Being An Internship Director: Why I Do Very Little Active Recruitment

I am not someone who participates in every single internship fair or makes ads for my internship program to put on social media. I do not feel an obligation to anyone to fill all of the openings that I have every year. I operate on a "if you build it, they will come" type of viewpoint. I figure that the interns who are meant to be with me will find me. As a result, I do very little active recruitment.

I will be part of the AMTAS Virtual Internship Fair this upcoming Sunday. I am not really expecting too many applications coming from this meeting, but I am interested in how it is going to be run. I decided to sign up because I want to see what others are doing and offering out there. So, this Sunday, I will be sitting in front of my computer, listening to what others share about their internships.

One of the things that I like about being a National Roster Internship Director is that I have the ability to decide how many interns and when those interns work with me. I occasionally set up breaks, but I also have natural breaks put into my work year. For example, I will be intern-less in January 2024. I am not actively recruiting an intern for that time or for the March time, but I would not turn someone away if they needed a place to be an intern.

It is interesting, but I am very picky about who I invite to come to my internship. My clients deserve someone who is interested in them and their unique challenges and not just someone who wants an internship where they don't have to move. I don't want someone who is scared of my clients. I don't want someone who only wants convenience in an internship. My clients deserve more and better.

People who find my internship on the National Roster are looking for something specific. I don't always know what that is, but I can often infer the reason through my application questions. I look for students who want to work in my area. I want someone who is secure in their musical skills. I want an intern who can stand up to my clients and not cower in the corner when the clients get angry or upset. I also want someone who asks questions and wants to complete assignments and who can be somewhat independent. That is what I want. That is what I am looking for in my next series of interns.

I am looking forward to the virtual fair on Sunday, but I am also wondering if there will be any sort of return on my time investment. I have to give up several hours of my day off from this job without credit for time served, so I am hoping that there will be some interest from attendees. We will see.