Opinions on Interns for the Traditional Search Model

by a searcher from Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business

2 months ago

I am launching a traditional search within the next few months, and I am deciding on whether I want to implement unpaid interns. For those of you who have had unpaid interns, I would love to hear your opinions on how useful they are as the pros of having interns vs. the administrative burden that may come with having them. I have talked to many searchers, and so far, the opinions are split. I would love to hear about your experience searching with or without interns and if you would change your decisions to use or not use them if you were to run another search process.

2 likes
176 views
22 comments

searcher from University of Cambridge

I found that some of my interns were extremely helpful and propelled the search forward, and some of them held the search back. The key is hiring the right interns and setting them up for success. Success through preparing them with the right skillset, and providing them the right workload. It's a delicate balance, and the best way to learn how to correctly hire and utilize an intern is through doing it. The best interns I had in my searchfund were also the most critical levers for success.

1 month ago | like reply | 0 likes

investor from London Business School

Different steps of the search phase require different types of interns (more or less experienced).

1 month ago | like reply | 1 like

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