More and more employers are bringing interns into the workplace. This is a good thing. For newly minted graduates, combining their degree with real-world experience at a well-established company looks great on their resume. Here are just three of the benefits an ambitious young individual can bring to your organization.

1. Gain new perspectives – Millennials are, for the most part, digital natives. Most have a deep understanding and appreciation for new technologies and marketing platforms. They are particularly proficient with social media and can contribute greatly to your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn efforts and will probably introduce you to a few you haven’t heard of yet. Given a chance, you’ll find they have a new and unique perspective when it comes solving business problems.

1. Increase productivity – It’s amazing how little tasks quickly eat up the day. Think of all the small tasks employees in your office have. Hiring an intern is a good opportunity to move some smaller tasks such as mail runs, answering phones, and coordinating appointments, to free up others to focus on important revenue generating work. But remember an intern is not an assistant. Utilize their skill set. If they’re creative pair them with marketing. If they’re analytical, tap their talent for help with business analysis. Lastly, interns are often flexible with scheduling. So, whether you need an intern 20 hours a week or 40, you can find someone to fit the bill.

1. Test new talent – Every intern starts an internship with the lure of becoming a full-time With that in mind, they’ll work hard to prove themselves to you. If they demonstrate creativity, an ability to learn and reliability, they may have just taken all the work out of hiring a new employee.

Keep in mind that hiring an intern is unlike hiring a new employee. To properly mentor your intern, you or one of your employees should be hands-on throughout their stay. Don’t squander potential talent by turning what should be a valuable educational experience into a secretarial role. Make sure the entire office understands this. A fresh new face can bring new energy and excitement to the workplace.

Finally, before your HR team reaches out to local college recruiters for suitable candidates, make sure they review state laws regarding internships. Lastly, pay your interns. When you commit to an hourly rate, they’ll feel like a valued part of the team and will be eager to do their very best.