Students seeking internships want some credentials on their resume that will wow future employers. Excellent academic records can show off intellect and work ethic, but employers like to see that a new hire understands a bit about working in an actual business environment. Of course, big names like Google, Apple, or Facebook are appealing to students who want to stand out in tech and engineering fields.
When a new startup wants to attract the best and brightest new minds in their field, they may have to offer some incentives to get those students to jump on-board with their vision. You might know that your business has a promising future, but without significant name recognition, adding a few perks and options to potential interns can help you snag the students that you might want to hire as you grow your company.
With remote work on the rise, companies are now considering remote internship programs. A successful program can help you compete with more established companies when it comes to attracting top-notch students. If you are still uncertain of the advantages of remote internship offerings, here are a few reasons to consider initiating one of these programs.
Broadening the Talent Pool
Some technology, computer science, and engineering internships pay extremely well. Top tech companies famously pay interns more than the average American worker earns. However, average internship pay is far more modest. If an internship location is across the country or in another country, many students will find the program economically unfeasible. Some of those students might be stellar talent.
Offering paid remote internship options can greatly increase the pool of potential talent so that students from all over the globe can participate. These students no longer need to worry about finding a place to stay for several months during the program and can even continue taking classes at a far-off university.
If the student is impressive, you can offer them a position with the company that will make it worth it for them to move to your location once they finish school. Of course, if the intern does not work well in your company, at least you did not force them to spend thousands of dollars chancing their future on traveling to your location.
Compete With Bigger Players in the Industry
With salaries of top tech companies around $8,000 a month, successful, well-established companies can attract talent from top universities. As a new business, you might not be in the position to flex with these large payouts on untested interns. If you cannot offer students heaps of money, you will need to find ways to compete for promising interns.
Taking an internship with a startup might be risky for the intern, but students who can carry out their internship duties from their home might be willing to take that risk. After all, traveling to an internship in Silicon Valley can cost a lot of cash. That which you cannot offer in income, you can offer in savings, and at a lower cost to your business.
When it comes to tech internships, many workers can complete their jobs remotely. Offering a remote computer science internship or remote engineering internship can make your business stand out.
Offer Flexibility for Students
Interns are often students who are juggling their work with your company with their studies. If your company is near a university, those students might come in and work during the semester. However, thousands of students at other universities will not be able to pop by the office between their classes. For those students, a summer internship program might work, but those still might be impractical.
Even for students who might be within commuting distance, getting to and from the office and campus can mean a lot of travel time to fit into a busy schedule. If you are looking for the top candidates, many of them will be busy individuals who dedicate a lot of time to their studies and work. Saving them from a commute can mean saving them valuable hours every week.
Of course, students also might have irregular schedules, including classes at different times on different days of the week. Offering a remote internship in 2021 can allow these students to devote more time to their studies and perform the actual tasks you want them to complete for the internship.
Lessons Learned From COVID-19 and Work From Home Opportunities
Remote work arrangements might seem like an opportunity for students to slack off and play video games when they should be working. However, evidence suggests that many people are as productive if not more productive when given the opportunity to work in an environment where they are comfortable. For one thing, these employees cannot appear to be working just by showing and making their presence known to other workers.
For remote workers, only their productivity can truly show that they are engaging in work. A strong internship candidate will want to demonstrate that they are accomplishing tasks. Remote work also cuts out the risk of distraction from other employees.
COVID-19 led to many businesses shifting to remote work. Some companies that chose to let their employees work from home found that the arrangement is beneficial. In fact, according to reports, many large tech firms are planning to continue having workers perform their jobs remotely even after the end of the pandemic. CNN reports that Facebook, Twitter, Slack, Shopify, and Square are just some of the companies that say they plan to continue having their employees work from home.
Studies indicate that most workers believe that they are at least as productive when working remotely, and possibly more productive. According to Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, remote workers also lead to more diversity. Remote internships mean that individuals with different backgrounds who might not enjoy living where your company is based will become part of the pool of potential employees. Letting employees and interns work where they live will mean you can hire people with a wider variety of perspectives.
The benefits that big tech firms found from remote work can translate into the perks of having a remote internship program. Reddit is among the companies that started a remote internship program to capitalize on these benefits. And of course, such arrangements can also save on office space and supplies. Without special constraints, companies might find it possible to hire additional interns who can perform more work and increase the chances of finding some excellent future employees.
Making a Remote Internship Program Work for You and the Intern
Remote internship programs can be an asset for a company, but only if they work for the employers and the interns. If your company is considering starting a remote internship program for the summer of 2021, it is time to start getting those programs ready. Internships can also run during the school year. One important part of the program is to have a set end date. For instance, a Fall 2021 remote internship program should run from about September through December.
Spring remote internships start in January and run through April, while summer internships start in May and end in August. Unpaid internships must have a set time frame because the Department of Labor will regulate these programs to ensure that you are not improperly employing unpaid workers. If the intern works too long, the DOL might believe that the internship will no longer serve an educational purpose.
Remote internships can also offer college credit. Credit hours can make the program worthwhile to the student even if the employer is not providing a meaningful salary. However, for many reasons, offering a paid remote internship might be a better option. Paid interns might be more enthusiastic about their positions and therefore perform their tasks at a higher level.
A paid remote internship for the summer of 2021 or fall of 2021 may also appeal to students who are reluctant to return to in-person settings until the pandemic is under control. Again, offering this position for students in 2021 can help your business find the best possible interns.
Remote internship programs will work best if they are structured, and the student is under the supervision of company employees. Companies that check-in with interns often and provide good direction to their interns will find that the internship yields better results for everyone. Communicating regularly with the intern can also avoid the intern feeling that your company does not include them in the culture.
If you have questions regarding how to establish a successful remote internship program, learn more at Global Internships by Intrax.
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