GenYNetworking.com

Shhh…What Gen Y Interns Really Want, But Won’t Tell You

Summer has welcomed in a high-tide of interns. If you live in the Washington, D.C. area, you know of the influx of twenty-someones who swarm the city from May to August. A recent TIME magazine article stated that 2010 ushered in a 2.9% increase in the number of internships from the previous summer, but that most of them are unpaid. Spending on intern functions has also dropped in this economic climate.

The kicker, as highlighted by the article, is that the intern duties are nothing related to their career paths. While this isn’t too much of a shock to our system, it should raise the alarm that we need to be better equipping future leaders in our industries right from the get-go. Internships, whether paid or unpaid, provide a great training ground for all of the little lessons that they’ll otherwise learn at their first job. Like many of us, Gen Y prefers to make mistakes in a low-risk environment.

This article made me reminisce about my days as an intern. I strongly feel that I had the best internship experience at a record label in Nashville, TN. First of all, I was taking a huge risk by moving to another city where I knew no one to take an unpaid internship. The incentive for me was that I wanted to work in the music industry at a point in my life where I had the perfect opportunity to dip my toe in. Here are a few things that my boss did that pushed this experience to the top of the list:

• Gave Autonomy Freely: While at the record label, my supervisor saw that I could take on new projects quickly and efficiently. He suggested that we research what it might be to start an outreach with social media (aaah, the early days). I took the ball and ran, which led to a unique project that was profitable for the company, great for the publicity department and gave me a love for social media like none other. The best part: he allowed me to do it on my own terms. He gave me the space to research and come up with ideas, and even though he led the conference calls, I always received credit when it was due. Gen Y interns just want to gain experience and do great work, so give them a vehicle to do so.
• Helped Build Portfolios: Because he gave me such flexibility to craft my own experience, I walked out of the label armed with an incredible portfolio and the opportunity to apply for jobs there in the future. Not only did I walk away with clippings, website experience, knowledge on how to pitch to media and social media understanding, but I also gained a newfound love for creative writing — something I want to return to now. Gen Y wants to make sure their experience is marketable and worthwhile.
• Inclusion: At the risk of overusing the Spiderman quote, an intern’s mantra should be “with great power comes great responsibility.” Allow interns into your weekly meetings, let them see how you work with your supervisor, and empower them to suggest ways to improve performance in your company. You should also help them to know that their main role in these types of exchanges is to be an observer, but that you would love to debrief these experiences at a later time. Most of Gen Y learns more by observing and doing than by being instructed on the do’s and don’ts.
• Education in the Nitty Gritty Parts of Business: Because he was so inclusive, I learned so many different industry and business tips that are incredibly valuable. I didn’t realize how much I learned until I started my own consultancy and recalled information from my time under his wing. Gen Y wants to see a future for themselves in your company or industry, so show them the underbelly of the business.