As a business owner or marketing manager, finding the right intern can be a valuable addition to your team and save you hours on a weekly basis to concentrate on what’s most important. Depending on your mindset and goals, high-value activities top the list like sales and building profitable relationships.

Marketing interns can bring fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and a new perspective to your marketing efforts and help create those all-important marketing plans. Here are 10 places to search for your next marketing intern:

1. College or University Career Centers

Many colleges and universities have career centers that can connect you with talented students looking for internships. Contact the career center at local colleges and universities to see if they have any marketing students interested in getting experience to build their resumes. Right now, with so many people working remotely, geographical boundaries may not be as important. Check out colleges with top marketing programs. Start with the best, then look at the rest.

2. Professional Associations

Professional associations, like the American Marketing Association, often have job boards or networking events where you can connect with potential interns. What associations or industry groups are you involved with? Who’s in your inner circle that you can ask? Sometimes, people are afraid to give a personal recommendation because they’ll be dinged or you’ll think less of them if it doesn’t work out. That’s where due diligence comes in.

3. Online Job Boards

Job search websites are another lead generator for marketing interns. Sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor are popular places to find marketing candidates. I’ve been successful there not just for interns, but for hiring members of my team — nationwide. Be sure to clearly outline the requirements and responsibilities for the internship in your job posting to attract the right candidates because the weeding-out process is a killer. Make sure to spend time prepping for the interview including a thorough check of a candidate’s profile online with more than a one-minute search on Google.

4. Social Media

No surprise that social media platforms may provide another opportunity to find marketing talent. Check out LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to promote your internship opportunity. Young professionals are active on their favorite social media channels, as well as their parents. As you write your post, don’t forget to ask for ‘the share’.  You’d be surprised how many people want to help others get valuable work experience. Everyone starts somewhere. Include your list of colleges in your outreach. They have a huge and dedicated following.

5. Internship Programs

There are several internship programs, like InternMatch, WayUp and in the Boston area, InternWorks, that connect companies with intern candidates. These programs may differ, but they’re worth considering. InternWorks has a solid reputation, customizable internships, and their internship applications for the summer of 2023 are open.

6. Professional Networking Events

If you’re already networking, why not add an extra goal of looking for talent? Keep your ears and eyes open for smart, engaging young professionals who are articulate and light up a room. Attend industry conferences or events to meet potential intern candidates. If they’re not in person, that’s still OK. Check out who’s in attendance — if it’s a Zoom meeting — and use the chat feature to start a conversation. These events can be a great opportunity to connect with students and young professionals who are interested in gaining experience in the marketing field.

 7. Local Job Fairs

Next up is job fairs. They’re often hosted by your local Chamber of Commerce but look beyond that for other opportunities. What about virtual job fairs? In-person and online job fairs work to match employers with candidates, even if the goal is to explore potential partnerships. College job fairs also serve this function. Although students may be focused on full-time work, some are also looking for a side hustle to make extra cash.

8. Referrals From Employees

Naturally, you’ll ask colleagues if they have someone in mind for an internship. But what about current employees? Do they know any students or recent graduates who might be interested in an internship or marketing planning experience? Employee referrals can be a great source of qualified candidates – even current interns already on your staff. Think too about offering incentives to find the right person. It not only motivates the person looking, it provides another touch point to engage and create an important bond.

9. Look Where Marketing Interns Are Looking

This seems basic but think about it.  Look where marketing interns are looking. Here’s an article about where to find marketing internships from Acadium. Sure, you may know about LinkedIn and Indeed, but what about Intern Abroad HQ, Google Careers, Wowjobs or even iAgora for European internships. Do some reverse engineering to see who’s looking.  Ping me for some ideas on how to do that.

10. All Interns Aren’t in College

Contrary to popular belief, all interns aren’t in their 20’s. Many professionals who are looking to transition to a new field may be interested in marketing and public relations and have related experience that not only enhances your current team’s potential, but adds a more seasoned direction to business growth and development.

On a Personal Note:

I started my internship at what’s now Comcast over 20 years ago working for zero dollars in the ad sales department when my eldest was just 9-months. I worked my way from part-time to full-time, and eventually bought one of my events and promotions vendor’s business. I’ll never forget, Mary cold called me when she was 8-months pregnant and asked me to hire her as a promotions manager. I was super busy and desperate for the help. I gave her a chance and that chance landed me an opportunity to earn the Comcast account – which I’m still managing decades later.

Want More Marketing Tips on Hiring Marketing Help?

If you’re looking for marketing professionals or interns to grow your business, create a marketing plan. You can’t do it alone. As my dad said, “Robin, don’t burn the candle on both ends.” Boy was he right. If that’s the case, here’s more insight to check out, 7 Best Websites to Find Freelance Marketing Help.