Top 5 business internship myths

Most managers carry general misconceptions about internship programs, but, by applying thoughtful planning and the right tools, they can realize their full potential. Z University.org (ZU), a leading advocate of workforce readiness and innovator of internship management solutions, has identified a "top five" list of myths that organizations need to eliminate to get the greatest returns from an internship program.

Matthew Zinman, president of Z University.org, says that the "Top Five Myths About Internships" are fueled by managers who believe that:

1. They don't have the time to have interns
Quite the contrary. A five-year study by ZU on student productivity demonstrates that a single supervisor can gain up to 225 full work days of productivity in a calendar year simply by managing interns instead of completing work tasks themselves.

2. Having interns is too much work for too little in return
Properly managed internship programs reap significant productivity benefits by freeing high-level employees from time-consuming tasks.

3. Finding good interns is a crapshoot
By applying the proper recruitment techniques, managers will learn how easy it is to attract the right individuals.

4. Internship programs are only for larger companies
"This couldn't be further from the truth," notes Zinman. By removing barriers, "a company of one can do it."

5. They can't have interns without office space with phones and computers

Again, not true, Zinman maintains. "With all due respect to the organizations with world class programs, most employers either don't know what they're doing, don't have the tools to do it right, or – in most cases - simply don't realize what they're missing," states Zinman.