👩🏽‍💼 Hiring Interns? Then Actually Mentor Them.

👩🏽‍💼 Hiring Interns? Then Actually Mentor Them.

Because free labour isn’t a development plan.

Internships are meant to be a launchpad — not just a line on someone’s résumé.

Yet in too many workplaces, interns are hired to "help out" without any clear learning objectives, feedback, or mentorship. The result? Missed opportunities for both the intern and the business.

💡 Why Mentorship Matters

A good internship offers more than a task list — it offers:

• 📚 Guided learning: Interns develop real skills, not just do busy work
  
  

• 🗣️ Feedback: They learn from mistakes and improve
  
  

• 🤝 Professional exposure: They observe how teams communicate, make decisions, and solve problems
  
  

• 🎯 Career clarity: They get insight into what the job (and workplace) really entails
  
  

🚩 When It Goes Wrong

Unmentored internships can leave young professionals:

• Disengaged and discouraged
  
  

• Confused about expectations
  
  

• Lacking real experience despite “experience” on paper
  
  

And for companies, it creates:

• Poor productivity
  
  

• Weak talent development pipelines
  
  

• Negative reputation among students and schools
  
  

✅ If You’re Hiring Interns, Do This:

• Assign a point person for guidance and check-ins
  
  

• Set learning goals from the start
  
  

• Offer meaningful tasks — not just filing or errands
  
  

• Provide feedback and space for reflection
  
  

• Include them in team meetings or training when possible
  
  

• Celebrate their contributions and ask for feedback too
  
  

Interns aren’t just "extra hands." They’re future professionals, possibly even your future team. Mentoring them well is not just kind — it’s smart business.