| Starting up a new venture or business can be one | | | | graduation will serve them well in the future.5. |
| of the most exciting times of your life. It can also | | | | Offer benefits other than money. Money is not |
| be one of the most stressful. In the early | | | | the "be all, end all" of a relationship with your |
| months, or even early years of your business, | | | | intern. Many interns are looking to learn new skills |
| cash flow is often not what you would like it to | | | | which can best be learned in a real-life scenario. |
| be. If you're a solo entrepreneur, you're wearing | | | | They also know the importance of networking |
| many hats - in fact, you're probably wearing all of | | | | and the possibilities that might accrue by meeting |
| them.Not only are you selling your product or | | | | the right person at the right time. In addition, if |
| service, you're marketing it, doing the accounting, | | | | they really enjoy the experience (and you do, |
| paying the bills, answering the phones, designing | | | | too), they'll want you to write them a letter of |
| and updating your website and preparing and | | | | recommendation or serve as a reference in the |
| sending out mail. And, certainly for your own | | | | future.There are other ways you can |
| business, you can easily think of ten or fifteen | | | | "compensate" your intern. Consider developing a |
| additional tasks to be done in addition to these. In | | | | coaching program for them which entails teaching |
| the early days of your start-up, many if not | | | | them your business in an organized manner. |
| most of these tasks seem doable. But, once | | | | Teach them the steps of creating a business |
| you've started making sales or the public interest | | | | from scratch. By having them assist with all |
| in your business begins to grow, wearing all the | | | | aspects of the business, you may be opening up |
| hats becomes impossible, frustrating, and highly | | | | the door for them to start their own.Consider |
| stressful.One quick and easy solution is to hire an | | | | offering them commissioned-based compensation |
| intern - a college intern. During my corporate | | | | based upon product or service sales they close |
| career in finance, I made use of many college | | | | on their own. Or, you might design an internship |
| interns over the years. Not only were they | | | | where they can earn college credit. Contact the |
| diligent, responsible, and some of the best | | | | appropriate faculty member in charge of |
| employees, they were eager to learn and to | | | | credit-based internship programs to see if you |
| contribute ideas. My interns were reliable and | | | | might be able to create a development program |
| many of them hired on as regular employees | | | | which will fulfill some of their elective credit hour |
| after graduating from college.With more and more | | | | requirements.6. Minimum requirements. Before |
| college students choosing to start their own | | | | you're ready to contact your local college or |
| businesses rather than working for others, having | | | | university to place the advertisement for an |
| a first-hand opportunity to work in a business | | | | intern, make sure you have the following |
| start-up, like yours, might be just what they're | | | | information ready:Company NameCompany |
| looking for. So how can you find an intern that will | | | | AddressYour NameTelephone Number (you may |
| be just right for you and your business?Simples | | | | not wish to give out your telephone number so |
| Steps to Hiring an Intern1. What do I need to do? | | | | that applicants are forced to submit resumes |
| What can the intern do? One of the first things to | | | | through fax or via email)Fax NumberEmail |
| do is to take a clean sheet of paper and begin | | | | AddressJob Description (including complete list of |
| writing down all the tasks that you perform in | | | | expected tasks, expected number of hours to be |
| your business - and I mean everything. Next, | | | | worked, days to be worked (if necessary), hourly |
| decide what tasks you absolutely need to do | | | | rate of pay (if applicable), negotiable rate (if you |
| yourself and which ones might be assigned to an | | | | wish to evaluate their qualifications before setting |
| intern. Typical tasks that you do might | | | | a rate)Type of college major desired (business |
| include:inputting business card data into your | | | | administration, accountancy, finance, computer |
| databasecontacting local chambers of commerce | | | | science, etc.)How best to contact you (phone or |
| and ordering mailing listsmarketing mailings - | | | | email) and what to send (resume, letters of |
| printing letters, stuffing envelopes, putting stamps | | | | recommendation, transcripts, etc.)7. Contact |
