It’s hard to think of summer with winter still hanging around, but students are already actively seeking internships that will further their careers and give them something productive to do during the summer months. These jobs help prepare them to enter the job market and pinpoint exactly what kind of work they would like to pursue post-grad. Most universities have prerequisite requirements for internship experience, resulting in an increased demand of students seeking companies that offer these opportunities. Interns are a great solution for the companies that hire them as well, because they are your future talent and can add a unique perspective.
Fresh out of the intern phase of my own career, I can recall a multitude of memories and a plethora of knowledge I gained as a social media intern at DMA Solutions. So what would I recommend to fresh produce companies seeking to hire interns like me? It’s essential that you set your interns up for success by thinking ahead. Planning is the key step in a successful and mutually beneficially relationship between a company and its talent. Here are the 6 steps that DMA took to plan and enhance my internship experience:
1) Identify the purpose of your internship program.
Are you hiring an intern to complete projects for a specific area of your business? Or, are you hiring interns as part of a full-time recruitment program? Whichever the circumstance, outlining the purpose for an intern will help determine their expectations in the company as well as add value to a well-rounded internship experience.
2) Define the intern’s role with a job description.
A job description will ultimately give the intern an idea of what’s coming their way. Clear expectations will highlight the value of your intern’s role by illustrating the bigger picture of your company with an organizational chart. Doing so will help your intern understand where they fit in in the company’s goals.
3) Get to know your intern.
Feeling welcomed and prepped by a team of enthusiastic co-workers sets the tone for the interns overall period at the company. Get your intern off on the right foot by explaining daily norms and asking them questions about their career goals. An open relationship with your intern will expedite their immersion with the team and its’ company culture. There was nothing more rewarding that I experience at DMA than being able to chime in with laughter with my teammates about a hilarious meme email floating around the office!
4) Provide an orientation.
Before your intern arrives for their first day, consider sending them driving directions, detailed background information, important contact information, hours of operation, dress code and company policies. For their first day, it’s also helpful to explain other processes such as answering phones, meeting etiquette and policies for taking breaks. For my first day, the DMA team gave me an immensely helpful tour of the building and had lunch with me at the local eatery!
5) Allow your intern to shadow multiple team members.
Observing a seasoned employee will bring clarity to procedures and processes within business walls as well as help your intern get hands-on experience in the trials and tribulations of learning and growing. Teaching your intern to further their career in the workforce takes not only the strength of the individual, but especially their team members.
6) Be flexible.
Millennials and younger generations are eager to contribute their talent to a business, but appreciate a schedule that supports their personal life as well. If possible, offer a schedule that allows interns to work around class schedules or work from home on occasion. Millennials thrive on digital technology, so if it can support the team and doesn’t hinder their ability to complete their duties, allow interns to utilize their devices throughout the day.
After stepping into my new career path with DMA, I learned that the more a company puts into their internship program, the more they get out of it. By taking the necessary steps to prepare me for my internship, I reaped the benefits of getting the most out of my experience and ultimately, starting a full-time position with DMA. Whether you’re looking to hire your first intern or your 50th, a student’s time with a company is likely to be one of their most memorable experiences, so making a genuine commitment to an internship program is especially important. Download DMA’s Internship Guide for Produce Companies to learn more about how our internship program work and how you can implement a similar structure for your own company.
{{cta(‘3de60b2b-1bb3-4585-b10b-c5a1f259a5f1’)}}
