Initiating a summer internship program can significantly contribute to your company’s success. Interns inject enthusiasm, fresh ideas, social media expertise, specialized skills, and the latest knowledge into the workplace. They help lighten the workload, boost productivity, and introduce the latest techniques and technologies. Moreover, an internship program serves as a strategic way to develop a pool of potential future employees.
Despite the numerous advantages, setting up such a program can appear daunting. This article will show you how to create an internship program quickly and easily.
What is an Internship?
Internships provide students and recent graduates with opportunities to gain work experience in a professional environment. Interns work under the guidance of a mentor and are usually compensated, except in specific circumstances. These placements last for a defined period, with the understanding between the employer and intern that permanent employment is not guaranteed at the end of the program.
According to a report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), about 70% of interns receive job offers from the companies they interned with. Nearly 80% of those who receive job offers accept them, resulting in 56% of interns becoming full-time employees.
Additionally, interns are more likely to stay with a company that has supported their skill development. After one year, 71% of interns remain employed by the company, and after five years, nearly 44% are still on staff.
How Internships Can Benefit a Business?
A well-executed internship program requires a significant investment of time and resources, but this can yield substantial benefits for businesses of all sizes, from well-established companies to start-ups.
Connect with Undiscovered Talent
Interns are often eager to develop their skills and highly motivated to learn. Finding the right candidate might lead to discovering the next expert in marketing or finance.
Pave the Way for Potential New Employees
The internship period allows you to assess if there’s a good fit between the intern’s skills and your company’s needs. The intern gains an understanding of your business operations, and you get to evaluate their potential without committing to a permanent role. If you offer them a job, they can transition more smoothly into a full-time position.
Boost Productivity
Assign interns to projects that have been on the back burner or to assist employees with heavy workloads. Be realistic about the complexity and quantity of the tasks you assign. Start with simple tasks and gradually increase responsibilities as the intern demonstrates their capabilities.
Gain Fresh Perspectives
Internships are primarily about providing new talent with learning opportunities, but they can also bring innovative ideas for improving internal processes. Interns might suggest new social media platforms to explore, features to add to your website, or ways to reach new audience segments. Sometimes, an outside perspective can reveal opportunities you may have overlooked or not had the time to consider.
Offer Mentorship Opportunities to Current Employees
Internship programs can also be advantageous for employees ready to take on more responsibilities. Acting as mentors, they can hone their leadership and management skills by learning to delegate tasks, evaluate performance, and provide guidance and feedback. This experience can be valuable for their professional growth and contribute to a more collaborative and supportive work environment.
Creating an Internship Program: Steps
Despite a large pool of applicants available for companies to choose from for internship positions, the competition to attract and secure top talent is intense. Therefore, it’s crucial for companies to proactively strategize and prepare in advance to fill their intern roles. Here’s how to do it.
Creating an Internship Program: Step 1
The basics of your internship program need to be determined:
- Identify intern needs. Assess which departments need extra help and estimate their upcoming workload. This will assist in determining the number of interns to hire and from which academic programs.
- Determine internship type. Decide if the internship will be paid, unpaid, or for course credit. If opting for unpaid internships, ensure that legal requirements are met.
- Create intern job descriptions. Develop engaging job descriptions that capture students’ interest and clearly outline the roles and responsibilities they will be applying for.
- Assign internal roles. Select and train supervisors and evaluators who will be responsible for managing and assessing interns.
- Decide on pay and benefits for interns. Determine if you will provide compensation, benefits, or other perks to the interns.
- Identify target schools. Choose the campuses where you will recruit interns. While you may have core schools, consider recruiting beyond them to enhance diversity. Collaborate with campus career centers to adhere to proper recruitment protocols and timelines.
- Post intern roles. Submit internship postings to your selected target schools and publish them on your website. State application deadlines and the required documents, such as transcripts, cover letters, and resumes.
The first step of how to create an internship program is very important and should not be neglected.
Creating an Internship Program: Step 2
As a business owner, you need to be aware of summer intern recruitment deadlines. Internship program recruitment typically aligns with the beginning of the academic year, allowing organizations to recruit the most suitable students for summer internships. Due to the competitive nature of internship recruiting, companies must act promptly and not miss early campus recruitment cycles, as this could result in exceptional candidates being hired by competitors.
To achieve this, companies should:
- Check with target colleges for guidelines and exceptions. Investigate the specific guidelines and requirements of the colleges from which you hope to recruit. Higher education institutions often have stipulations for students and recent graduates to be eligible for internship opportunities, such as required coursework, declared areas of study, technical skills, etc.
- Notify students when applications open. Inform students when you start accepting applications. Students are keen to secure internship opportunities for the following year. Communicate with campus career centers or through your company website to announce the opening and closing dates for applications. Ensure your website and communications are ready at least a month before the opening date to allow the school to share the information widely with students.
- Keep the application period open long enough. Most companies post their summer internship opportunities in late fall or winter (some as early as October) and keep the application process open for at least 30 days, sometimes longer. Usually, summer positions are occupied by May in preparation for a June commencement.
