Having interns in your workplace, and in this Frog’s case meaning restaurant, your interns can have a lot to learn from your restaurant. But in the world where more students (mainly college students) are trying to grab that internship, it’s important to keep in mind a few guidelines when recruiting student interns.
![By 7 Nation Army (Beigel Bake kitchen Uploaded by Mr. Stradivarius) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://onefatfrog23.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/beigel_bake_kitchen.jpg)
By 7 Nation Army (Beigel Bake kitchen Uploaded by Mr. Stradivarius) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Decide If Your Interns Will be Paid or Unpaid
If you decide to pay your interns, great. This will not only increase your chances of finding more potential student recruits, but you also likely to keep them longer and keep them more motivated.
But if you do decide to pursue an unpaid internship program (some restaurants might call this staging), then you might want to keep these six critical guidelines for unpaid internships programs set by the Department of Labor (the Frogs recommend you follow this to the last letter). But with backlash about unpaid internships, it may be a thing of the past.
Regardless of what kind of internship program you will offer, you should make sure that your interns are learning something from the program.
Work Around Your Students Interns’ Schedule
This might be easier said than done if you’re running a restaurant, but it’s a good idea to keep your student interns’ schedule in mind when you’re recruiting them. Your student intern should tell you what is the recommended range for internship hours for his/her program, and you should adjust their schedules accordingly. Depending on your schedule, this might be a hassle for some of your existing staff (especially on your busy night), but on a positive note your student intern will have something to gain from your chefs’ cooking experience.
Restaurant Internships Are Not Just Limited To Within Restaurants
Student interns aren’t just limited to restaurants, however. There’s a good chance that hotels and other hospitality entities have some sort of food service which you can benefit for an internship. But before you start making phone calls, make sure that hotel or resort offers a culinary internship–because sometimes, they may not offer one.
By providing internships at your restaurant, you aren’t only looking at younger talent, but proving that your restaurant can handle the rumble and tumble of a busy service and tech upcoming chefs at the same time.