Yodle: Review and design an internship program for a small business

One beneficial, low-cost way of expanding your business is by creating an internship or internship program. At Yodle, we think establishing a program that works for you helps small businesses focus on concentrated promotional efforts as well as continuing to deliver the best service possible, even with a limited full-time staff. Here are the questions to ask and steps to take to find and hire the best interns possible.

1. Why do you want an intern?
Before bringing on new workers or unpaid interns, decide why interns would be helpful.  Begin by defining the responsibilities that will become part of the job description for your internship program. Will they be responsible for answering phones, or something more advanced, like working alongside you?  Consider activities that will free up your time while allowing them to learn more about your business. If there is a possibility of transitioning your intern to a full-time employee, this is a great opportunity to train them without a significant financial investment.

2. What kind of interns do you want?
Internship programs attract a variety of applicants ranging from high school students wanting a summer job to add to their resumes to college students looking to fill their course requirements and get real-world experience. 

Make sure to choose potential apprentices carefully depending on the jobs that they’re going to perform. For example, a high school student might be suited to answering phones and running errands while a college student working on their business degree would be a great fit for a marketing or office-management role. For an internship or internship to be successful, it’s important that both you and the intern feel good about the role they are in.

3. How will they be compensated?
If your budget allows, consider offering a small stipend for the internship position.  This may set your job listing apart from the unpaid internships and possibly result in a greater pool of applicants to choose from.

On the other hand, not all positions will be as competitive, and many students are willing to serve as unpaid interns in exchange for receiving college credits and real-world professional experience that will help them land higher-paying jobs later on. While it’s great to be able to offer paid positions, at Yodle we believe that capital may be better spent on furthering marketing and promotional efforts, which can enhance a business’ visibility and offer a greater ROI in the long run.

4. Find candidates
Even if you’re only looking to fill in the gaps and find someone to help with light administrative work, you should still spend a little time choosing the right candidate. This individual will be potentially responsible for interacting with customers and handling certain other aspects of your business. Investing the time to look critically at each candidate before making your decision is something we recommend here at Yodle. Scams, misrepresentations and other types of dishonesty can sometimes occur in a competitive job market. Checking references and asking in-depth questions within the interview process can help weed out the candidates who may have overstated their level of experience.

There are many ways to find just the right intern. A great way to start is by asking around. Word of mouth is an often-underestimated vehicle for filling any type of open position; however job applicants who come with a referral from a trusted employee or associate are often bumped to the top of the list - and for good reason. If you know someone who is willing to vouch for a potential intern, consider interviewing them first.

Another place to find potential candidates is through the internet. Sites like Internships.com, Monster Interns and Craigslist are rife with students and young professionals looking for a place to build their skills. Most prospects even have their resumes uploaded to the respective sites so that employers can peruse them at their leisure. Some sites even allow prospective employers to list their open positions, however there is often a fee associated with this service.

When filling in a job listing, describe the internship and its requirements and make sure to be clear about the work and compensation involved. People looking for long-term, paying positions will be disappointed if they discover that they’re looking at the wrong posts. It isn’t necessary to say how much an internship will pay, but do say whether the position is paid or unpaid. This ensures that the responses you receive are from serious candidates who understand what they are signing up for, and what they can hope to gain from the experience.

5. What to look for
An easy way of separating out qualified applicants from the pool that applied is by removing those that did not follow instructions.  If you’ve asked for a cover letter and resume, remove any applicants that did not provide both. Then narrow the applicants down by reviewing their resumes to look for a skill set that matches the position they will be filling. 

Ultimately, you will need to interview them to learn if they will be a good fit for the role and for your business. Select a candidate who appears enthusiastic, motivated and eager to take on challenging roles. Taking the time to make the right hiring decision can help your business gain the most out of the experience.