Every company seems to be investing in internship or training programs these days. And why not? Most companies, especially SMEs have a lot of things to get done, but relatively few employees to do them. Internships present a win-win scenario for both employers and students: You get work done and they gain experience. But is it a good idea to handover responsibilities that will affect your business’s growth, to a bunch of University students? Sure! And here are five reasons why:
1. They are an energetic bunch.
The millennials have high hopes; are eager to learn and are full of energy. Their outlook of work and life itself adds color to the workplace. They tend to live life with a sense of ‘Carpe Diem’ and seldom get into a rut.
2. A fresh set of eyes.
They question everything including your “tried and tested methods” and can come up with new and better ways of doing things. They do tend to go off the mark sometimes, but with sufficient amount of management and mentoring, they can help develop innovative strategies quicker.
3. They’re tech savvy.
The young generation was born with a smart phone to their ear and their hands wrapped around an i-Pad. Be it social media, computer programs or games, these 20-something year old students & fresh graduates know their way around technology. Irrespective of how young we are, we can all learn something new from these tech- savvy interns.
[Related: SMEs must think and go digital | #DISRUPT: 8 ways SMEs can leverage digital marketing]
4. Today’s good interns are tomorrow’s best employees.
Even computer software offers you a trial period these days. So why not have a trial employee a.k.a. an intern. When you take on interns, you can assess their skills, work ethics, and personality and determine if they’d be a good fit for your organization in the future. A mere job interview, no matter how great it was, won’t tell you all that. Finally, a dependable way to test-drive talent.
[Related: The daily challenges of an SME owner | How to be a great boss: Hiring and firing in the SME world]
5. You gain great brand ambassadors.
When you’re a good mentor, manager or an impressive colleague; your interns will talk about you. They’ll share their experience with their peers, families and friends and your brand in return will get free word of mouth advertising – which goes a long way in the UAE.
With the right objectives in mind, interns can become a massive asset to any organization.
Jean-Michel Gauthier is the CEO of InternsME.com .
About us: InternsME.com is an online platform that connects employers to thousands of students & fresh graduates in the UAE, for internships, traineeships and full-time entry level jobs. We help businesses grow and become more successful by connecting them to bright young talent without the usual up-front & long-term costs of hiring.