Interns can be a valuable addition to your business.

By Jennifer Kushell

You need help, and you know it. Your workload is getting crazy, and you’re swamped with things to do. You really need to hire someone, but there are so many reasons you’ve put it off. Besides it being a sizable financial commitment, the process of finding help can easily become another daunting task on your to-do list.

If you’re an entrepreneur just starting out or a small-business owner looking for inexpensive help, an invaluable resource might be right under your nose. There are wonderful low-cost and even free options for getting the help you need. In a word: internships.

Many businesses neglect to consider the internship option because they don’t give themselves enough credit as attractive potential employers—especially compared to brand-name corporations. The truth is, students are often eager to work for smaller, more dynamic ventures where they’re more likely to get tangible work experience, have a chance to make a difference, be appreciated for their contributions and work directly with the founders. 

How do I know? Would you believe I’ve had more than 80 interns work for me? As a small-business owner for almost 20 years now, my ideas and new projects are typically more robust than my budget. I was still a student when I started recruiting others to work as interns for my previous company, The Young Entrepreneurs Network. I had about a dozen journalism majors work on a newsletter, a handful of marketing students do market research and a few PR majors help manage media relations. I even found a couple of management students who were so competent, I ended up hiring them full time.

Ready to find some interns? The process is easier than you might think.
1. Figure out what you need help with. Define the tasks or jobs you need to do.

2. Write a brief job description. Be sure to include any special requirements you might have, such as experience, expertise, time commitment or access to transportation. Include a contact name, phone number and e-mail. Information on your company is optional.

3. Find a school or university near you, preferably with a business program or classes that train people in your industry. If you can, get a copy of the school’s course catalog, and find classes that will most likely have students who would be interested in your business or opportunity.

4. Call the school, an academic department or a professor directly and let them know what you’re looking for in an intern. Send them a copy of your job description. They might even invite you to drop in on a class to present the opportunity in person. If you do, make it brief, and hand out copies of the job description.

5. Set up a day of interviews and meet with each candidate. Collect resumes or portfolios of their work.

6. Be selective. This is a commitment you’re both making, so ask a lot of questions, trust your instincts, discuss your expectations upfront, and chose someone you think would fit nicely into your company. All you have to do from there is extend an offer.

Students have the energy, ambition and dedication to be successful, but they simply lack the practical experience in the real world that proves what they are capable of. Offer them a great opportunity with your company, and the rewards may far surpass the time and energy it takes to mentor them in that role.

Jennifer Kushell is the founder of Young & Successful Media Corp. in Los Angeles and the author of Secrets of the Young & Successful. For more information on hiring interns, visit www.youngandsuccessful.com.