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" Nathan Parcells\u00A0is co-founder and CMO of\u00A0InternMatch, an online platform connecting the\u00A0best\u00A0intern\u00A0candidates and employers. Connect with Nathan and InternMatch on\u00A0Facebook, \u00A0LinkedIn, and \u00A0Twitter\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIt\u2019s no secret that the field of computer science is booming. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that\u00A070 percent\u00A0of all new jobs across STEM fields during this decade - which includes everything from engineering to the social sciences - will be in computer science. That means if your company isn\u2019t pulling in an influx of young computer science\u00A0interns, you may be in jeopardy.\r\nYou may be wondering what\u00A0interns\u00A0have to do with tomorrow\u2019s hiring prospects. It\u2019s important to know that nearly\u00A060 percent\u00A0of all\u00A0interns\u00A0receive full-time job offers upon\u00A0internship\u00A0completion. Today\u2019s\u00A0interns\u00A0are tomorrow\u2019s full-time professionals.\r\nThe National Association of College and Employers\u00A0Job Outlook 2013\u00A0survey found that computer and information science degrees are among the most in-demand as of late, meaning it\u2019s in your company\u2019s best\u00A0interest to nab talented computer science students before your competitors.\r\nDrawing\u00A0in the\u00A0best\u00A0computer science students to your\u00A0internship\u00A0program isn\u2019t always an easy task. Here are a few ways give your employment brand a makeover and ensure you stand out as the demand for computer science talent increases:\r\n\r\n1. Do more with your campus recruiting efforts\r\nWith better recruiting efforts comes better\u00A0intern\u00A0candidates. There\u2019s no one-size-fits-all approach to recruiting awesome computer science\u00A0interns, but it often comes down to making the right connections.\r\nCreate strong, lasting connections with top computer science programs in colleges across the nation. Begin reaching out to professors, graduate assistants and career centers at these colleges and universities, and attend their career fairs.\r\nYou may even consider asking for referrals from current and previous employees and\u00A0interns. They will be able to vouch for and put you in direct contact with great computer science students who fit your company\u2019s culture, skill requirements and overall goals.\r\n\r\n2. Lend a hand\r\nInstead of actively selling your employer brand to potential computer science\u00A0interns, offer to help out first. Reach out to on-campus connections and offer to speak directly to computer science classes about industry happenings or career advice, like how to land a great computer science-relatedinternship\u00A0and what to expect when taking one.\r\nMake a point to actually visit campuses to speak directly to students about your industry. Consider hosting a \u201Ctech talk\u201D for computer science students.\r\nIf you can\u2019t make it to the classroom, consider hosting a Q&amp;amp;amp;A session via Skype or hosting an informative\u00A0Google Hangout. You may even want to create a mentorship program between some of your current employees and computer science students at a local university.\r\n\r\n3. Up the ante\r\nCreating contests or competitions is a great way to drum up interest and add a new level of energy to your\u00A0intern\u00A0recruiting and hiring process. Consider hosting an online contest that allows candidates to showcase their skills. If set up properly, you will be able to both attract and assess a number of potential candidates vying for your attention and\u00A0internship\u00A0opportunities.\r\nYou may also want to consider holding a technical contest like a\u00A0hackathon. Most large\u00A0organizations\u00A0are currently offering these competitions, partnering, or sponsoring them to ensure they are first in line for top contenders.\r\n\r\n4. Competitive compensation rates\r\nPay\u2019s a hot topic in the\u00A0internship\u00A0community in light of the\u00A0recent lawsuits\u00A0springing up across a variety of industries. Computer science is one area where you have to be willing to offer a competitive salary to ensure you\u2019ll pull in top students. The current salary average for computer science and ITinterns\u00A0comes in at just under\u00A0$19 an hour, but can run as high as $30 an hour.\r\n\r\n5. Top-notch experience\r\nIt takes a lot more than a fair salary to\u00A0draw\u00A0in and retain great computer science\u00A0interns. According to a recent\u00A0InternMatch survey, only 8.8 percent of students said pay was the most important part of their\u00A0internship\u00A0experience.\r\nEnsure your\u00A0internship\u00A0program offers an incredibly immersive, hands-on environment that includes valuable projects, training and mentorship. If your\u00A0interns\u00A0aren\u2019t walking away with a bursting portfolio, they probably won\u2019t even consider returning.\u00A0\r\n\r\n6. Cater to diversity\r\nNabbing the\u00A0best\u00A0computer science\u00A0interns\u00A0also means playing to the needs of diverse candidates. Whether this means offering more flexibility, higher pay or an unmatched diversity mentorship program, it\u2019s your chance to make a difference in your field. You may even consider offering needs-based scholarships like\u00A0Etsy\u00A0did to support women in technology and narrow the gender gap.\r\nDrawing\u00A0in the\u00A0best\u00A0computer science\u00A0interns\u00A0for your\u00A0internship\u00A0program is essential to the future of your company. Going above and beyond to improve your\u00A0internship\u00A0program and recruiting process is certain to gain the attention of a number of worthy students.\r\nWhat are you doing to\u00A0draw\u00A0in computer science students?\r\nImage credit: Mila Supinskaya/Shutterstock"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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