CEA NewsJump May 2021
Connecting You With Columbia's Small Business Resources, Events, and More.
Columbia Entrepreneurship Alliance
The Columbia Entrepreneurship Alliance began last summer to connect new entrepreneurs with resources to get their business or side-gig started! Please let us know how we can help you and please spread the word to those just trying to figure out how to get started! To view the materials from this year’s jumpstart events, please visit: https://www.startmo.biz/resources/
Community Contribution Corner
The Dos and Don’ts for Happy (and Productive!) Interns
by Lorah Lackland, Missouri Business Alert
With the temperatures rising and classes ending, summer is well on its way. And with summer likely comes a host of eager 20-somethings to your department, looking to add to their resumes and learn valuable lessons for their future careers.
In the weeks leading up to a new internship class and throughout the summer, what can you do to ensure happily, engaged, and productive interns? Here are some of my go-to do’s and don’ts to keep up initial excitement past the first week on the job.
Do: Include them as part of your team from the beginning.
Whether you work in a specific department of a larger corporate office or as part of a small startup team, the biggest key to success is making sure your interns feel included as part of the team. Step one should always be introducing them to others around the office, making sure to explain each person’s role and who they will be working with most closely. Arranging a team lunch the first week can be a great tool to meeting everyone in a relaxed setting.
Other ways to make your interns feel included:
Add them to the team page. This may not work for highly-structured corporate cultures, but startups or small businesses may consider adding each intern to the team page of the company’s website. This will make interns feel as if they are truly part of the team and an integral part of what you are doing.
Connect on LinkedIn. If your social media policy allows, be sure to connect with your interns on LinkedIn and encourage other team members to do the same. This will help them cultivate long-term professional relationships with the people they will work with and encourage resume-boosting endorsements from managers.
Include them in meetings. Inclusion in weekly team meetings will give interns a deeper insight into the long-term goals and projects they’re working on and what your job entails, giving them a valuable sense of what to expect in their future careers.
Make them their own business cards. If it makes sense within their role in the company and budget allows, why not give them their own business card? It will make them feel like they are a true representative of your company and will denote to people they come in contact with that they are more than “just an intern.”
Do: Give them real work.
Generally, summer internships are riddled with grunt work and menial, unimportant tasks, such as making copies or fetching coffee. Surprise your interns by working with them to determine how their future career goals and your company’s long-term goals intersect, using that intersection to create a work plan that balances their interests with your needs.
I have created a free template for your users to easily outline any daily tasks or long-term projects you decide to have your interns work on; download it here.
Overall, if you are paying your interns (which you should be!), their time is money wasted if it is not working towards the direct benefit of your organization.
Don’t: Assume they have the same skill sets and interests as your last intern.
Every intern is different and every academic program is unique. Before your intern’s first day, review their application materials and interview notes to assess their areas of strength and weakness, then work from there. On the first day, sit down with them individually to determine which areas they want to improve upon and which ones they feel most confident in. Also, be sure to discuss what courses they have taken and what was learned. Who knows: They may have completed a class project identical to what you need to be done!
This will help you create a work plan that will challenge, but not overwhelming, and will give you and your company useful end products and reports at the conclusion of summer.
Do: Reward them.
The bottom line: If you can afford to pay your interns, you should. It is not just the right thing to do, but it will keep your internship program reputable and competitive and will boost interns’ self-esteem and job satisfaction.
If hourly pay or a stipend is beyond your budget, consider using non-monetary rewards such as a weekly lunch or fun activities to boost morale and productivity.
Do: Make expectations clear from day one.
Within the first few days of work, and once you have finalized your interns’ work plans, have a meeting where you make crystal clear all of the expectations of your intern. Are analytics reports due on Tuesday mornings? Are they required to attend company events? What is the office dress code?
Making expectations clear from the beginning will allow you to always know what project(s) your interns are working on so you can help them prioritize tasks. Additionally, it will lead to less wasted time perusing Twitter and Instagram and will leave you with more time for high-level projects and strategy. Additionally, if you are out sick or have to take unexpected time off, there are no “I-didn’t-know-what-to-be-working-on” excuses to be made.
Do: Be accessible.
If you have agreed to host a group of interns (or even just one!), make sure to be available to them (and not just through email). After all, this should be as much of a learning experience for them as it is an assistance to you.
If your schedule is packed and you generally aren’t in your office, set aside two to three 20-minute windows each week to meet face-to-face with your interns to help them if they are feeling overloaded, bored or are having interpersonal issues. Accessibility will go a long way towards making the internship experience a positive one.
Overall, there is no perfect formula for a successful internship experience for either side, but employing some of these tips can help you have a better rapport with your internship class and will help both sides have a successful and productive summer.
Resource Spotlight: Mizzou VMS
Mizzou VMS is a confidential educational program and team consulting service designed for University of Missouri-affiliated entrepreneurs. The relationships between mentors and aspiring entrepreneurs are established on the needs and preferences of each participating venture, and the interests and expertise of the available mentors. The mission of Mizzou VMS is to create an entrepreneurial culture that will help Missouri and the greater Columbia region retain its best and brightest entrepreneurial minds. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur ready to take the next step in moving your business forward, connect with us at https://mizzouvms.missouri.edu/.