Top 10 Reasons Why Employers Should Not Hire Interns

Mark Mehler and Gerry Crispin of CareerXroads

By Mark Mehler and Gerry Crispin of CareerXroads

Recently we were reminded that we wrote this Letterman-like list 10 years ago for teens4hire.org. The site’s founder wondered if we wanted to update it. What do you think? Even fewer firms hire teens today.

10. You just don’t like teens. You’ve got enough of them at home already.

9. You downsized recently and people are doing two jobs so there is no time to oversee teens who might be helpful to these highly stressed employees.

8. Far from being the Employer of Choice you claim to be, your workers wouldn’t have chosen your company if they had the choice so why turn another generation off.

7. You don’t understand the concept of “investment”. Long term is this afternoon.

6. You don’t understand the concept of “Return on Investment”. The idea that these young people will make a meaningful and measurable difference in your bottom line hasn’t occurred to you nor do you have the skills to measure it.

5. Corporate values such as “adding value to the community in which we live and work” aren’t part of the business you run.

4. None of your managers and supervisors has the training to do what their job title suggests they can.

3. There are only big jobs in your company. No small tasks that require doing.

2. It is an insurance thing. They might get hurt in your environment. The corridors are filled with unsafe conditions like electrical outlets that don’t have safety caps and book cases with books that might fall out.

And, the #1 reason NOT to hire and nurture young people exploring career choices is:

1. You would rather have tomorrow’s scarce talent apply to your competitor.

– Gerry Crispin and Mark Mehler work full time consulting, educating and discovering how talent and opportunity connect through emerging technology. They can be reached via email at mmc@careerxroads.com, phone at 732-821-6652, or on-line at http://www.careerxroads.com.