| on letterswriting and updating your marketing | | | | career services. Once you've gathered all the |
| plankeeping your marketing calendar currentcalling | | | | necessary information, contact the career |
| on prospects - phone and in personwriting | | | | services center of several local colleges and |
| marketing collateralupdating website | | | | universities. They will either give you online access |
| informationconfirming appointments with | | | | to a system where you can input your job |
| clientswriting and updating your business | | | | description information, or you can simply provide |
| planappearing at tradeshows (perfect for an intern | | | | them with the information and they will do it for |
| to work as your assistant)buying office | | | | you. Once your posting is approved, it will be |
| suppliesgoing to the post office to mail packages, | | | | made available for students to access.8. Gather |
| letters, etc.miscellaneous errandsmeetings with | | | | resumes and start interviewing. Allow your |
| clientsreviewing local newspapers, business | | | | advertisement to be posted for at least two |
| periodicals and trade journals for possible business | | | | weeks. Start sorting through resumes right away |
| prospects or other opportunitiesarticle | | | | to see who might be the best fit. Begin setting up |
| clippingattending chamber functions and other | | | | interviews immediately to find the best candidate |
| networking eventsfilinganswering | | | | for the position.9. Interviewing. Ask both closed |
| phonesbookkeepingCertainly there are a lot of | | | | and open-ended questions. Closed-ended questions |
| things to do in your business! And, obviously, not | | | | require a yes or no answer, whereas open-ended |
| all of these can be done by anyone other than | | | | questions request explanation and elaboration. Find |
| you. Once you've drafted a comprehensive list of | | | | out about their prior work experience; ask for |
| tasks, using different colored high-lighters, or | | | | examples of how they've handled particular |
| something as simple as a check-mark, determine | | | | situations, all while carefully evaluating their |
| which of these tasks can be assigned to | | | | communication skills. You might even ask for a |
| someone else. This will become the basis for | | | | copy of one their class papers to assess their |
| writing up a job description for your intern.2. | | | | writing skills. Make sure that you are comfortable |
| Drafting a job description. Write up a simple job | | | | with them in every aspect. After all, you will be |
| description that includes a list of tasks you need | | | | entrusting them with your top priority - your |
| completed on a weekly basis. Also, estimate how | | | | business.10. Status reports. You might consider |
| much time these tasks will take and, if possible, | | | | asking your intern to fill out a weekly status |
| what days of the week might be best for | | | | report which tracks the assignments completed, |
| someone to work for you.3. What type of intern? | | | | including how much time each task required. It will |
| My suggestion is to hire a college intern who has | | | | give the intern a sense of accomplishment with |
| background in the areas that you most need help | | | | respect to their contributions, while providing you |
| with. For example, if your start-up is heavily | | | | with useful information about what has been |
| focused on using computer technology to either | | | | completed.11. Enjoy the benefits. There's so much |
| produce your product or service, or if it is a | | | | to gain from building relationships with others. |
| significant part of the interface with your clients, | | | | While the intern is learning from you, you'll be |
| hire an intern who is studying computer science. | | | | surprised at how much you will learn from him or |
| On the other hand, if you have a business | | | | her. Encourage them to take ownership and pride |
| focusing on delivering corporate sales training | | | | in what they are doing, praise and acknowledge |
| programs, hire a marketing major. If you have | | | | them frequently for jobs well done, and welcome |
| general office work that needs to be done, | | | | their comments, criticisms, and contributions.Using |
| consider a business administration student.4. To | | | | college interns to help you with your business is |
| pay or not to pay? That is the question. | | | | not only a cost-effective way to get things done, |
| Nowadays, interns are readily available for pay or | | | | but it's a wonderful way to contribute to the |
| no pay. The hiring market for new college | | | | knowledge and experience of someone who |
| graduates is rather strained so they know that | | | | might very well follow in your footsteps. In any |
| any and all work experience they gain prior to | | | | case, it can be a win-win situation for everyone. |