Adding value to your internship program.

For newly-arrived interns at The Beach Club in Santa Monica, CA, the work involves more than learning about spreadsheets and payroll systems--the students will also reflect on the writings of Orwell, Machiavelli, and Freud. It may not sound like the usual summer job; but then again, General Manager Gregg Patterson would never refer to an internship at The Beach Club as a job. "The true internship is where you are a part of an employment team, where you get the advantage of having daily debriefs with your general manager and your departmental supervisors," Patterson said. "This goes far beyond a simple work experience."

So where do the books come in? Patterson sees them as essential in building what he calls "an understanding of the universal human and organizational condition." From each of the works that make it onto Patterson's list, he notes fundamental concepts that apply to the club industry, specific member environments, and overall service philosophy. Patterson admits that some of his ideas may be radical, but there is more to it than that; he is a major proponent of his staff having a broad-based liberal--meaning wide-ranged--education.

"I'm looking for deep and thoughtful people," Patterson explained, "The most important thing in this business is what I call the 'soft science'--the people skills." Or, more specifically, Patterson likes to surround himself with "interesting people ... those that our members can engage with and talk to every single day." That trait, he says, is something that can't be learned in hospitality schools.

Finding good people--and keeping them--has been an age-old problem in the club industry, especially when it comes to grooming new hires for future management positions. Internship programs are a logical and effective way to find fresh talent, but only if the program is run in a way that allows the students' abilities to flourish. Many clubs would benefit from an honest reappraisal of how they structure their internship programs.

Paula Frechette, CCM, general manager of Vicmead Hunt Club in Wilmington, DE and co-author of "The Club Manager's Guide to Developing a Club Internship Program," available on the CMAA website, believes that some clubs fall into the trap of getting interns simply to fill vacant job openings. "I would highly discourage clubs from just getting interns to substitute for a hired job," she said. "Students really resent that. And once words gets around about your club, they can really have a negative impact on your whole program."

The Right Fit

The formula for a winning intern program is to match the right type of intern with the right type of program for your club. "You have to absolutely figure out what works for your club," Frechette explained. "You have to have a commitment from the management staff as well, because the time commitment will probably determine the success or failure of your internship program."

It is important from the very beginning to establish who the exact person at your club will be in charge of the program. Whether it's an assistant manager or, preferably, the club manager, "they have to be a good coach, trainer, teacher, and listener," Frechette said. "Students often come out of a school environment thinking that they 'know it all.' It's the responsibility of the manager to let them know that they still have a lot to learn, but to be sensitive about it at the same time."

Most internship programs fall into two broad categories: rotational or positional. The first classification refers to exposing an intern to a variety of different jobs, literally "rotating" them between positions over the course of the internship. The second type--favored by Frechette and Patterson--gives the intern exposure to just one job at the club. "Work must be needed in order to be meaningful," Patterson said, suggesting that a rotating series of jobs doesn't allow for any task to be given full attention.

Jonathan Mitchell, a senior at the University of Delaware is currently performing an internship at the Vicmead Hunt Club in Greenville, DE. As the pool terrace supervisor, he is overseeing a variety of different aspects of the operation. "Vicmead has a tremendous family feel amongst its employees and members. It is a wonderful club that offers a unique experience to any student up for the challenge. I am 110 percent satisfied with my experience here at the club," Mitchell said. "My favorite part about the opportunity so far, hands down, is the level of responsibility and trust I receive from my management team."

The rotational and positional programs can be altered, respectively, as "modified rotational" and "modified positional." In the modified rotational internship, the student rotates between departments, but they are fewer in number, and they are specifically chosen at the student's request in relation to what they are interested in learning about. In the modified positional, the intern has a specific job in one department, but is also allowed to accomplish smaller objectives in other parts of the club. This provides for more "cross-exposure" opportunities.

The "Hospitality Gene"

Though it may seem obvious, determining the way in which you recruit students will play the biggest role in the quality of your internship program. According to Frechette, the first step would be to consult the "CMAA Internship Directory" that is maintained on CMAA's website, containing names and contact information for many students at hospitality schools across the country. Locally, managers should also consult their nearest CMAA Chapter's internship directory.

The Beach Club's Patterson maintains a vastly different perspective on how to handle recruitment. Instead of limiting his search to students of on-campus hospitality schools, Patterson looks for those people that have what he calls the "hospitality gene." The hospitality gene belongs to people who "have a passion for this business," Patterson said, "They aren't governed by traditional ways of thinking." Interestingly, Patterson often sees the gene more in people from non-hospitality related educational backgrounds--such as biology and creative writing.

"Our business is based on 'trenchdiggers' that can see the big picture," Patterson continued, referring to his respect for interns--sometimes older than traditional college-age--who have primarily demonstrated a consistent and varied work history over formal schooling. "These are the people who can come into a club and see a chair, and understand that it's not just a chair, but an expression of a civilization."

As such, the entire program at The Beach Club has been designed to allow the hospitality gene to flourish in those that possess it. By the same token, Patterson is selective in that he only takes as many interns each year as he believes are truly qualified for the experience. "I would rather not take anybody that year than take someone that I knew wasn't cut-out for what we were doing," he said.

Frechette also emphasizes the point of not taking too many interns at the same time. "You can have more than one person per department during a given internship, but you need to keep the numbers low so that the students are able to spend the time with the people who are running the place," she said.

Furthermore, Patterson places his program's emphasis on the intangibles of a club's service philosophy: "I like interns who think more deeply about this business than the technical, because you can learn that anywhere. For instance, for someone to be able to come in and quickly appreciate the tribal mentality of the men's locker room--that means everything."

Adding Value

The key to building or maintaining a quality internship program at your club rests on the ability to add value, both for students and managers. "Everything that we do is the result of a vested self-interest," Patterson said. In essence, an internship program must be of some benefit to the club itself. "The program should allow you as a manager to have a reflective experience."

While most clubs have an end evaluation for interns once their time there has concluded, Patterson recommends having daily debriefing sessions. At The Beach Club, interns meet with Patterson and other department managers at the end of every day to discuss what happened, what problems they encountered, and to share other experiences. Not only do the debriefs help the interns, but they are great tool for management to help remain focused.

"The daily debriefs can be done in about ten minutes," Patterson said, suggesting that time should not be a deterrent from conducting daily meetings. "The simple fact is, if club managers want to do this, they will find the time to do it."

Frechette strongly advocates the use of a written form, and provides a sample on the CMAA website at www.cmaa.org/student/clubinternship/evalform.html. "The most important thing in an evaluation is to not just comment on the specific job, but to give them something they can take with them in the future," she said.

Creating and maintaining a successful club internship requires focus, commitment, and adaptability. Once your club has a program in place, you should revisit it each year to improve upon what works and eliminate what doesn't. "I've been doing internships for 15 years, and the program has changed every single year," Patterson said. By investing in your interns, you're also investing in the interests of your club.