3 Tips for hiring an intern

How to easily hire a great intern

June 27, 2017

Hiring an intern can bring many benefits to your gallery. For example, you can give your intern tasks that prevent you from focusing on other more important projects.
What’s more, for the duration of this internship, you can benefit from lower-cost manpower that you can train during this period. If the internship works out well for all parties involved, you may then decide to hire this intern, which will save you having to go through another training period!

So, to make sure you hire the right person, you need to follow a few tips.

1- Write a good advert:

Make every effort to appeal to candidates, while remaining honest and objective about the type of work that you can offer.

When it comes to wages, bear in mind that, in France for example, internships of less than 2 months can be unpaid, but beyond this timeframe, you are required by law to pay €3.60 per hour. You should also remember that an internship cannot last longer than six months. (This all depends on the jurisdiction where you are based.)

You can then post your advert on many different listing websites.

2 - Choose the right candidate profiles

Take your time to select candidate profiles that are genuinely suitable and likely to make it through the interview. Even though the CV and covering letter are not the only criteria for identifying a good candidate, they provide an all-important first impression. So don’t focus exclusively on the candidate's academic background, but also pay attention to their other interests, which can often reflect their true personality.

Only select candidates that you’ll be able to work with, both from a professional and personal viewpoint, bearing in mind that a good profile is made up of 40% skills and 60% personality.

3 - Conduct an effective interview

Once you’ve cherry-picked your candidates, it's time to invite them for an interview! Interviews play a decisive role for both you and your candidates – their aim is to allow both parties to compare their expectations. You need to find out more about them and, in turn, they’ll want to learn more about you and your gallery. So ask candidates about their background and experience, and tell them about yourself and your gallery. You should also give full details about the tasks that will be assigned to them and, if needed, reassure them about any gaps in their knowledge. They may receive training throughout their internship.

Lastly, check whether they are eligible for an internship agreement. (These agreements only apply to students.)