How do you make remote internships work?

Here are some pros and cons of remote internships from Dan Marzullo, CEO and Founder of Drafted.

Pros:

1. Broader talent pool: Remote internships give you access to a broader talent pool than you would have if you only looked locally. Right now, this is incredibly important because more than half of all American companies are short on skilled labor.

2. Build your future workforce: You can use internships as a tool to trial potential employees and build a strong full-time hiring pipeline. You can save yourself costs by hiring successful interns as full-time employees.

3. Increased productivity: Working from home typically means fewer distractions. Less hubbub for an already overwhelmed intern can result in a more productive workday.

4. Cost efficiency: You don’t have to buy office supplies or find more space for remote employees. When you set someone up at home, even with a stipend to get started, it’s a lot cheaper than bringing them to your office.

Next, the cons:

1. Hard to experience company culture: No in-person experience can limit your interns’ experience of company culture. If you have a strong in-person company culture, it might be a challenge to build a community with a remote intern.

2. Miscommunication: Fully virtual communication can be easier to mess up than in-person communication. You have to be extra clear, especially when you’re working with a brand-new member of your team.

3. Remote work isn’t for everyone: Working from home takes discipline. If your intern is the type of person who needs to go into the office environment to feel focused, then remote work isn’t a great fit.

Check out the video below for more information on this topic: