interview is to gain valuable information about the candidate in order to fully evaluate their character and maximum potential. Another helpful way to learn more about the candidate is to reach out to your network and see if anybody knows this person from past work experiences. During the interview the candidate should be able to keep eye contact and have a good vocabulary. Adding a personal story to your interview is also a good idea to see if he/she can listen well and keep the conversation going.

Tip #4: Utilize your intern for more than just coffee.

The best way to get the most out of the intern is to train and teach them as you would a new employee. This way the same procedures will be carried out and the same expectation will be held. The intern will also gain the most real world experience and learn the industry in its true colors.

Starting off as an intern myself at Oster and Associates has opened my mind to much more than I ever imagined. The experience I gained was truly a team effort from the teaching and wisdom that was given. The family I joined was more than any internship could accomplish. With the help of Oster and Associates I was able to make an easy transition from my first internship to my first career job. I hope this knowledge about my experience will help other companies find the perfect candidate.

-Laurissa