Businesses of all sizes that want to increase their productivity while nurturing their talent pipeline often find tremendous value in hiring an intern. Businesses benefit from fresh perspectives and potential cost savings, while students gain valuable work experience in their chosen industries.
One way to recruit interns is by working directly with colleges and universities, which are filled with promising new talent eager to learn. Here’s how your business can partner with higher education institutions to fill intern positions.
[Read more: How Small Businesses Can Partner with Universities]
How to partner with colleges and universities to recruit interns
Jamie Sieja, Director of Marketing at Flex HR, says building partnerships with colleges and universities requires “patience and proactive engagement.” These steps can help you identify potential partners, develop mutually beneficial relationships, and scout out qualified interns.
Look for schools that align with your business’s needs
First, identify your ideal candidate with respect to your business needs. Determine what tasks they’ll complete, what skill sets and attributes they’ll bring to the table, and the length of the internship.
From there, identify the schools whose programs and student base align with those needs. Common avenues to explore include:
- Local colleges and universities, particularly if your business requires in-person work.
- Schools with renowned or reputable programs in your industry.
- Your employees’ alma maters, since they have firsthand experience in both your organization and the school. They may also have insights and direct connections to facilitate contact.
Focus on relationship building
Once you’ve identified your target schools, it’s time to start your outreach. However, taking the time to build a relationship and showcase your value is far more likely to drive success than a “cold call” approach.
“Start with their career centers—but don’t stop there,” said Brittany Truszkowski, SHRM-SCP, CPSP, and Chief Operating Officer at Grand Canyon Law Group. “Show up to panels, guest lectures, or resume review events. The more present you are in their ecosystems, the more talent you attract.”
Truszkowski added that this approach has helped her firm partner with a local law school to get a steady stream of externs every semester.
Businesses that partner with colleges and universities have the unique opportunity to help shape the future workforce.
Identify and nurture qualified interns
Once you’ve established a relationship with a college or university, you can leverage that partnership to scout and encourage potential interns.
“Maintain partnerships with professors or student organizations who screen candidates, guaranteeing a consistent flow of qualified talent for your internship program,” recommended Mike Szczesny, Owner and Vice President of EDCO Awards & Specialties. “Students can be lured through real-world projects and mentorships with flexible schedules.”
For Sieja, proactively engaging with students and leveraging technology has been key. One of her clients—a veterinary practice seeking veterinary professionals—spoke to a student group about industry trends, then handed out flyers with a QR code detailing their internship program. The next day, the practice received 66 emails of interest.
“We had a marketing assistant contact each individual to determine whether they were techs or vets, their graduation date, and their interest,” Sieja said. “We then created a spreadsheet and [sent] out a monthly newsletter. The practice hired four individuals within the year, and expects to hire four to six more after graduation.”
[Read more: A Guide to Hiring Top Talent for Your Business]
The importance of alignment between businesses and higher education
The partnership between businesses and higher education institutions is crucial to ensuring students are prepared to meet the demands of the workforce.
“In the recent past, students were graduating from higher ed institutions and they were failing on the job,” said Mike Thompson, CEO at Learner Mobile. “Companies were suggesting that colleges were falling short of preparing students for work.”
In response to this challenge, Thompson explained, employers and higher education institutions began to collaborate more deeply and think beyond the typical “summer internship” experience.
“Nowadays, there are internships throughout the school year that are accredited towards a student’s degree,” said Thompson. “This has also helped fast-track students to graduation and has much better prepared them for their career[s].”
Businesses that partner with colleges and universities have the unique opportunity to help shape the future workforce. Beyond offering valuable learning opportunities and the ability to put theory into action, businesses can also share their insights with higher education institutions—and the education their interns need in order to truly succeed in the “real world.”
[Read more: How to Create a Great Internship Experience]
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Danielle Fallon-O'Leary
