🔒College interns: The unsung heroes of the business world

There’s a group of people who get very little acclaim in the business community, sometimes they don’t even get paid, but they are an integral part to the success of a business.

They help get projects done on time and keep partners and managers on schedule. They do little things that often go unseen, but success can’t be achieved without them.

They are always there for you, at the ready for virtually everything your business may need. And they are undeniably loyal.

They are interns, the unsung heroes of the business world.

Where would we be without interns?

I have been asked at times if interns are important to running a successful business. And I answer no, they are essential. Whether your business is small, medium or large, there is, or at least there should be, a place for interns.

In every business, there are times of peak busyness when all hands are on deck and every team member is moving in multiple directions to get things done. Oftentimes the full-time workers simply don’t have the capacity to manage certain ancillary tasks, sometimes clerical, sometimes more in-depth.

This is when interns are most useful and tend to shine.

College students, doing either paid internships or credit-only internships, are among the most driven people you will find in the business world. They come ready to perform and they want badly to deliver.

Why? Because this is their opportunity to show you what they can do, to develop new business skills, to build their individual professional toolkit, to create some great contacts moving forward and, in many cases, to set themselves up for future employment.

That’s what’s in it for them. What’s in it for you, the business owner?

For starters, many of the same things: A highly motivated extra set of hands to help out in any number of capacities; a mind eager to learn and a person eager to impress; and someone who can do additional tasks at a lower cost.

Even more than that, business owners and managers get a sneak peek at possible new employees, a trial run, if you will. Having someone serve as an intern provides a great opportunity to audition for possible employment down the road.

It gives you a chance to see how they work with others, perform under pressure and adapt to an often-changing business environment.

Internships become great recruiting tools, and it means both parties, the intern and the business owner/manager, become known commodities to each other before hiring.

Who, after all, is likely to be a better hire: A known commodity or a stranger?

Truthfully, right now there are not enough internships available in the business world; there are simply more college students looking for internships than there are internships available.

Business owners who don’t use interns now can certainly help themselves by offering two or three per semester. You will indeed find the right people to fill them, and more than likely you will have plenty of work for them.

Colleges and universities can help, too, by having more accessible internship posting boards available on campus, both physical and virtual.

Students could use more help from college leaders finding available internships. That’s the only support they need, once they find the internship for which they want to apply, the rest is up to them.

It’s time for everyone involved, the business world, institutions of higher education and students to embrace the true value an internship can bring and view them as an opportunity for growth and success.

Interns are driven, young, smart and available. Let’s give them a chance.

Joel Johnson is the managing partner at Wethersfield retirement-planning firm Johnson Brunetti.