The weather is getting warmer, the days are lasting longer...it’s almost time for summer interns to start! If you haven’t lined up interns already for the summer, check out the list below, and if you have, keep it in mind for attracting interns in the fall.

1. What’s in it for me? Develop an internship description that includes what the intern will get out of the experience. Like any job post, focus on your company’s mission and the daily responsibilities, but don’t forget to explain what you can offer a student. Whether it is the chance to work directly with leaders or an inside look at how a piece of your business works, or school credit, be sure to let applicants know.
2. Go where students go. Post directly to school career sites. The first – and often the only – place that potential interns look for jobs is on their school’s career site. Most internship postings are free for employers, so post away.
3. Post – and re-post - often. At Brilliant Ink, we see a spike in applications anytime we re-post our internship. We’d recommend posting it every other week until you’ve got enough strong candidates.
4. Consider skills and interests over experience. Think back to when you were 20 years old. Did you have years of varied office work experience? Probably not. Depending on the position, students who have had summer jobs outside the corporate environment can still knock your socks off. A former counselor at a summer camp may be a fantastic problem solver, or a student who was a hostess at a busy restaurant most likely possesses great people skills. Ask candidates to describe highlights and challenges from their previous work experiences, and you might find a great match for what you need.
5. Make decisions quickly. With final exams looming, the best candidates want to find a summer position fast. Like any hiring decision, I wouldn’t recommend rushing through the process, but if you take a month to come to a decision, your top candidate may accept an offer somewhere else. To avoid this, be clear about timelines and your decision making process. Ask the candidate to get in touch if s/he needs to decision from you.

What else do you do to find top-notch interns? Let us know in the comments below!