As summer comes to an end, so do many internships. As a manager, you may be asking yourself, “should I hire my intern full-time?”
While there are many business factors to consider, such as budget and capacity, you should also be seriously considering whether any of your summer interns has potential to become an official, valuable part of your team.
Here are some things to consider when evaluating whether you should hire your intern:
Has your intern adapted to workplace culture and norms?
According to a recent survey, 68% of millennials have held or expect to hold between one to four jobs or internships prior to graduating college.
One great way to gauge interns’ readiness to transition to full-time members of the team is to sit down with them, prior to offering the position, and ask them what they learned from their time interning with you as well as what they can bring to the table with more responsibility.
This means that by the time candidates enter your organization, they will have some experience and understanding of the skills and norms that are expected in a professional working environment. These skills could include charisma and presentation abilities, ambition, confidence and strong communication. These skills are essential to becoming a productive team member in any organization.
It takes time for an intern to smoothly integrate into a new environment. It is important to give your interns time to learn. However, it is also important for an intern to respond well to feedback. How well interns respond to criticism can be an indicator of how well they will adapt to a full-time position.
Is your intern career-oriented?
Internships give an intern a glimpse into the essential skills needed to grow within a company. If you are considering hiring your intern full-time you should ask yourself these questions:
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- Has the intern demonstrated proficiency in the essential skills this position requires?
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- Has the candidate expressed interest in taking on additional responsibilities?
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- Does the candidate treat the internship as a career opportunity?
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- Is the intern eager to be part of more projects?
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- Has he or she completed tasks given in a timely manner?
If the answer to all the above is “yes,” you may have just found a great new employee!
Internships: the wisest business investment
The above survey highlights that millennials realize having prior work experience is crucial to landing a job.
Reflect on the interns that may be leaving your business soon to return to school or other positions. Realize the important role you have played in providing the future of our workforce with opportunities to learn, grow and become productive workers.
Remember, the investments you make in your interns today will be returned to you if you decide to hire them. As we say at WUZZUF, you are building tomorrow’s workforce, today!
Finally, before making the final decision to hire your interns full-time, consider their performance throughout their time with you and the overall value they will provide in the long run.
To look for your next outstanding intern, post your internship opportunity on WUZZUF here.
