Join Dave Cofer as he details what you should consider when hosting a summer intern in your organization. Tasks to give them, tips for making them feel comfortable and skills to work on to improve workplace relations just to name a few…

The idea of service learning is not a new concept. In fact, early references date back to the early 1900s, with the Civilian Conservation Corps created in the early 1930s by Franklin D. Roosevelt serving as one of the first formalized examples of service learning. As you prepare for your summer internship, give consideration to the value of participating in an employer sponsored community service project or taking the lead and planning one for you and your fellow interns. Interested in hearing more? Here are just a few examples of the positive outcomes you can expect from participating in community service.

Engaging in community service provides a great opportunity to connect with and better appreciate the community. Let’s face it; it’s likely that both you and your employer view your summer internship as an opportunity to test run the possibility of full-time employment. The summer internship also serves as a great opportunity to test-run the community you may find yourself living in upon graduation. If you’re new to your internships’ host city, merely commuting to work each day and spending your weekends socializing with friends will do little to feed the connection to your temporary home. Take advantage of this 10-12 week “house-hunting trip” and see what your summer home has to offer beyond the 9-5.

Community services provides a great opportunity to develop and enhance critical workplace skills. Now, are you going to fill a large void in your professional development continuum simply by taking part in a 2-hour park clean-up some Saturday this summer? No, you won’t! But, if you take the lead in planning such an event and say invest 6-8 weeks in the process, you might just walk away having developed and/or enhanced skills that are absolutely transferable to the workplace. Ever heard of something called project management? If you take on the challenge of pulling together a community-based service project requiring collaboration with a local agency, recruit and manage the volunteers, promote and communicate the event, monitor the completion of critical tasks leading up to the event…I think you get the point. Not only does community service leave you with a sense of having “done good” but you can also grow professionally if you pursue the opportunity with that intent.

Team-based community service projects offer a positive and impactful opportunity to have FUN and socialize. Just so you don’t think I’m some kind of old curmudgeon that only ever thinks about new and innovative ways for young people to grow professionally (OK, that actually is who I am), I wanted to be sure to mention the “F” word. Yes, contributing your time and talents to the community can be FUN. It can be rewarding and humbling all at the same time. I’m all about opportunities to “party with a purpose”. Your summer internship is about a lot of things, but coming from someone that was lucky enough to have a formal internship during every summer of their undergraduate studies, be sure to make time to have fun. After all, it’s your summer. The 10-12 weeks every year where you get a break from your studies and transition from formal to experiential learning and if this article had any influence on you, you can add service learning to the mix as well.

Dave Cofer is President/CEO of Cofer Consulting Solutions, a firm specializing in attracting, developing and retaining young professionals. His Total Talent Development (T2D℠) model integrates 4 independent elements of learning (formal, informal, experiential and serving learning) into a single model ensuring a comprehensive approach to entry talent development. E-mail Dave at David.Cofer@CoferConsulting.com. To learn more about Cofer Consulting Solutions, visit www.coferconsulting.com.

Attention Employers!!!

Are you considering hiring on an intern to help move your organization forward during these tough economic times? Mike Figliuolo of thoughtLEADERS, LLC is and he has some important tips for you to consider when you ask yourself, could my company benefit from an intern?

Listen to Mike’s tips below:

To ensure success when managing Interns within your respective organizations be sure to adhere to the following which are inspired in large part by Do Interns Take Lunch Breaks Too? Five Mini Case Studies of the Intern Experience…and What Managers Can Learn from It, by Krista M. Reaves:

• Stick to your word with respect to working hours. 
• Be up front and honest with respect dress code expectations. Interns do not have money to waste on unnecessary clothing purchases (e.g. they buy professional attire only to learn that you are a casual environment).
• Ensure that the Intern is provided workspace with other relevant members of the team.
• Ensure that your Interns receive an orientation to your business and office locations. Simple things like where is the bathroom, the break room, etc. may not seem important but they are very important if you don’t know. Also, ensure that your Interns are introduced to other team members, particularly those they will be working with and/or contacting for assistance.