Is Your Company Offering Internship Opportunities?
Any well-considered IT staffing plan focuses on finding both experienced technology professionals as well as new graduates. Strategies for recruiting the former are well-chronicled, but what about sourcing those who are just beginning their careers? Hiring a candidate without any meaningful tech experience is still a risky prospect.
Developing internship programs with local colleges and tech schools remains the smart approach for recruiting emerging IT professionals. You also get the opportunity to see how a candidate works and interacts with your current team. Let’s take a look at a few reasons why it’s a great way to introduce an upcoming graduate to your company’s culture.
The Fresh Perspective Gained by Hiring Interns
Encourage your interns to take an active part in company meetings as well as their work assignments. Tell them to speak up with questions or comments on the project work. This becomes more natural when your organization follows the Agile or DevOps approach to collaboration.
Ultimately, engaged interns offer a fresh perspective on your company’s operations. After all, you never know where an inspired idea might arise.
Work With Interns on the Company’s Approach to Social Media
Tech-savvy interns boast a keen eye for social media. Having them work on projects related to your company’s social networking strategies is a smart use of their talents. Their insights are likely to be useful, especially for attracting younger candidates in the future.
Internships Offer Similar Advantages as Short-Term Contracts
One of the major advantages of temporary IT contractors involves being able to try out someone before offering them a full-time contract. The same concept also applies when hiring interns. It’s a great opportunity to get a feel for their skills and cultural fit before they graduate and hit the tech job market.
Remember, your company also gets the benefit of extra help around the office, which might be a godsend during crunch time.
Build a Great Internship Program to Attract the Best
Putting significant resources into your company’s internship program improves the quality of candidates who apply. Even consider offering pay, especially if the intern is expected to do real work. This also helps you get a better read on their skills and drive with an eye towards offering them a position upon graduation.
When your company needs help building a great tech team, speak with the experts at Technology Partners.
As one of the top IT staffing agencies in St. Louis, we provide candidates able to make a great fit in your office. Schedule some time with us soon.
