Employers hire interns


Despite the Department of Labor stepping up enforcement of internship labor laws, many companies are hiring interns.

Share this article!

Many companies are hiring interns for their experience with the company, despite the Department of Labor stepping up enforcement of internship labor laws.

The Department of Labor sent out a fact sheet in May explaining to employers how to determine the legality of paid and unpaid interns.

“Like any real estate firm there is a specific culture and style we try to create here,” [Capacity principal Don] Ossey said. “And when you train someone from the ground up, they get to learn the skills, techniques and lingo from our perspective.”

Brian Owendoff, managing director of CB Richard Ellis, also believes an internship is a great, low-cost strategy for employers in the recession.

“I would rather have a B grade college student with a strong work ethic and success through an internship, than a valedictorian with an A average who has no real-life business experience,” Owendoff said. “An intern can be a piece of clay that you can mold to best fit the current needs of your company.”

Read more at the Daily Journal of Commerce.

Read about Oregon Business Magazine’s own intern hiring index here.

{biztweet}intern{/biztweet}