10 reasons why employers love internships

Internships offer a unique win-win situation for experiential recruiting, and to understand why, we’ve gathered insights from top professionals, including marketing and HR directors. From how internships support DEI efforts to demonstrating a company’s commitment to the community, here are the top ten reasons why employers find internships invaluable.

Supporting DEI Efforts

In my opinion, one of the most important reasons employers and companies should prioritize internships is that internship programs actually support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. You can’t have diverse leaders without starting with opportunities at the internship or entry-level. 

Internships are very important for ensuring everyone has a fair shot, no matter where they come from. When companies offer paid internships, it opens doors for students who might not be able to do an unpaid internship. There’s this data from NACE that shows white guys are more likely to get paid internships, while Black and Hispanic students often don’t get paid. So, when companies pay their interns, it makes things more equal and gives students from all kinds of backgrounds a real chance to get some good work experience. 

This way of doing things doesn’t just help close the diversity gap; it also means the company gets to pick from a bigger, more diverse group of talented people when they’re hiring.

Precious Abacan, Marketing Director, Softlist

Providing Prolonged Auditions

Internships are fantastic for employers looking to embrace experiential recruiting, primarily because they offer a real-time, in-depth evaluation of potential future employees. Think of it as a prolonged audition or a hands-on trial period. Interns get to work on actual projects, showcasing their skills, work ethic, and how well they fit into your company culture. This hands-on experience gives you a much clearer picture of their potential as full-time employees than a resume or interview ever could. 

Plus, it’s a two-way street—interns also get a feel for your company, which can lead to higher retention rates if they join your team permanently. In short, internships provide a practical, mutually beneficial way to assess fit before making a long-term commitment.

Kimberley Tyler-Smith, VP of Strategy and Growth, Resume Worded

Inspiring Company Agility

From my experience, internships are a great way to keep the company dynamic and adaptable. Interns often challenge the status quo and ask questions that long-term employees might not, leading us to re-evaluate and improve our practices. This continuous questioning and improvement is vital for keeping the company agile and forward-thinking.

Brooke Webber, Head of Marketing, Ninja Patches

Enhancing Employee Commitment

It helps promote employee commitment. The truth is, when it comes to developing the right skill set necessary to excel in a career venture, and the interest required to be an active contributor to a business’s success, an internship offers employers an opportunity to engage recruits early and help them build and sustain the right momentum necessary to keep them committed, efficient, and productive during the course of their career. 

Judging from my experience as an intern turned full-time employee, what makes an internship a great opportunity for employers looking to leverage experiential recruiting is that during an internship program, employers get to mold candidates as potential employees, fitted to fill positions in their business. 

Also, candidates are given the opportunity to grow through mentorship programs, become acquainted with company culture, develop the right skills, and most importantly, grow a sense of familiarity that boosts their commitment to growing in your business.

Grace Chisom, Marketing Manager, Check CPS

Nurturing Future Leaders 

I consider internships an ideal platform for nurturing future leaders within our organization. Interns who show potential can be groomed through targeted mentoring and development programs. This long-term approach to talent development ensures a pipeline of leaders who are well-acquainted with our company’s values and operational style.

Mark Varnas, Principal SQL Server DBA and Consultant, Red9

Allowing Mutual Compatibility Testing

Employers seeking experience in recruiting may find that internships are a valuable tool, as they provide a mutually beneficial testing ground for experimentation. Internships enable mutual assessment of compatibility in a way that goes beyond the traditional employer-candidate interaction. 

This mutually beneficial partnership gives candidates direct knowledge of the corporate culture and helps employers assess how adaptable a candidate is. It’s a two-way audition where candidates’ technical proficiency is tested against interpersonal dynamics and cultural fit in authentic settings. 

Employers observe how applicants handle difficulties and participate in real projects, guaranteeing a more thorough comprehension of their potential influence. Consequently, candidates receive genuine exposure, enabling them to make well-informed judgments regarding their future path within the company.

Adrian Hall, Business Development Manager, Pharmacist Schools

Filling Workplace Gaps

Employers can fill their workplace gaps with the help of internships. There are many lower-level tasks in a company, which become a burden for the company’s employees. Instead of doing those tasks, employees can focus on the priority tasks. Hiring permanent employees for those tasks won’t be financially beneficial for the company. 

Thus, it’s best to opt for internships. Interns will handle all the low-level projects, freeing up the time of the permanent workers. The interns can be future workers in the company if they fulfill their duties well and deliver satisfying results. The company can give them offer letters directly after the internship is over. In this way, they won’t lose them to other companies, and it will be a successful experiential hiring method.

Tom Vota, Marketing Director, Gotomyerp

Acting as Live CVs

It’s a great way of seeing candidates within their role and assessing their potential “fit” within your organization. Essentially, this acts as a live CV of sorts in that you can see potential new hires as they work.

Tracey Beveridge, HR Director, Personnel Checks

Driving Tech Innovation

I feel that internships, specifically in the tech industry, hold more significance for experiential recruiting due to the unique nature of our field. 

The advantages of internship programs are vast, from access to specialized skills to future workforce development. But if I have to choose one specific reason, it would have to be for innovation and problem-solving. 

Tech interns usually bring with them fresh ideas and perspectives, along with innovative problem-solving skills. They are already familiar with the latest technologies, and they can start contributing from the get-go. There is no time wasted on learning, as tech interns are generally quick learners, adept at adapting to new tech and methodologies. They have the ability to embrace changes in tools and software, which contributes immensely to the company’s innovation process. 

Interns are not bound by the constraints of established practices, and that makes them unafraid of exploring unconventional paths, bringing with them fresh ideas and new perspectives that seasoned pros might overlook. 

Their contributions more often than not lead to the exploration of new technologies, solutions, and ideas, which ultimately drives a company’s innovation forward.

Jack Vivian, Chief Technology Officer, Increditools

Showing Community Commitment

Companies demonstrate their dedication to community involvement and social responsibility by providing internships. Internships offer students and recent graduates the chance to gain skilled labor and practical experience, which is especially critical in sectors where there is a scarcity of qualified personnel. 

This dedication enhances the company’s CSR profile, which in turn attracts more socially conscious customers and potential employees.

Tim Allen, Director, Oberheiden P.C.