You might be considering hiring an intern to help you out in your business, but before you do, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
While interns can be a great asset to your team, they’re not always the best hiring solution for every company. Here are the top reasons you should think twice before hiring an intern.
Short-term help
You might be thinking that getting an intern onboard would be a smart way to get affordable help, but that’s true only to a certain extent.
Interns are looking for a short-term learning experience that matches their academic schedule and most will leave after three to six months. If you’re looking for long-term help, you would be better off hiring an associate or executive.
Lack of time to train
Think about it—interns usually need a lot of training, especially if they’re very new to the workforce. They need to learn about the way you do things and how to complete their tasks properly. That’s a lot of time and energy that you don’t have to spare.
It’s much better to hire a full-time employee who is already familiar with the industry and knows what they’re doing. This way, they can hit the ground running and start contributing to your team immediately.
You need someone with more experience
You may be thinking, “I don’t have enough work for someone full-time, but I could use some help.” And that’s where an intern can be a suitable option.
But before you decide to hire an intern, you need to be sure that the work you’re asking them to do is appropriate for their level of experience. For instance, if you’re looking for someone to do basic content writing, an intern can be a great option.
But if you need someone with more experience in SEO and who can help you rank your website on Google or other search engines, you might want to consider hiring a full-time employee instead.
You’re looking for an individual to fill a specific role
Are you looking for someone to fill a particular role in your company? If so, an intern might not be a good fit. Full-time employees have specific job descriptions and are usually trained to do those tasks well.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for someone to help out with a range of tasks and you don’t have the bandwidth to train them yourself, then an intern could be an okay option. They are more likely to be eager to learn and will be willing to try a hand in various areas.
There are many justifications as to why you should be hiring an intern, but there are also grounds for reconsideration. For example, interns may not be as qualified and can lack the experience they need to get things done well. Since they may not stay with you for very long, you might have to start from scratch again when a new hire comes in. Do you have the time and energy to spare?