One goal of intern programs is finding people who will come work for the company when they’re finished school.

But if companies aren’t careful, they can turn these people off to the idea of seeking permanent employment. Here are some of the common problems and advice on avoiding them:

• Cutting them too much slack. That doesn’t do anyone any good. They’re there to learn about the “real world,” and you want to learn about them. Sure, they probably won’t be treated exactly the same as regular staff, but it should be pretty close. Most importantly, constructive feedback is key.
• Not helping them learn. In addition to giving them meaningful work, managers should give interns plenty of time to ask questions about the company and the business in general. Also, if there are specific things an intern wants to try doing, some flexibility in assignments might be the best way to get the most out of him or her.
• Avoiding talk about the specifics of future opportunities. If you’d like the interns to consider taking a permanent job after graduation, tell them it’s a possibility and that you’ll be in touch down the road. Getting too specific might box you in or give the impression you’re making a commitment. Sending regular e-mails to past interns (the good ones, anyway) is a good way to keep the company on their minds.

On average, employers will pay interns an hourly wage of $17.13 — 5% higher than last year — according to a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Interestingly, however, the survey also reported employers will be offering about 21% fewer internships this year than in 2008.

Here’s the average hourly pay broken down by the intern’s field of study:

• Business — $15.93
• Communications — $16.00
• Sciences — $16.60
• Computer Sciences — $17.20
• Engineering — $18.26

Of course, those are national numbers. When benchmarking your own intern compensation, you’ll need to take a look at regional data, too.

When hiring summer help, how do companies know whether they’re getting a true intern or an employee who must be paid at least minimum wage?

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) never uses the term “intern.” However, it does distinguish between employee and a trainee. Many interns qualify as trainees, and therefore aren’t covered by the FLSA.

But not all of them qualify. The Department of Labor uses a six-factor test to determine who can legally be considered a trainee. All of the following criteria must be met, according to the DOL:

• The training is similar to what would be offered in a vocational school
• The primary benefit of the program is for the trainees
• The trainees don’t displace regular employees
• The employer gets no “immediate advantage” from the trainees’ activities
• The trainees aren’t guaranteed a permanent job at the end of the program, and
• They understand beforehand they aren’t entitled to wages.

Simply put, if the interns benefit from the arrangement, they can legally be considered volunteers rather than paid employees. To keep compliant, the focus of an internship program should be on mentoring and exposing interns to real-life experience, rather than on getting them to produce a certain amount of work.

Read more from the DOL here.

More and more mid-career adults are taking on internships, according to a recent New York Times article.

Why? Mostly, it’s the economy. People are looking for ways to boost their skills and resumes to make themselves more marketable to potential employers.

Other employees cited learning experience as a benefit and accepted internships to help them change careers.

Companies benefit by getting affordable work from experienced professionals.

What do you think? Would your organization hire interns who are in the middle of their careers? Let us know by leaving a comment below.