👩🏽💼 Hiring Interns? Then Actually Mentor Them.
This week’s topic on E-Spire: Hiring Interns? Then Actually Mentor Them. Internships should be more than unpaid labour or short-term help. This week, we’re diving into why mentorship is essential in any internship programme — and what companies can do to ensure young professionals gain the skills, feedback, and experience they truly need.
WORKPLACE INSIGHTS
6/24/20251 min read
👩🏽💼 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.