I can't say for sure whether Telemachus ended up thanking Mentor for showing the young man how to write better Web content or edit a video clip and upload it to YouTube. Let me know (doug@doug-stern.com), however, if anything like that appeals to you.

My business employs interns from time to time. Here’s a brief description outlining what that generally looks like.

WHERE

Experience has proven that face-to-face interaction improves just about every aspect of what an intern does, how they do it and what they get out of it.  So, at least a few hours a week ought to be spent on site, in my office.  I have wi-fi and whatever else an intern might need.

WHEN

I’m flexible.  For the sake of productivity, however, I suggest that interns expect to spend 4 to 8 hours a week either in my office or telecommuting, perhaps split between a couple days each week for however long the internship lasts.  A lot depends on what (if anything) an intern’s professor or degree program requires or recommends.

WHAT

Interns work on what I work on.  Since I’m a freelance business writer, you’ll do a lot of writing, editing and the like.  You’ll also help me prospect for new business.

If you’ve read this far without having visited my Web site, it makes me wonder about your problem-solving skills, resourcefulness, independent thinking and so on.

WHO

I expect at least a level of maturity I associate with third or fourth year level of college.  While work experience is a plus, the kind doesn’t matter as much as a proven ability (or, at least, a willingness) to do what you say you’ll do…no matter what that is.

I’m looking for a person who really wants to improve their writing and to learn something about the business world.  Beyond that, I don’t care all that much.

Check that.  You had better know Word and Acrobat pretty well (which isn’t that hard).  You can probably teach me Excel…provided I really wanted to learn it, which I don’t.

HOW MUCH

I don’t pay interns.  My intention is to make this rewarding in other ways.  I believe you’ll become a better, more confident writer and worker.  I hope you’ll also have fun.

TO APPLY

Surprise me.

Carl Aveni, a litigator based in Columbus, Ohio, agrees. Take a look at this recent clip:

Making your bio like a personal story will also make it more readable and set you apart.

PS:  Thanks to Larry Bodine for sharing this clip with me.  Plus, there’s a related post at http://doug-stern.com/blog/2010/11/19/people-buy-from-people/.

Here’s the second in a series of practical how-to writing clips from Doug.  It’s a companion to a blog post.

Here’s a brief clip with five questions to help you weigh the relative benefits of analog and digital marketing communications. It’s a companion to an article published by my editorial home, MarketingProfs.com — http://xrl.us/BeforeSend.

Here’s a clip offering six best practices for proposal writing. Let me know (doug@doug-stern.com) if you’d like a sample proposal I wrote.

For more info, go to http://xrl.us/WritingGreatProposals to read the article on which this clip was based.

Here’s a clear, practical, before-and-after tip that addresses a common content issue on a lot of law firm Web sites. It offers a way to present lists of representative engagements without sounding self-centered and monotonous.

There’s a companion post.

Selling intangibles is hard work. A lot of architects, lawyers and other professional service providers have Web sites that make it even harder.

This clip outlines seven common weaknesses of such sites and offers suggested remedies. It’s based on an article originally published by MarketingProfs.com.

A couple days ago, I posted something about the importance of engaging your reader-listener-visitor.  This clip is the second in a series of three I produced to complement an article of mine, “The KILLER BEs:  Strengthening Your Business Development Writing.”  Larry Bodine posted it on his LawMarketing Portal.

This clip offers six best practices for client-satisfaction interviews and surveys. Doug Stern outlines how to get the most out of your investment–and how to really set yourself apart.

This clip goes with the on-line article first published by MarketingProfs.com, March 27, 2007: http://xrl.us/ClientSatisfactionSurveyPayOff.