When your garage roof leaks, it’s as logical as Newton’s apple falling to fix it. You can grab a ladder and patch it up yourself, or you can throw some money at the problem and have someone else climb the ladder, Or as I call it: The rungs of inconvenience.
Either way, fixing the roof is a hassle. Picture my rooftop terrace—a serene and slightly messy oasis in the centre of Haarlem, until the heavens decide to weep. If it leaks, everything must be moved aside. Plants, garden furniture, decking boards—all shifted like pieces in a life-sized game of Tetris. Maybe even the railing needs to be dismantled, turning my peaceful retreat into a scene from a Kafka novel.
No matter what you choose, it’s a hassle.
And a mess.
This brings us to the labor market—a landscape as parched for talent as the Sahara. Companies and organizations know it’s beneficial, no, crucial, to offer internships to the best students out there. Even in sectors gasping for manpower, there’s an awareness that internships can be a Trojan horse of talent. Yet, they don’t do it—too busy, no time, too difficult.
I often tell companies they need to grasp that internships are the Excalibur in the war for young talent. The hidden weapon waiting to be wielded from the stone by the one who deserves it.
But simply shouting ‘urgent’ from the rooftops doesn’t cut it.
Because, whether you delegate the entire process or not, you’ll still need to rearrange your stuff, people, schedules, and priorities. It’s like shifting the set in a Shakespearean play—necessary for the next act, but requiring effort and foresight.
Mentoring interns yields great rewards, but it also demands something from companies. When the corporate treadmill is at full speed, the task of guiding new blood can get buried like a forgotten subplot in some complex novel.
Responses often echo with, “Yes, we know how important it is. But how do I juggle it with the rest of my agenda?”
We need to help companies organize internships in a way that requires minimal rearranging of their furniture. And if they must play a bit of organizational Twister, it should be quick and painless, with lasting benefits.
A bit of effort upfront, and no more leaking roof.
By making the process simpler and more manageable, we can ensure companies can engage with and benefit from the untapped potential of interns, without it feeling like they’re stuck in a Sisyphean task. Internships should be seen as an investment—one that, with the right setup, pays dividends far greater than the initial inconvenience, not rolling up a stone uphill, only to start all over again once you reach the top.
Don’t by Sisyphus. Be smart.