- Utilize recruitment tools. Take advantage of a variety of tools to simplify the process of posting job openings for interns. They allow recruiters to post job openings at all target schools in one easy step, providing access to a curated network of over 600 universities. This helps to expand the reach and effectively make targeted connections.
The second step of creating an internship program will allow you to recruit interns quickly and without problems.
Creating an Internship Program: Step 3
Consider integrating an internship credit program into your recruitment strategy. Many colleges across the country offer opportunities for students to earn course credit through real-world experience instead of traditional classroom instruction. However, the process of participating in such programs can sometimes be lengthy, depending on the school’s specific requirements for partnering with businesses. It may take several months for an employer to be approved for this type of program.
To initiate this process, reach out to the career development office at the school(s) from which you wish to recruit. They can inform you if they have an internship credit program and guide you through the steps necessary for your company to qualify for accreditation. They will also provide details on when you can post internship openings and when you can expect students to be placed in the program.
Similar to any other internship, thorough preparation is essential:
- Ensure you have a clear job description outlining the tasks and responsibilities involved, along with a section addressing frequently asked questions.
- Define the work schedule specifying the days and hours required for the internship.
- Designate a suitable supervisor who will maintain regular communication with the intern and conduct performance evaluations.
- Demonstrate flexibility by accommodating exam schedules and other academic requirements.
This point of how to create an internship program may not suit every business owner, so let’s move on to the next step of creating an effective internship program.
Creating an Internship Program: Step 4
Engaging in campus recruitment events is a powerful method to create enthusiasm and interest in your internship program and company. Participating in events such as career fairs, meet-and-greets with management, and sessions featuring former interns-turned-employees helps you distinguish yourself in students’ minds. These interactions allow you to build relationships and leave a lasting impression for when students are ready to apply for internships.
To maximize your impact, inquire about opportunities to recruit interns directly on campus and explore other event possibilities permitted by the schools you’re interested in. Consider options like conducting classroom presentations or sponsoring campus-wide events. Collaborate closely with the university’s career services to ensure your events are well-coordinated, following all necessary protocols and timelines. This partnership ensures your engagement with students is both effective and professional.
Creating an Internship Program: Step 5
It’s crucial to keep track of internship interview timelines since internships generally begin 6 months to a year after candidates are interviewed. Stay updated on the specific timelines set by each campus you’re recruiting from. Similar to traditional interviews, internship interviews often involve multiple rounds of discussions, usually spaced about a week apart between the first and second rounds. Many schools provide guidelines on when offers can be extended post-interview.
To ensure a smooth process, plan to allow at least 5 business days for students to respond to either verbal or written offers. This time frame ensures candidates have adequate time to consider and respond to internship opportunities.
Creating an Internship Program: Step 6
Internships are valuable not only for the learning and practical experience they offer students, but also for providing hiring teams with insights into how potential new hires perform their duties, fit into company culture, contribute to team dynamics, and demonstrate essential soft skills. This evaluation during internships helps businesses assess candidates for potential full-time employment, proving to be a worthwhile investment.
Establishing an internship program requires dedication of time and resources, yet it yields significant returns. Through thoughtful planning and a commitment to offering real-world work opportunities, companies can effectively screen and prepare potential future employees. Internships enable employers to enhance productivity, minimize training costs, and provide crucial support to their hiring managers throughout the recruitment process.
How to Implement an Internship Program?
Implementing an internship program involves several key steps:
- Distribute information. Spread the word about your program through job boards, career centers at local colleges, departmental distributions, and your company website. Starting recruitment early is crucial, especially for positions beginning at the end of the school year.
- Conduct selective interviews. Approach the hiring process with the same rigor as you would for full-time employees. Select candidates based on their capabilities, interpersonal skills, and enthusiasm for the field.
- Arrange onboarding and orientation. Ensure interns are familiarized with your company’s operations, policies, and team members. Provide necessary training and support to help them settle in comfortably.
- Provide learning opportunities. Offer a variety of experiences such as department rotations, shadowing senior executives, attending meetings, and participating in training programs. Create a supportive environment that fosters personal and professional growth.
- Meet regularly. Schedule regular meetings between interns and supervisors to discuss progress, set goals, and provide feedback. This ensures interns are on track and have an opportunity to address any challenges they encounter.
- Conduct exit interviews. Gather feedback from interns about their experiences, including what they learned, challenges they faced, and suggestions for improvement. Use this input to refine and enhance future internship programs.
- Incorporate feedback. Consider feedback from both interns and staff to make adjustments that improve the internship experience and its impact on your organization.
By following these steps, you can effectively implement an internship program that benefits both your company and the interns involved.
Knowing how to create an internship program will help you set up a program that will meet the needs of your business and allow you to take advantage of the many benefits that internships provide. Monitor the success of your project and adjust as needed. Once you’re satisfied with the results, repeating the procedure each summer becomes simple and enjoyable.
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