You know what you grow up with. For some of us, that means typewriters and VCRs. For others, it’s cell phones and social media.
If you’re among the former and find yourself intimidated or confused—or simply behind—by some of today’s popular marketing technologies, you can have your cake and eat it, too, with the help of two words: student interns.
Want to turn company photos into a short video set to music? A student intern can do that.
Want to design vibrant infographics? A student intern can do that.
Want to learn the latest social media shorthand and language? A student intern can do that, too.
But we’re not talking about college interns. We’re talking about high school interns.
Why high school students? Most of them know how to work a cell phone better than their parents. They can navigate the internet like no one’s business. And, thanks to high-tech school projects, they can navigate and create with different programs without thinking twice about it.
Do college students have these same qualities? Of course, but high school students offer the fresh enthusiasm and energy of someone peeking into their professional work lives for the first time. They’re eager to gain insight into a potential career. They’re anxious to get a little real-world work experience. They’re curious. They’re enthusiastic. And they’re free.
While many college internships are paid and last for an entire semester or summer, high school internships can last just a few days or a week. That’s just enough time to give interested young people a taste of the marketing world, to expose a group of students to the work that your company does (and help you identify future college interns or even employees), and to help your department ease or energize its workload.
How do you find these wonderful, helpful creatures?
Check with your local schools. Some of them have career centers that will help you identify students with the skills you’re looking for or students who have an interest in your company or industry. Many schools already offer short-term internship programs to help high school students narrow down or confirm their fields of interest and connect them with community businesses.
But don’t forget about your employees. What better way to help strengthen relationships and encourage another generation of loyal customers than by offering internships to the children (or grandchildren or neighbors) of those who have the most at stake in the current and future success of your company?
Wherever they come from, remember that today’s high school students contain the next generation of marketing professionals. Make your time with them count.