Recruiting & Interns (Part 1)

This month I am traveling to a number of colleges interviewing and recruiting primarily for the 09 summer internship program at APC. This is the fourth year I’ve interviewed for interns and over these few years I’ve learned a few things about recruiting and looking for interns. Here’s a few insights I’ve discovered:

• In recruiting, you have to stand out. Do something creative, something different. If you don’t, you’ll be standing there just like everyone else, without any interviews.
• Don’t wait for prospects to come to you, go where they are. On a college campus, that’s in the classroom. In the workplace, that may be a lunchroom or common workspace.
• Be able to communicate clearly and in a few sentences what your internship offers.
• Know what you’re looking for. Don’t just say, “I’ll know it when I see it.” This doesn’t usually result in the right person, but the available person, and there’s a big difference.
• Your passion for your church/ministry is contagious. If you want to attract the best, you need to be truly passionate about what you’re offering.
• The best recruiting tool is former interns that had a good experience. So focus your attention on creating a good educational experience for your interns. Their good reports will go much farther then fancy marketing.