By Rieva Lesonsky

Are you ready to ramp up your business for the economic recovery—but still feeling leery about bringing on full-time employees? Maybe you don’t want to take on the responsibility of their benefits and payroll taxes. Or perhaps you’ve outsourced to independent contractors in the past, only to get burned when projects weren’t completed to your satisfaction.

Hiring interns can be a great solution for business owners seeking enthusiastic, energetic workers. And with summer almost here, now is the perfect time to start your search for interns.

One benefit of hiring student interns is the cost savings you’ll enjoy. Depending on your state, you may be able to hire unpaid interns who work simply for college credit. Some states require you to pay your interns at least minimum wage, but they still cost far less than a full-time employee and won’t require benefits like health and medical insurance. (Visit the Department of Labor website for federally mandated requirements; find your state’s Department of Labor website here.)

Begin your search by contacting local colleges and universities. Ask about the internship programs they offer and what hours, pay and credits they require employers to offer. Then create job descriptions for each position you’re looking to fill, and post them with the schools.

In order to land qualified interns, you must give them the chance to really learn something—not just fetch coffee and file papers. Interns want to use their educations and learn skills that apply to their future careers. You’ll also gain more from your interns if you take advantage of their skills and interests For instance, since college students are typically tech-savvy, you might consider putting interns in charge of your company’s social media outreach, having them teach older employees computer skills or asking them for help with updating your company’s Web site.

While interns may have tech skills, they’re likely to be “green” in other areas since this may be their first time in a business environment. It’s important to set aside time to provide interns with proper training and mentoring so they can adjust to their jobs. Give interns lots of feedback, and involve them in the business. Take their suggestions seriously—and you may get some creative ideas you would never have considered without their help. You can get information about factoring invoice, unsecured business loan, and small business loans

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