If you have never hired an intern before, here is some advice on how to develop an internship.
The intern will need a supervisor to be assigned prior to the intern’s start date. The supervisor should have the ability and time to mentor and provide feedback to the intern, as well as provide training and opportunities for the intern to integrate and network at your organization. We highly discourage assigning more than one supervisor for an intern.
Make sure that you have a workspace and equipment for the intern, such as a computer with internet connection, telephone, etc in order for them to successfully accomplish tasks during their internship.
Equal Employment Opportunity laws apply to the hiring of student interns. Please provide interns with your organization’s safety and harassment policies, as employers may be held liable for intern safety and harassment issues.
Successful internships are often centered on a specific project which can be completed by the end of the internship.
Plan for time to:
- Train and familiarize the intern with the layout and organization of the company
- Explain the goals and the overall purpose of tasks
- Explain the level of interaction with supervisors, managers, and others involved in completing the tasks
- Articulate your expectations for the final product (and any milestones), as well as the expected completion date
- Ensure that the supervisor’s schedule includes time to meet with the student intern weekly for at least half an hour for guidance and to answer questions.
Consider offering opportunities for the intern to attend meetings (client, management and/or staff meetings) or job shadow in different departments. Allow interns to feel valued and included by providing networking opportunities.
Students need to know how many hours a week they will be expected to work, as well as the length of the commitment. In your internship announcement, please indicate a minimum number of hours per week that you expect. This will lessen confusion and help you get an appropriate response to your ad. During the hiring process negotiate a set work schedule with the student that fits their class schedule.
Once you’ve hired an intern, including this information on the intern’s Training Agreement form will also ensure that your expectations and the intern’s expectations match.
When developing your internship description, include the following:
- Specific duties the intern will be responsible for completing
- Knowledge, skills, and qualities you are looking for in an intern
- Preferred schedule the intern will be required to work; indicate your flexibility to schedule work around student class schedule
- Application deadline and desired start date
- Compensation amount
- Required documents (resume, cover letter, application, etc.)
- Information about how you would like them to apply (online, via email, etc.)
Last Updated June 22, 2023