Level Up Your Intern Game: 5 Tactics to Increase Internship Value Both Ways

At ZSuite Tech, we see interns not just as temporary aides, but as valuable contributors to our ongoing mission to innovate and excel. This blog post dives into the transformative power of internships, both for the interns and the organizations that welcome them. Below is a guest post from our VP of Product, Curtis Whiting, who has mentored many interns over the years. He’ll share his strategies to help you unlock the full potential of your interns, ensuring they leave as much of a mark on your company as your company leaves on their careers.

By Curtis Whiting

I’ve been a Marvel fan since I was a kid. I always loved imagining normal people, like me, gaining superhuman abilities so they could save the day. However, I wouldn’t want to be subjected to the industrial accidents they suffer through to become “super.”  

I get this need-for-a-superhero vibe from colleagues and peers who ask about interns. They make it sound like every project is saving the world and requires the ability to see through walls, and are sure interns can’t fill the need.

I’ve managed 30+ interns over the past 10+ years and have started intern programs at 3 different companies. If you set them (and yourself) up for success, interns can be extremely valuable additions to your team.

One of the first interns I worked with was a data science student working on his bachelors. He embraced every project and data question with ideas and creativity. His useful research made its way to market creative and client reporting.

At ZSuite Tech, two of the more recent interns I worked with did some of the research and design on our original software. In the candidate interviews they were beyond excited about the challenge of an original design. They came to the position with specific opinions about how to design a product customers would love and use.

Here’s how to get the most out of your interns:

1. Give them your time. Schedule daily check-ins with them. Expect them to keep a schedule and keep your commitment to be available when they have questions.
   
   
2. Treat them with respect. Ask hard questions. Give them hard work. Require their best work.
   
   
3. Keep projects small. Short timeframes will cause focus and drive quick failures and successes.
   
   
4. Vet ideas out loud with them. Not sure if a project is fully defined in your head? Presenting it to a college student is a great way to groom and increase its value.
   
   
5. Let them explore. They may create something that won’t work. But then you’ll know. I guarantee they will stumble on very cool ideas and bring in tools you hadn’t considered. 

Internships are great multipliers for society. They grease the gears of career growth and confidence building. They make degrees and classes worth the time. They turn classroom knowledge into real life, and real opportunities. I’m a big fan of internships, but following these steps doesn’t guarantee successful project completion or 100% successful interns. Those are times when I lean into successful mentoring and coaching. Also, those are times of improved planning and productivity given the chance to talk through ideas and projects with someone who has a different experience and perspective.