Having interns around can be great for business, and in many instances they may do things better than you. Here are seven areas they can really shine.
1) Social Media and link outreach
Many students use social media all the time (in fact 86% of 18-29 year olds use at least one social media site, higher than any other age group).
Setting aside the time to keep the momentum going on social media accounts can be difficult so why not give an intern a chance to show off their skills? You can develop a brief around types of content which can be curated from other sources or owned (created in-house), which brings us to…
2) Writing and maintaining a blog
Blogging should be an integral part of every business’s online content strategy (in fact, there are countless blogs dedicated to why!) Blogs are important for boosting your website’s SEO, increasing traffic via inbound links and positioning your brand as an expert.
Many young people already have their own blogs and are familiar with content targeting online audiences. They can set up an account on WordPress or SquareSpace, or continue publishing on your existing site.
3) Keeping up with the latest tech
Find out what all the cool kids are using. Most students are digital natives who fully across the latest tech trends and tools. This means they are great at finding shortcuts, automation hacks and integrations that can streamline processes and complete work more efficiently.
4) Experimenting with small campaigns
Kenneth Parcell, ’30 Rock’s’ perpetually obliging intern
The ability of Millennials to adapt to new platforms is great when it comes to monitoring those occasionally finicky metric platforms.
Ever thought about playing with different types of advertising, messaging and design? Instead of shelling out for a professional consultant, an intern can be briefed to setup and monitor A/B testing on a range of platforms i.e. Facebook, Google Analytics. They can then provide you with insights, suggestions and tweaks moving forward.
5) Being open to learning new things
Most interns really want to learn and develop experiences in a company or startup. They aren’t as worried about big paychecks and corner offices. They’ll give you the benefit of the knowledge they collect, and their role will expand to take on new responsibility.
6) They can attract other talent
Up to 85% of jobs are filled through networking (LinkedIn). Smart people know other smart people, and when you find sharp, talented interns or even full-time employees, they can represent just the tip of the iceberg (albeit one that won’t sink your ship!)
7) Offering fresh insights
Having a new perspective can make all the difference, especially if your business is looking to target younger or emerging markets. They can review everything from website user flows through to wireframes, content copy and presentations.