#567 get your foot in

One of the ways organizations cultivate their farm system (as referenced in yesterday's blog) is through the use of interns.  People traditionally think of universities sending interns into the community, but we are also smart enough to keep some for ourselves!

We recently had a resignation, and rather than attempting a search during the holiday season, we immediately turned to our summer intern and hired him for a temporary position through June.  He had what amounted to a three-month interview last summer, so his hiring in this round consisted of one phone call and a verbal commitment.  It worked out well for everyone. 

Internships also lead to permanent positions, including the eventual leadership of the company.  General Motors' new CEO, Mary Barra, started work at the company as a "co-op student" while in college.  She has been with the organization ever since, holding senior positions in a multitude of divisions.  Her college work allowed her to be identified as someone who had a lot of potential, and she grew from there.

While formal internships aren't always available to those who hold full-time posts, you can create a pseudo one for yourself by volunteering outside your normal area of responsibility or serving on a project team for something new.  All are great ways for people in leadership roles to see your talents in action.

When a hiring manager has an opening, especially a sudden or unexpected one, the natural instinct is to think of "who do I know?" vs. "where can I place an ad?".  Have a stable of names from which you can pull talent -- or be one of the names that pops into a manager's head.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com