REC - EMTC: Insight 2/3: Profiting from students' enthusiasm

R E S O U R C E S

Profiting from students' enthusiasm

Interns can boost organizational capacity and bring mutual benefits at little or no cost

BY DIRK AMTSBERG

Milk cows. Copy boys. Slaves. Coffee carriers. You could even name them honorary assistants. Whatever you call them, interns can bring big productivity to your organization at minimal cost.

Taking in interns is one of the most effective ways to enlarge your staff so that you can reach your goals more easily. A university student, for example, could work for your organization on a specific task or fill a daily need of your organization for free or almost for free. Also, most interns are university students so they are skilled, optimistic and motivated to work hard.

CASE IN POINT: The author, center, is a satisfied participant in an internship program.

Real world experience

It often is difficult to understand why a bright university student would slave away for an organization for little or no pay. There are several reasons. First, an increasing number of Western universities are introducing obligatory internships in their study programs. As part of their course work, students are required to carry out an internship before they graduate.

A lot of students also are not satisfied with the theoretical approach at their universities, and they want hands-on experience working in the real world while they study. The internship becomes a way to augment a student's experience and give the student an advantage when it comes time to find a job. Others simply would like a short-term position in a particular field to make sure they really want to continue in the career path they have chosen.

Most university interns are highly motivated and will work only for accommodation or even without being paid. Some governments and student organizations even pay students to accept an internship, especially if it is a mandatory part of their studies.

Building a partnership

When accepting interns, it is important for an organization to make sure the relationship is mutually beneficial. Just as you will expect the intern to work, the intern will expect an experience that justifies working hard for little compensation.

You should resist the temptation to take on more interns than your organization can truly provide work for. Simply enlarging your organization is not the point - an office full of people with nothing to do quickly becomes a burden.

After deciding how many interns are appropriate, you should not commit the mistake of taking just anyone who is available. The intern should fit to your organization and to the task you want that person to fulfill. A normal job interview should be made to check qualifications and motivation for the task, just as you would with any other employee you were about to hire. Once you've found your candidate, don't be stingy. If you are lucky you will get the same amount of work from an intern as you would any other employee, so be as generous as you can afford when it comes to providing living expenses or other compensation. This will also keep the intern from feeling like he or she is being milked.

Great expectations

Both sides have expectations about the internship. These should be discussed and clearly outlined to both sides; if not, both of you will be disappointed and the internship will fail. Find out about an intern's expectations and explain yours. Organizations should plan ahead and write up specific job duties or goals for the intern. The plans should include measurable performance criteria so that the intern's progress and success can be gauged in the end.

Also, make sure your organization can provide the necessary resources for your intern to accomplish the goals you set. You should check whether the project will start on time so the intern will be able to begin working upon arrival. An intern will need a work space and may need a computer, a telephone and so on.

Finally, the length of the internship should be appropriate to carry out the given task. Normally it should last at least three to four months.

When the intern arrives

The arrival of the intern is a crucial point that can determine the success of the internship. It is the key moment at which you either make the intern feel like part of your team or you alienate the person and set up road blocks. The following are a few steps to ensure success:

Give the intern a warm welcome.
Introduce the intern to everybody in your organization. Each unit should be prepared to give the intern a brief explanation of what it does.
Explain the intern's specific duties in-depth and carefully oversee the person on the first working days. A properly initiated intern is more effective, so the effort pays for itself.
Provide social opportunities or information regarding leisure-time activities. Interns usually come from far away, so experiencing the local culture becomes part of the learning experience.

How to find interns

There are different ways to get in touch with potential interns. First, if you have a site on the Internet you can offer your internships there. You can also contact universities that have faculties that provide the appropriate skilled persons. Just send the offer to the faculty bureau with the request to publish it. Some universities have placement offices that deal specifically with finding work for students.

If your interns are satisfied with their experience in your organization, you will profit from their oral promotional activities. You can even ask them to publish your request for interns at their universities and prepare yourself for continued low-cost productivity in years to come.

Dirk Amtsberg worked as an intern at REC. He just earned his university degree in policy sciences at the university of Leipzig, Germany and is looking for a job. Offers should be sent to soz94avm@studserv.uni-leipzig.de.

REC * EMTC * PUBLICATIONS * INSIGHT * WINTER 1997