How can a small-business owner make an internship program work—and why should he or she try? Intern Rachel Stanislawski has something to say about what interns can do for you—and what you should do for them in return. I think her best advice might be a couple points that should seem obvious, but that busy business owners often skip:
1. Make interns feel welcome. Make sure they’re set up with a workspace, they get to meet the team and they get paired with someone to help them learn the ropes the first day. (It wouldn’t hurt to take them to lunch, either.)
2. Put your expectations in writing. Write a job description for the internship that clearly lays out the person’s daily duties and your expectations about things like punctuality and professionalism. It helps ensure you’re both on the same page.
… and one tip that’s not so obvious: Consider hiring more than one intern if you can. Bonding is a big part of working at a small business. With one or more peers to bond with, interns will feel more confident, enjoy the internship more and put more enthusiasm into their work.
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