This summer, for the first time in more than a decade, I've hired college interns for my business.

Jessica and Blaze are working on special projects in my office. So far, it's been a great experience — for the interns and for us.

Look around and you'll notice many college interns at businesses — especially big corporations — this summer. The competition to hire quality college graduates is intense, and one way to recruit future employees is by hiring them as student interns.

But hiring interns is not for every business.

When thinking about hiring summer interns for your business, consider:

Pay. Most people believe, wrongly, that interns are not paid. Unless interns receive academic credit for working for you, which they must arrange with their college beforehand, or yours is a nonprofit agency, interns are covered by regular employment laws. However, you may not have to give them, as temporary workers, benefits such as healthcare coverage or paid time off.

Job responsibilities. Interns are there to learn — not just to do filing or be a source of cheap labor. If you're looking for inexpensive workers for menial work, advertise your opening as a temporary job, not an internship. Before you start looking for interns, sit down and come up with a realistic, detailed job description — such as handling specific projects they can finish by the end of summer.

Contact college career centers to list your internship, and advertise your opening on newspapers' job boards.

Supervision. Interns take time. Someone on your staff must be in charge of training, supervising, and managing the interns throughout the summer.

Hire two or more. It's a better experience for them if they have other students to relate to.

THEIR GAIN

Why would students want to work in your business for a summer?

Experience in their field. Students are particularly interested in internships related to their field of study. Our interns, Jessica and Blaze, are both business students, interested in marketing and economics, perfect for the tasks we have them do.

Resume-building. Students with some experience have a definite advantage with potential future employers.

Money. They get paid — usually at least as much as for waiting tables or delivering pizza.

Experience in business. Our interns are learning about the publishing industry firsthand. And Jessica and Blaze both remarked that they enjoy being in a real office environment.

YOUR GAIN

What's in it for you and your business:

Enthusiasm and new ideas. Good interns are eager with fresh perspectives that can bring new energy to your business.

Exposure to young demographic. With interns, you've got a built-in focus group for new products or marketing approaches to help you reach that younger market.

Relatively inexpensive labor. Interns aren't free, but they're less expensive than full-time, permanent employees. If they don't work out, they're out of there in a couple of months anyway.

Potential future employees. If you and your interns have a great experience, they may want to work for you once they graduate. You might even hire them for part-time work until they do.