If your business is like many, you’re looking to hire summer interns this year. In fact, according to Internships.com, 56% of companies plan to hire more interns in 2014 than they did in 2013.

What’s more is that there’s an increase in the number of students in search of internships, likely due to the challenging economic climate. Last year alone, 67% of the college class of 2013 completed at least one internship during college – a 6% increase over the previous year.

In addition, both interns and employees report positive experiences: 84% of employers say hiring interns was a positive experience; similarly, 87% of students say that their internship was a positive experience.

Clearly, hiring interns can be a win-win situation, providing vital opportunities for college students and new grads to get their “foot in the door,” while providing employers with eager young talent to help them in the workplace.

But – just like any new hire you’d bring on board – interns need to be managed properly so both parties can maximize the experience. To help you, here are a few tips:

Set guidelines.

You don’t need to tell your employees what to wear or when to show up. But interns may need a little more guidance in this area.

Before their first day, be sure to give them the rules of the road: what to wear, when you expect them at the office, how long they will be working each day, what appropriate Internet use is, and the rules on office socialization.

Expose them to beneficial experiences.

Sure, you may need your intern to perform some mundane tasks. But, as one of the leading staffing agencies in Houston, TX, Murray Resources can tell you that you must mix that up with real-world, valuable experiences that will help them learn and grow as a future professional.

For instance, if you’re having an important meeting with your staff, ask them to sit in and take meeting notes. Then schedule some time afterward to talk about what was discussed during it; ask for their opinion on decisions made and whether they have any questions. That way, they’re helping you record the meeting, while also learning how the business world operates.

Provide plenty of feedback.

College students and new graduates are used to getting a lot of feedback from their professors. It’s important that you’re prepared to offer both constructive and positive input on their strengths and weaknesses throughout the internship experience.

When you do, be ready to give them specific feedback as to areas where they performed well – “You did a great job creating that presentation for our sales meeting.” – and areas where there is room for improvement.

The most important thing to remember when managing your intern is that the intern is not free labor. The experience is a learning one. And when you approach it with that attitude, you’ll both reap the benefits in the end.

Need more help hiring new college grads or seasoned professionals for your team? Call Murray Resources. As one of the leading staffing agencies in Houston, TX, companies all over the city rely on our expertise to source and retain top talent across a broad range of business disciplines. Contact us today if you’d like to learn more.