INTERNS – REALLY? (Part 2)

Last week we started thinking about interns working in our businesses. You’ve mulled over the idea of having an intern but do the benefits outweigh the costs? Here are some more reasons why you might want to have an intern next summer. This is part 2 of a 2-part series.

1. Touch the community! Interns not only impact your business; they may also impact the community. Interns have opened up numerous new relationships in our community leading to at least one Muslim coming to faith. Interns often jump into community projects, and being foreign and new, are readily forgiven when they make cultural mistakes. An intern may be an excellent, cost-effective public relations tool.
2. Disciple – reproduce in others! It’s a common problem: young people move overseas and enter the workforce lacking need business and cross-cultural skills. Invest in an intern to help close their gap with real-world experience. The interns we worked with are nowadays all over the 10/40 Window and are one of the reasons for the growth of OPEN.
3. Learn! College students are learning cutting-edge strategies, techniques, and technology. Hosting interns gives you direct access to their knowledge. As much as your interns will learn from you, you may also learn from them.
4. Develop your staff! Teaching something is the best way to learn it. When your employees mentor and supervise interns, they gain valuable leadership skills. This can be great training for an employee who will eventually lead others locally. Interns are hungry to learn, so supervising interns is often less stressful than supervising others. Mentoring and guiding interns often motivates employees to hold themselves more accountable and become effective leaders. In this way, adding interns to your company can develop and grow leadership within your staff.
5. Visibility! Having trouble getting your brand in front of students? As our awareness grows on campuses across the USA, we give you access to college students practically everywhere. And if your company impresses one class of interns, word will quickly spread. Soon you’ll find that the most sought-after student talent is interested in working with you.
6. Small is good! When looking for jobs, the top talent often apply at more established businesses. But when seeking internships, learning is the leading draw. Many candidates feel they’ll get more hands-on training, real experience, and personal mentoring with a smaller business. And if they enjoy the experience, they may stick around for the long haul!

In terms of both today’s workload and tomorrow’s workforce, having interns is an excellent way to facilitate success at your company. If you want more information on interns and internships, contact Charity at charitye@openusa.net.

PATRICK LAI and his family have worked in SE Asia for over 37 years. His experience in doing business with Jesus has brought him to understand the meaning of work and worship in the marketplace. He started 14 businesses in four countries, six of which are still operating. Patrick and his wife, May, mentor and coach businesspeople working where there are few or no Christians. Check out Patrick’s latest book, Workship, now available in paperback and e-book.