Has anyone ever called your office for an internship? If not, then you have a problem and you’re missing out. Your phone should be ringing off the hook especially before summer with prospective interns looking for a summer learning experience from you and your company.

The interns are fabulous. They bring fresh blood to your business, a wealth of new ideas, energy, and the opportunity to knock out projects you’ve wanted to get to, but never had time for. They are usually young, which means they are more tech-savvy than you. Let them help you with social networks. Let them create a Facebook fan page for your company. Ask them to research blog posts you’ve wanted to write or speaking opportunities you’ve wanted to take advantage of. Give them presentations to design. Use the knowledge they have for your benefit and that of your company.

If your office has never received a phone call from a would-be intern, you have a problem. It means that your business is not discussed. It’s not something that enough people are aware of. College professors should know about your company and what your students can earn by interning for credit with you and your company. Maybe the phone isn’t ringing because you haven’t made it known that you need help and that you enjoy mentoring the young adults who come.

Friends, people at church, people at networking meetings should try to get their children to intern at your office because they know your child will learn a lot from working with you, possibly earn college credit, add work experience to their resume, hopefully a letter of recommendation, a possible future job, and sometimes some income.

Sit back and look at your to-do list. How many of the things that need to be done could be easily done by someone else with a little guidance from them? What systems could they implement for you? Then, at the next local networking event you attend for your business, let everyone know that you’re looking for an intern. Someone there knows a high school or college student who would like to gain work experience. Take the time to do a few interviews and pick the person who you think will have the biggest impact on your company. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the person you get along with the most. Hire them and put them to work.