Summer is here and a half of your team is on vacation. You are trying to manage the accumulating tasks with the people who remain and, to make matters even worse, interns are entering your team. Now you will have to care about the interns... As if you did not have enough work to do... If you are thinking this way, try to think about it again. Interns can really help you when you are able to accept them as team members. Take them with you to meetings as well as to the field. Expect them to engage actively - to participate in problem-solving and to come up with new ideas. The more they feel as a part of your team, the more they will be motivated to help you.
Remind yourself that the interns coming to you were chosen on the basis of their talents and possibilities to contribute, not to become your servants. Allowing them to only copy documents or prepare coffee would, therefore, be a great shame. Try to ask them for advice on some issues you have been already addressing for a long time. An exterior view often brings surprisingly simple solutions.
Think of trainees as future employees
You might think that you can solve a task faster and better yourself than an intern can. Then, however, your intern will not learn anything. Your role is not only to be your interns' manager, but primarily their mentor and coach. You have a chance to help someone who wants to get into your industry. Think back about yourself - would not you be happy if you got more help at the beginning of your career?
Interns should hear from you how important the work they do is for the company. They should also hear that you personally value the opportunity to work with new people and the new ideas that emerge from it. Treat them as future employees you can get to know in advance.
-kk-