While hiring interns saves money, it requires an investment in time. Wise employers capitalize on the skills that interns offer, their can-do attitude and fresh ideas, but are realistic about the need for training. Successful internships have several key components. The most important of these is the availability of a dedicated supervisor. If your organization can provide a manager willing to offer a reasonable amount of consistent training and feedback, an internship makes good sense.

How much time does an intern take? 

A well-planned internship requires only a modest amount of training time. Norwalk Community College surveyed intern employers in 2002, and received the following response: (response rate 12%)

• 9% reported providing very little to no training

• 62% reported providing a moderate amount of training

• 19% reported providing a lot of training but that it was worth the investment of time  No manager reported having to provide excessive amounts of training

 Guidelines for Successful Internships 

• Design an internship that matters: Interns offer their best effort when it is clear that their work is important and not merely ?busy work.?

• Clarify expectations: Write a job description that lists specific duties, sets reasonable expectations and clarifies reporting lines

• Choose wisely. Interview candidates as thoroughly as you would for any position.

• Build in training: Assign a mentor or supervisor. Reward the mentor for providing consistent training.

• Treat the intern as a regular employee. Surveyed students said that they wanted to be considered part of a team, and not as ?the intern.?

• Provide feedback over the course of the internship, and particularly within the first month. Interns care about how well they are doing. Provide reassurance or redirection in a clear and direct verbal message early on.

•  Model good communication techniques. Lacking experience, interns sometimes avoid asking questions or joining in conversations for fear of making a mistake. Show your interns how it is done.

•  Provide an in-person formal evaluation as the internship ends. Interns learn most from direct discussion of progress, strengths and weaknesses.