A Guest post by Joelle Prochera
Joelle Prochera
Do you want to know what I think about the youth of America?
Personally, I think they rock!
I mean, they R.O.C. K. -They are Refreshingly Organized Conscientious Kids! (Ok, technically they are “young adults” but then it would spell ROCYA – which kind of works too 
)
It all started when I got clear on something, and that was that I was tired of trying to be a one-woman show—a coach, marketing expert, graphic designer, editor, and web designer. I had big dreams and a big vision but I was worn-out from wearing all the hats. I wanted to just be me and bring my own skills, talents and passions to the table while surrounding myself with energetic people, each working in their own area of excellence. Basically, I just wanted to coach and not be bogged down with all the technical details.
Now this all sounded great in theory, but I was not in a financial position to hire $250,000 worth of skilled professionals. Then, much to my delight, a friend shared with me a magical little website. A website created for the purpose of matching employers with local college students. I said to myself, “What the heck, Joelle?” and I signed up. I began thinking about who I would want supporting me, if I could have anyone on my team, what skills would they bring? So I wrote out my wish list of the characteristics and abilities I wanted my team to possess.
Within days, much to my delight, the resumes started pouring in.
Less than two months later, my business was thriving thanks to the incredible support of five amazing student interns.
For those of you who are intrigued by the idea, I strongly encourage you to investigate this option for yourself. When properly orchestrated the intern-employer relationship is a true win-win. The business person gets to forward their business and increase productivity with individuals skilled in a variety of areas, and the interns get valuable real-life experience in their fields, along with letters of reference and professional work for their portfolio.
Did I happen to mention that less than half my group was assisting me for school credit? The others chose to volunteer their time to develop their craft. Wow!
Not only that, but I have experienced nothing but commitment, timeliness, adherence to deadlines, ability to accept feedback, willingness to learn and openness to trying new things? It has been a nothing but an honor and a delight to have these young people in my life!
“This all sounds great, Joelle. But how do I go about hiring an intern for my business?”
How to Hire an Intern in 5 Easy Steps:
1. Find your intern source. Approach local colleges or universities about job/internship fairs or Google-search for websites where you can post your listing. There are people out there waiting to support your business!
2. Clearly state the job description and your expectations. The clearer you are up front, the easier it will be to ensure the job is a match for both you and the student.
3. Interview. Conduct a thorough interview as though you are hiring a fulltime person for your business. Clear expectations are the surest way to create a win-win for both you and the student.
4. Communicate, communicate, communicate. This is perhaps the most important part of the whole process. Discuss your expectations, develop timelines, and set time aside for weekly or biweekly feedback sessions.
5. Have fun! Bringing the youth, the skill, and the energy of students into your business can be an incredibly enriching and rewarding experience. Enjoy!
This is a call to action for all you entrepreneurs out there, with businesses of all shapes and sizes. The youth of America are waiting to better themselves and contribute to the work you’re doing.
After all, Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.”
So…what are you waiting for? Help build the future (yours and theirs.) Hire an intern today!
