Internships are a vital stepping stone in the career paths of many young professionals. They give recent graduates a chance to gain real-world experience, which is a vital part of any resume.
Internship programs can also be of great benefit to employers. Hiring interns allows your business to:
- Tap into graduate-level talent
- See candidates in action without committing to a long-term hire
- Establish your reputation as an industry talent leader
That said, interns do require an investment of time and resources. They might not have the same capacity to work independently that you would expect from a more experienced worker, so you need to have the right structures and support in place.
How to design an effective internship program
Whether you are considering hiring your first intern or want to improve your current internship program, it's important to spend some time considering the best way to support interns. Here are some steps to help develop your intern program.
1. Define your goals
Start by considering what needs you are addressing when hiring interns. It might be to create a pipeline for future hiring and to expand the company’s network. Or you might need additional staffing to take on occasional projects or allow regular employees to focus on other priorities.
Internship programs can also be an opportunity to develop your current staff. You might consider having staff who aren’t currently managers supervise the interns. If you have the resources to support these new managers, it allows them to develop the critical supervision skills they need to grow professionally and takes the burden of intensive training and support of interns off already busy managers.
2. Identify the type of interns required
For companies that regularly hire early career staff, internship programs can be a great way to get to know potential employees. It offers an opportunity to assess candidates who don’t yet have a track record of professional accomplishments. It's a good idea to link internship roles to existing career paths within your organization.
If you are planning to hire interns primarily to take on administrative work, it is worth considering whether hiring an experienced administrative temporary employee or hiring one regular, full-time employee to take it on would be more effective. Interns have a lot to offer, but they will require more onboarding and training than experienced employees. Interns are typically still working on their degrees and so are tied to the school calendar. Their availability may not align with the company’s needs and timelines.
3. Plan appropriate workloads
Consider whether the types of projects you plan to hire interns for would be things that your current early-career employees would want to do. Well-intentioned managers can inadvertently create conflict with existing staff by bringing on an intern to do creative or research tasks while trained early-career employees fulfill the more mundane aspects of their roles.
Having interns take on notetaking, scheduling or other routine tasks that typically fall to other employees can free them up to take on other work that can expand their portfolio and build their skills. However, if the complexity of the administrative work means that it can’t be handed over to the intern, make sure you are proactively communicating the reasons why with your staff and making plans for their professional development.
4. Think about compensation
Once you’ve identified what you are hoping to get out of the internship program, consider what you have to offer, such as salary and professional development. Internships for for-profit employers must be paid (outside of narrowly defined programs that primarily benefit the interns.) While nonprofit employers have more latitude in engaging volunteers, in the interest of ensuring equity in your hiring practices, internships should be paid.
You want to make sure that you are aware of state and local minimum wage requirements and ensure proper FLSA classification. If your managers aren’t used to supervising nonexempt employees, make sure they are aware that interns need to track and be paid for all hours worked when required, including overtime.
5. Invest in onboarding and training
You likely already have established processes to onboard, train and evaluate employees. Much of that can be borrowed to support your interns in getting up to speed. If possible, have your interns start on the same day and conduct a specialized orientation. This allows you to tailor the information that is most relevant to them.
Remember, things that will be obvious to more seasoned employees, like dress code, professional communication, or how to complete a timesheet, may require explanation to people newer to work. Consider using simplified versions of manager check-in and performance management tools to help the interns and supervisors establish expectations and track progress.
How to recruit the best interns
Now you've got your program in place, how do you find the best talent? Here are some essential tips:
1. Follow recruitment best practices
Often, interns are sourced and hired more informally than regular employees. While you don’t want to spend months going through multiple interviews to hire short-term employees, intern hiring should still follow a rigorous recruiting process. You might look for ways to streamline the stages and limit the interviews to one round but don’t resort to hiring mostly referrals or hire exclusively from one or two schools you have relationships with. Be intentional about your outreach.
2. Reach out to local institutions
Consider whether there are universities or training programs you haven’t hired from in the past. If so, reach out to their career centers, post on their job boards, and establish relationships with professors and instructors from their programs. If your industry has young professional or student associations or groups, they can help you get the word out. Internship programs can be a good opportunity to connect with
3. Set clear expectations
Start with a good job description that establishes what the intern will do and what qualifications they need. If you find your postings attract a much larger number of applicants than your typical positions, you may need to create screening questions that allow you to prioritize the most qualified applicants.
4. Strike the right balance during interviews
When creating interview guides, focus on the competencies interns will need to be successful at your company. When asking questions, include that examples and experience from volunteer work, school, and other internships all count. Prioritize candidates with an interest in the work you do rather than direct experience, as an internship is often about exposure to the field or industry.
5. Listen to intern feedback
Once you have established your program, it can be easy to let it run on autopilot. However, you want to regularly assess whether the internship program meets the company’s needs. An exit survey can provide insight into whether the experience was valuable to the interns. For supervisors, consider post-internship surveys on whether having an intern was useful and what other resources would be in managing them.
Build an effective intern program at your organization
A well-executed internship program is an opportunity for both interns and companies, enhancing your organization’s talent pipeline while providing valuable experiences for interns. It requires thoughtful planning and effort, but the ability to identify and hire well-trained employees and provide extra support to your current team is worth the effort.
Need help with any aspect of your recruitment process or people strategy? Book a call with Helios HR today and find out how your company can become an employer of choice.
