Hopefully you’ve enjoyed having your interns and they have enjoyed their stay. But summer goes by fast. Remember to give them a great experience before they head back to school or to another job.
Give them more responsibility
Make it more interesting and mark their improvements. Give them some extra tasks and challenge them to make decisions on their own. Throw them a few fast ones and see how they react. It’s a good way to push them outside their comfort zone and see what they can handle.
Let them know you trust them
Let them borrow the company car for a quick errand or take a call from a client rather than just sitting in on meetings, scanning documents, and getting coffee. When your intern thinks you trust her, she’s more likely to trust herself, be more confident, and follow through with her goals.
Make them feel like they were really useful
Make them feel like their time spent there was important to you and that they did something to help the business move forward. Show them reports or hard evidence of the work they did, so they can see what they accomplished.
Listen to their ideas and ask what they want out of the internship
Maybe they haven’t spoken up about something they want to do. If they really come forward as leaders in an internship, they’ll do the same out in the workforce. Ask if there’s anything missing from their summer, and bust out any shyness.
Include them in office get-togethers and events
Make them feel part of the team and more than just a mascot that’s fun to tease. A summer company picnic is a great way to get them involved as a team member in a non-work setting.
We want to challenge our interns, and as gurus, we see ourselves as leaders with a lot to share. We try to make sure our interns have a great experience with us before we set them free again, like baby animals going back into the wild with newfound knowledge and wisdom.