Our internships are structured a tad differently than other organizations. We require the candidate to be a college grad, as they are required to work 40 hours a week. And the plan, generally as long as the work is there and they have impressed us enough, is to hire them on after the 6 month stint.
But from what I have seen so far it scares me -- I have had candidates who have no idea what "earned media" means, candidates who talk about their great writing experience yet don't bring portfolios and really have no enthusiasm about this profession in general.
I mean don't get me wrong, they are lovely people but just don't seem to be out to impress their prospective employer.
When I was in college we had numerous class periods dedicated to the art of interviewing, how to prepare and what key points to never forget (e.g. always have questions ready or always bring a portfolio). I mean in this competitive marketplace, it floors me that these kids aren't doing the work it takes to impress. In this day and age, it's so easy to learn about the company, see what is happening in the industry or learn about the interviewer. In my day there wasn't Facebook, Linkedin or the robust web sites.
When I was interviewing, I was dressed to impressed and fought so hard to make an impression on the organization I wanted to work for. Has anyone else found this dramatic shift in talent to be the case? I am just puzzled. But hey, if you have some stellar intern candidates send them my direction.
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