Why internship programs FAIL

When well-intentioned internship programs fail

Don’t think you are doing interns a favor by allowing them to file your papers or run the Xerox machine. Yes, I know it’s a tough economy, and some experience is better than none. No one wins when we make an intern a little slave for the summer.  We all dream of little, hot, or handsome interns getting our coffee. This is not how we should educate the next generation. We shouldn’t complain when they fail to run our companies and government effectively. This is an intern’s first insight into the working world, make it a good one.

If you are hiring an intern because you need cheap labor for a crappy job, please think again. Rationalizing an intern because you think the intern will “gain valuable experience,” think again. 

Post the position if you:

• Have a manager who will mentor the intern
• Want to establish a recruiting tool and brand at your local college
• Intend to treat the intern as an employee and not an intern

I believe internship programs are a great asset, especially in today’s economy. When we review the resume of someone fresh out of school, we appreciate this experience. We don’t care if it is painting houses or working in the marketing department of ACME Corp. Working through school shows that the candidate didn’t just study.  Internships demonstrate real initiative, effective time management skills, the ability to prioritize, and dedication, to name a few.

I am jaded

Honestly, I don’t even care what they did at the internship. I assume that most companies do nothing for their interns. An internship on a resume shows the candidate isn’t just slacking off during the summer. These young people received some exposure to company culture. They will have some idea of what to expect in the real world. Triple AAA ball before the Majors.   

Companies offering an internship program should consider the intern and ask the following questions.

What bullet points does the intern want to list on their resume at the end of the internship?

Interns should consider what they can add to their resumes at the end of the position.  HR fails are asking interns to mail, staple, and run the Xerox machine.  The company has failed.  If the resume says “attended project meetings,” the company FAILED. Interns who can list that they participated in a 4-week project researching financial projections got something. Developing products or playing a role in launching a product is worth including on your resume.        

If you are thinking, “This dumbass just doesn’t know how to come up with the right bullets,” you failed.  Interns are not supposed to know how to write a resume. HELP THEM!  An intern may not know what they are missing if they don’t receive any help. They don’t know any better. But I believe they WILL recognize anyone taking the time out of their schedule to help them with these details.     

They haven’t been trained

We are talking about an intern.  How should they know better?  If they knew better, they wouldn’t be an INTERN!  They would be savant geniuses and employed full-time in a think tank. The company, the Manager, and the HR person should help this intern understand the value of tasks. Help them with the resume bullet points. Explain what they are getting from these assignments so they can write a worthwhile resume.

Everyone wants to put down quantifiable actions on their resume. 

Below are a few real-world bullet points. The intern didn’t realize what they were getting or wasn’t mentored on how to list the accomplishments:

• Ran Excel reports
• Sat in on project meetings
• Helped run the annual golf tournament

Better examples of bullet points for an intern:

• Compiled data on customer turnover using Excel. This project helped determine three alternatives for retaining customers longer, resulting in a 10% increase in retention. 
• Recorded and compiled notes during weekly Scrum meetings for the Agile development team. Learned development life cycle, recorded team hours, and entered bugs into the Bug Tracking system.
• Worked with the Marketing team to coordinate company events, including the annual Golf Tournaments, with a budget of $100,000.00.  Ensured that guests learned about company products via personal presentations and marketing collateral handouts.   

One of the most valuable things a company can do for an intern is to teach them how to interview. This shouldn’t come from a Professor who hasn’t had to interview for 10-20 years, let alone face Corporate America. This skill will stick with an individual for a long time if done well. The classes can be tailored to prepare you for a job with your specific company. Explain the culture and values that your company looks for. I don’t think this can be accomplished in two to three hours.   

Shame on us

Managers ask, “Why would I help someone qualify for the competition?” FAIL!  Our goal is to provide a valuable, challenging experience. We want to set them up with tips on interviewing with YOUR company. WHY WOULDN’T THEY COME BACK?

Every hire is an opportunity for your company to make a lasting impact on ANY employee, but this is the intern’s first real job, and “everyone remembers their first” (real job).  Make it so that the memories are ones you want your company to be associated with.  

See you at the after party,
HRNasty

nasty: an unreal maneuver of incredible technique, something that is ridiculously good, tricky, and manipulative but with a result that can’t help but be admired, a phrase used to describe someone good at something. “He has a nasty forkball”.

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