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Creating An Effective Internship Program
Introduction
Over the past several years the use of internships as part of the recruitment process has increased tremendously. Employers report that interns are the best source of new full-time employees, according to recent NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) surveys.
If your organization can offer internship opportunities, it is important that you prepare for each student’s entry into your organization and that you promote your program to the students, faculty and staff of Southeast Missouri State University. In many instances, you can promote intern opportunities along with permanent employment opportunities. Students need professional work experience to compete in the entry-level job market. Companies would like to reduce hiring risks by ‘test-driving’ candidates before hiring them. Quality internship and co-operative education programs can offer both parties a low-risk “win-win” hiring opportunity.
What is an internship?
An internship, first and foremost, is experiential learning. Internships are typically one-time work or service experiences involving students who have already attained considerable academic preparation related to a professional field. The internship plan generally involves advanced undergraduate students, or graduate students, working in professional settings under the supervision and monitoring of practicing professionals. Objectives and practices will vary from program to program. However, the design is to be experiences that permit students to apply the principles and theories taught on the campus to real-life projects.
Characteristics include:
- A typical internship is generally a one-time experience usually lasting from three to six months.
- May be part-time or full-time, paid or un-paid
- Internships should be part of an educational program and carefully monitored and evaluated for academic credit.
- An intentional “learning agenda” is structured into the experience
- Learning activities common to most internships include learning objectives/goals, observation, reflection, evaluation and assessment.
- An effort is made to establish a reasonable balance between the intern’s learning goals and the specific work an organization needs done.
How do students benefit from internships?
- Internships give resume-building experiences while applying academic concepts and principles.
- Internships increase marketability to employers and reduce shock when actually entering the workforce.
- Internships facilitate a higher starting salary and increase opportunities within the company for faster advancement and growth.
- Internships allow students to gain exposure to real-world problems and issues that perhaps are not found in textbooks.
- Internships increase self-confidence in the workplace while developing an expanded network of associates and professionals.
- Internships allow students to evaluate their career choice; either to continue on their present academic/career path or to consider other possibilities.
How can my organization benefit from an intern?
Internship programs can be an excellent return on your recruiting investment for many reasons. A well thought out and effective internship program can:
- Increase your organization’s visibility, brand awareness and allure on campus.
- Flexibility to address human resource needs
- Well-prepared short-term employees
- Cost-effective long-term recruitment and retention
- Access to candidates with sought-after skills and/or backgrounds
- Input on quality and relevance of academic curriculum
- Enable you to cultivate stronger relationships more quickly with the University’s faculty, staff and Career Linkages department, given your commitment and visibility to the school.
Creating an effective three-way partnership
The most successful internships are those in which there is a good, working three-way partnership between the employer and the student and active support from Southeast Missouri State University. When students plan the internship through an academic institution they can receive credit for the internship (highly recommended) and a formal validation of the experience on their transcripts. They receive the additional formal guidance and mentoring of an academic coordinator, who is familiar with their classroom learning and is experienced in helping interns plan, monitor, evaluate and reflect on their learning.
Steps to begin an internship program
Design an internship program that meets your needs. As varied as companies are in age, size, industry and product, so too are their internship activities. Designing an internship program to meet your needs is as easy as:
Set Internship Goals
- What does your company hope to achieve from the program?
- Are you a small company searching for additional help on a project?
- Is your company growing quickly and having difficulty finding motivated new employees?
- Are you a nonprofit that doesn’t have a lot of money to pay, but can provide an interesting and rewarding experience?
- Are you searching for new employees with management potential?
Write a plan
Draft a job description that clearly explains the job’s duties (see Sample Internship Position Description). Do you want someone for a specific project? General support around the workplace? Is your goal to offer exposure to the range of assignments at your company?
Things to think about include:
- Will you pay the intern? Wages for interns vary widely, and some fields typically do not pay interns. However, keep in mind that many students pay for their education and need an income to support themselves.
- Where will you put the intern? Do you have adequate workspace for them? Will you help him or her to make parking arrangements, living arrangements, etc.?
- What sort of academic background/skills and experience do you want in an intern? Decide on standards for quality beforehand; it will help you narrow down the choices and find the best candidates.
- Who will have the primary responsibility for the intern?
- What will the intern be doing? Be as specific as possible. Interns, like others in the process of learning, need structure so they do not become confused or bored.
- Do you want to plan a program beyond the work you give your interns? Will there be special training programs, performance reviews, lunches with executives, social events? Keep in mind that your interns are walking advertisements for your company.
Timeline for recruiting an intern
Southeast Missouri State University operates on a semester schedule. When recruiting for the summer, fall and spring semesters, please follow the outlined schedule to ensure enough time to post your job description, interview candidates and hire your intern:
| January 1 – March 31 |
Summer Semester |
| May 1 – June 30 |
Fall Semester |
| September 1– November 30 |
Spring Semester |
Next Step?
Your company’s approach will depend on your specific resources and needs. You may be confused as you try to identify where the student has come from, who is the academic person responsible for the internship, why two students from the same institution have such different requirements, etc. These are all common concerns so your next step is to contact the Career Linkages office and speak to someone that can help you with your internship needs.
Contact:
Keri Young, Experiential Learning Coordinator
Career Linkages
One University Plaza, MS 1000
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
573-651-2881
kdyoung@semo.edu
www.semo.edu/careerlinkags
Sample Job Description
Write the internship job description as if you were writing a job description for an entry-level position. The more information included in the description will allow the student to decide, before applying, if the position would be a good match.
XYZ Corporation
1234 Main Street
Cape Girardeau, MO 63703
Position Description: Sales and Marketing Intern Effective Date: Summer 2007 Our Sales and Marketing Department is looking to fill 3 sales and marketing internships for summer 2007. Marketing, PR, or related majors are encouraged to apply. XYZ Corporation provides a number of services to the entertainment industry, from trailer cutting to online rebates to in-store signage fulfillment. We have been streamlining the entertaining business for five decades and we are continuing to marry technology advancements with cost savings opportunities for our clients.
Qualifications:
- MUST BE current Junior or Senior college student
- Minimum 2.8 GPA.
- Flexible schedule, 20-40 hours per week
- $9/hour, plus academic credit.
General responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Create a marketing plan for our newest product line
- Create monthly newsletters, press releases, and update our client database.
- Assistance with XYZ promotions, festivities and events
Skills Desired:
- Superior written and oral communication skills
- Basic knowledge of MS Office and database management
Application Process:
Submit cover letter and resume to:
Bob Smith, Marketing Director
XYZ Corporation
1234 Main Street
Cape Girardeau, MO 63703
573-555-1234
robertsmith@xyzcorp.com
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