Do you have more projects than time? Help might be as close as your nearest college. Many have intern programs, where students complete tasks for businesses as part of their studies.

Here are a few tips for designing an internship program that will work for both you and the student:

Have one or more specific projects in mind. You might want help with a PR campaign, design of a web site, industry research, creation of brochures and other marketing materials, or other tasks. Have duties in mind that will use and develop skills the students are learning.

Make it interesting. Most students already know the alphabet, so don't assume you can put them to work doing filing or other menial tasks. Give the intern something to do that will lead to a feeling of accomplishment, and maybe something to show in a portfolio.

Pay what you can. Although you may not be required to pay the intern, you should offer something. After all, the intern will provide services you would have to pay for elsewhere. (Of course, you probably won't get the quality or quantity of work you would get from an experienced professional, and the pay is secondary to the learning experience, so pay accordingly.)

Be prepared to provide supervision and direction to the intern. They are learning, and you are teaching. Although you aren't going to teach the intern designing your web site about HTML and programming, you will help them understand the user side of web site development. What do your customers need? How do you want to present your business? This is where they learn about the "real world."

When the intern does a great job, give them a reference they can use when approaching future employers. This may be their first professional work experience, and your reference may help in a job search. You may even decide to hire the intern as you expand your business.

If you would like to get assistance from an intern, contact your local college. They may have a central office, or you may need to contact the specific department (such as Marketing) that matches your needs.

Cathy Stucker

As the Idea Lady, Cathy Stucker, IdeaLady.com, has helped thousands of people discover creative paths to success on their own terms. She is a frequent speaker and consultant who shows clients creative ways to attract customers and make themselves famous.

Cathy has appeared on many radio and television programs, and she has been featured in The Houston Chronicle, The New York Times, Black Enterprise, Woman's Day, and many other publications.