Around the start of a new season, college students are a-flutter trying to secure a semester-long internship that will help enhance their education and make them ready for the real world. It’s an opportunity to get them out of the classroom and apply their skills to fields that could one day help them bring home the bread. But businesses are infamous for making interns get the coffee and do the copying. While these are (of course) important tasks, here’s how you can make the internship experience better for everyone.

1. Appreciate the work they do for little or no pay.

Free work seems like a fairy-tale. While some internships are paid, others can be free when granted college credit as compensation. So don’t think that you have to only give grunt work to your interns. They’re smart and educated and are up to the challenge.

2. Be inspired by their eagerness.

There’s nothing like the honeymoon phase. Interns that are just starting out in a new industry are likely to have a lot of questions. Be patient and proud when showing off your knowledge of the business. Find joy in passing on your hard-earned experience to those eager to learn.

3. Access the young market.

Most interns are likely to be a part of the younger demographic. Every business can benefit from having young workers. They can offer valuable insights on how to reach that demographic, and get your business out their to their friends and peers.

4. Listen to their suggestions.

Even though they are green, interns may have a lot of suggestions for how to improve communication, boost social media presence, or get better office snacks, for example. Listen to them. They’ll feel more valuable in the workplace and be inspired to work even harder.

5. Give them special projects.

Most business plans don’t account for interns, so their work is sometimes labeled as “unnecessary.” Not true at all. Interns can be responsible for small projects that you’ve always wanted to start but could never find the resources to complete.

6. Let them help you get organized.

Besides filing, copying, data entry, and all that jazz, interns can be a huge help in the digital world. Have them spice up your website, social media platforms, and online data management systems.

7. Streamline your training process.

A lot of the time, employees find it tedious to train interns and think that it takes away from their own work. So break it down to the essentials. Get your intern right into the game, and use a trial by experience training technique. It’ll save you time and get straight to the point.

8. Invite them in on meetings and calls.

Barring any company-confidential information, let the intern be involved and take notes on calls and meetings. This will be an easy way to train them up quickly on how the company conducts day-to-day business.

9. See potential for eventual employment.

Don’t think of an internship as something that’s fleeting. There is always potential that your intern will show a vested interest in returning to the company once completing his or her studies. And with all of that training as an intern, it will make the employment process that much easier.

Interns can be great resources for any small business if you know how to maximize the experience.

string(3689) "
Around the start of a new season, college students are a-flutter trying to secure a semester-long internship that will help enhance their education and make them ready for the real world. It's an opportunity to get them out of the classroom and apply their skills to fields that could one day help them bring home the bread. But businesses are infamous for making interns get the coffee and do the copying. While these are (of course) important tasks, here's how you can make the internship experience better for everyone.
1. Appreciate the work they do for little or no pay.
Free work seems like a fairy-tale. While some internships are paid, others can be free when granted college credit as compensation. So don't think that you have to only give grunt work to your interns. They're smart and educated and are up to the challenge.
2. Be inspired by their eagerness.
There's nothing like the honeymoon phase. Interns that are just starting out in a new industry are likely to have a lot of questions. Be patient and proud when showing off your knowledge of the business. Find joy in passing on your hard-earned experience to those eager to learn. 
3. Access the young market.
Most interns are likely to be a part of the younger demographic. Every business can benefit from having young workers. They can offer valuable insights on how to reach that demographic, and get your business out their to their friends and peers. 
4. Listen to their suggestions.
Even though they are green, interns may have a lot of suggestions for how to improve communication, boost social media presence, or get better office snacks, for example. Listen to them. They'll feel more valuable in the workplace and be inspired to work even harder. 
5. Give them special projects. 
Most business plans don't account for interns, so their work is sometimes labeled as "unnecessary." Not true at all. Interns can be responsible for small projects that you've always wanted to start but could never find the resources to complete. 
6. Let them help you get organized. 
Besides filing, copying, data entry, and all that jazz, interns can be a huge help in the digital world. Have them spice up your website, social media platforms, and online data management systems. 
7. Streamline your training process. 
A lot of the time, employees find it tedious to train interns and think that it takes away from their own work. So break it down to the essentials. Get your intern right into the game, and use a trial by experience training technique. It'll save you time and get straight to the point.
8. Invite them in on meetings and calls.
Barring any company-confidential information, let the intern be involved and take notes on calls and meetings. This will be an easy way to train them up quickly on how the company conducts day-to-day business.
9. See potential for eventual employment.
Don't think of an internship as something that's fleeting. There is always potential that your intern will show a vested interest in returning to the company once completing his or her studies. And with all of that training as an intern, it will make the employment process that much easier.
Interns can be great resources for any small business if you know how to maximize the experience. 
"

Let’s get down to the nitty gritty when it comes to paying off your debt early. Debt can accumulate in many ways, be it credit card debt, student loans, gym memberships, car loans, mortgages, or medical bills.  When you consider all the debt that’s piled up over time, it can become invasive and extremely overwhelming.

In this month’s Money Journal, Celia is organized and disciplined yet enjoys her life “to the Max” Welcome to Money Journal, a monthly Paypath series that examines how Americans really handle their finances. Our participants keep a journal of their earnings, spending, and savings (if any), then share what it’s like to live in their

Trying to cancel your gym membership can be more tiring than actually attending that kickboxing class you keep skipping. Getting out of your gym contract can be so tough that people are going to great lengths to avoid paying any penalties. After going into debt living a lifestyle she couldn’t afford, this woman forged fake

By Massimo Tornambe Scott Disick, aka “Lord Disick” has gained fame and a devoted following since his appearances on the reality show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Disick is renowned for his expensive taste in clothes, cars, and women. The question that millions of fans are asking is: where did his fortune come from? Scott

Who could live without online shopping? It’s a standard routine in so many households. Whether you’re stocking up on groceries, snagging the latest and greatest tech sensation, shopping for holiday gifts, or treating yourself to a new outfit, the convenience of buying this stuff while in your pajamas is hard to beat — at least

Everyone says the economy’s healthier than ever, but some of us still find it necessary to make that paycheck stretch…and stretch…and stretch. The better we understand our spending habits, the better we can manage them. Living frugally can benefit you in many ways. You’ll grow more self-reliant, creative, and resourceful as you learn to make

Most parents welcome visits from their grown-up children. But what happens when the kids head back home when life gets rough and then never leave? This scenario is playing out more and more frequently as 20-something adults try to cope with – or hide from – skyrocketing costs in an increasingly expensive world. Lou Carloza

If your business offers corporate credit cards or expense accounts to employees, there’s a good chance there is unethical spending going on. 33% of corporate credit card holders admit to blatantly defrauding the companies they work for, and twice that amount confess to making “risky purchases.” But a thread on AskReddit reveals some of the

You Lose $20K Each Year Just For Being a Mom You may not know this, but there was a time when smoking was considered “liberated” behavior for women. There was a cigarette company Virginia Slims that was created specifically to attract female smokers during the bad old 1970s. The slogan was “You’ve come a long

We’ve all heard it before. Takeaway is way more tempting than cooking at home night after night after night. But although ordering-in might save you precious time, at the end of the day I’ll bet your wallet takes the hit. Everyone on the planet resorts to takeout after a long day’s work — and I’m