Internships are crucial for college students and entry-level professionals. Many companies even expect freshers to have some kind of internship experience before they hire them.   

While digital marketing isn’t a common choice for early-day careers, there might be some who are interested in it. However, it isn’t easy to set up budding marketers at varied stages. For that, you’ll need to use a dynamic approach.  

Read on to know the dos and don’ts of structuring a digital marketing apprenticeship to ensure you and your apprentice get the most out of working together. 

ALSO READ: 3 Critical Components of Amazing Customer Experience 

Compensate Your Apprentice for the Time They Invest 

Asking people to work for free is unreasonable since they invest time. So, come up with a stipend, be it of any size. It can go a long way in building the confidence of your apprentice. It would make them feel they are worthy and capable of building a digital marketing career.  

Compensating an apprentice will also cultivate their loyalty to your brand. No matter whether you choose a flat rate or hourly rate, just make sure it doesn’t result in an operational burden. 

Do Allow a Two-way Feedback Process 

Words of affirmation are proven to motivate people to do well. Thus, make sure you let out a few words of affirmation for your apprentice every once in a while. But, do note that you need to tell them when they are doing well and not struggling. Otherwise, it may result in a shaky foundation between you both. 

If you notice that an apprentice is falling a little short, find out the reason by asking them questions. The questions can be about how you can improve your processes to serve them better. Shutting down their confidence will only take longer for them to get along with your organization’s workflows. 

Don’t Accept Anyone As Your Apprentice 

Always remember that your apprentice programs need to serve your apprentice as well as your brand. Therefore, don’t just hire anyone. Make sure your new hires qualify for the desired criteria. 

The criteria you fix must include the following skill sets.  

• Empathy: The apprentice must be able to comprehend why people think and work in a certain way.   
• Communication: The apprentice must be able to articulate what empowers a stakeholder to invest in your strategy.  
• Analytical Thinking: They must be able to find out the why that is often hidden behind the how.   

Don’t Set Unusual Timelines for Your Apprentice 

Just like compensating employees for their work is important, it is also important to respect their working or learning timelines. Mastering anything requires years of hard work and commitment. So, instead of setting unusual timelines for your apprentice, empower them when they are learning.  

Encourage your apprentices to join learning programs and take up certifications. You can even set them up with tasks and offer them learning opportunities so that they learn in the best way they can. In their first week, your focus should be that they learn and get comfortable with whatever digital marketing program you are structuring them for. 

Author - Samita Nayak

Samita Nayak is a content writer working at Anteriad. She writes about business, technology, HR, marketing, cryptocurrency, and sales. When not writing, she can usually be found reading a book, watching movies, or spending far too much time with her Golden Retriever.