61 / 110
Supplier SnugZ USA has recently begun
an intern program that seeks to promote the
promotional products business but also helps
deliver educational value to collegiate under-
grads.
“It is important to establish goals and
training methods for your intern program
and ensure that you are actively evaluating
the goals,” says Brittany David, vice president
of sales, SnugZ USA. “Being able to provide
constant feedback will guarantee the intern is
progressing and continually learning.”
Internships in our industry often work
best when a company is able to give the par-
ticipant a well-rounded experience. This
means connecting them with your company
and having them engage in the creative
process, connecting them with customers,
and developing opportunities to be part of
the team. Those in our industry that have
had interns will tell you that the experience
is equally fulfilling for the host company.
There is no person more tapped in to devel-
oping trends and advances in business prac-
tices than an eager college student nearing
graduation.
In every conversation I have had about
intern programs in our industry, I always ask
about what the hosting company got from
the experience. Most business leaders are
ecstatic about what they learned from having
an intern over a short period of time. They
may learn ways to better market to cus-
tomers, how to harness their social media
power, affordable technologies that can be
implemented and any number of other valu-
able tools. For most businesses, what they are
willing to give to an intern program they will
get back in equal value.
Intern programs are also not limited to
large suppliers and distributors. They can be
managed at any level. Even the smallest dis-
tributor has something valuable to teach an
intern and that distributor may also learn
valuable tools for business success in return.
Even if you know that you cannot offer a
permanent position at the conclusion of the
program, it is still important to challenge
your business practices by working with
interns.
How Interns Can Contribute
To Your Business
It is imperative that your interns not be
hired to sit in a call center or be a cold caller
exclusively. Participation and mastery of this
practice is an excellent skill and should be part
of the intern program. However, in order to
MAY 2016 •
PPB
• 59
SIX STEPS
TO BETTER
INTERNSHIPS
DISTRIBUTOR BRAND FUEL HAS
SEEN various levels of success with
its intern program. President
Danny
Rosin
has established six steps that
can be followed to create a more
valuable experience for the intern
and the employer:
1.Give your intern a fun, engaging
project to work on.
2. Reciprocity is critical; give them
work where they can learn and
develop new skills.
3.Call your intern something other
than an intern; the term “associ-
ate” may help build more self-
esteem.
4.Create a job description that out-
lines the intern’s responsibility.
5. Involve them in company activities.
6. Find ways to recognize their
accomplishments.