Cheap Problem Solvers?

The current hot topic on the business agenda is interns – to take them on or not to?

Two years ago if you asked most businesses what their biggest constant challenge was, most would have said something along the lines of ‘hiring good people’. But these days, unsurprisingly, it seems that cash flow is top of the agenda of worries. However, having good, efficient staff is the best way to maintain a decent cash flow and make your business attractive to investors.

This is why more and more people are considering interns as a way to keep down costs. New graduates are keen to get into the market and get some experience to put on their CVs if they can’t find any paid positions.

The government has started a Graduate Talent Pool Internships Scheme and Mini Knowledge Transfer partnership in order to get graduates into work in on specific projects. But where can you find the right interns for your business if you decide to employ one?

Barring expenses, interns may be free, but treating them as the answer to all your staffing shortcomings is the wrong way to go. You have to take interns seriously.

Future Investment?

Just because they’re working for you for free doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the same amount of time to interview candidates as you would a paid employee to make sure you get the right kind of person, even if it is only for a couple of weeks.

Many interns are looking for more long-term commitments, such as the entire summer, making them all the more valuable. So make sure you know what you’re looking to get out of an internship as now could be a great time to train up potential future employees in time for the turn of the market.

Dragons’ Den PJ Jones’ company, PJ Investments also uses interns. In summer 2007 the company hired 6 interns to analyse business ideas submitted on Jones’ site, writing appraisals for them and working on below-the-line marketing.

The company plans to take on more interns this year and says the only difference will be to set tasks beforehand to test ability and interest.
So are interns the answer for your business? Could they be an asset to your team both now and potentially in the future? You’ll never know if you don’t try!

What Do You Think?

Are interns useful assets or do they require too much time to interview and train for such a short period of time? We would love to know your thoughts and opinions. Leave your comments here.

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