This summer, spending time with your interns, is not only an opportunity to test-drive potential future employees but a chance to learn a few things in the process.
1. Interns Are Hungry – Interns arrive eager and ready to learn. They are sponges, ready to soak up any information and take advantage of any opportunities that come their way. This is not a ‘job’ to them, it’s an ‘experience’. They ask questions that we asked but now have baked into the assumptions of the business. But guess what? The world has changed – use this as an opportunity to retest those baked assumptions – and teach at the same time.
It is this type of environment that we, as entrepreneurs, need to create and instill within our entire team and in our company culture. We should always be learning, developing our skills, and, of course, enjoying what we do.
2. Interns Build Relationships – Twenty-something’s lives have been surrounded by the opportunity to build relationships. Whether it’s through personal or online interactions (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter), building relationships is second nature to this generation. A good network is critical to success and your interns will be taking advantage of the opportunity to meet people in their field, gain exposure to the right people and start to build relationships they will have for years to come.
Interns are part of your network – all of who will be in key positions in the next decade – leverage their network today and their future network.
3. Interns Leverage Mentors – Just like building your network, you are never too old to benefit from a mentor. At some point, most interns will find a great mentor that will help guide them, provide invaluable introductions, advice and opportunities. What you may not know is that being a mentor is as rewarding as having one.
4. Interns Think Big – Did you know that an intern created the New York Times most popular piece of content in 2013? An intern at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA developed software that NASA will soon use to store data in a public cloud? Sounds crazy, but it’s true.
Interns are great because the sky is the limit. They aren’t afraid to try new things … as long as you allow them the freedom to do so. Soak up their aspirations and encourage creativity and innovation among your team. Listen to your team and give them enough room to run with an idea and be creative. You might be surprised at what comes out of them.
5. Interns Know How to Have Fun – I have never met an intern that doesn’t know how to have fun. Yes, being 20 helps, but we all need to remember that it’s okay to take time to relax, be social and have fun. Take your interns to a baseball game or for a double decker bus tour of your town. Better yet, ask them for their ideas.
Source: “5 Things Interns Can Teach You” by @tscottcase on @LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140519195935-12571855-5-things-interns-can-teach-you
