By C.T. Trivella, Director and Branch Manager, NAS Recruitment Communications
Internships are not the cumbersome programs some employers believe them to be. In actuality, they are beneficial both to the student longing for some workplace experience, and to the employer seeking a fresh perspective from an outside source.
Well-managed internship programs should: be an accepted part of an organization’s culture, have a regular presence (consistency), be planned with an objective in mind for what is expected from the student, as well as from the managers responsible for overseeing the intern’s workload, and, above all, be taken seriously by the company bringing interns into the program.
Company leaders need to have a clear thought process for why an internship program would benefit the organization. They also need to think about what the organization has to offer a student. Will there be an equitable benefit to both parties? Does the organization have meaningful work to offer someone eager to develop the needed skills to be competitive in an increasingly tough job market? If the answer is “yes” to both of these questions, an internship program may be the right choice.
Keep in mind that a physical presence will provide campus recruiters with an opportunity for building relationships with students. Also consider that well-defined internship program information posted on your Web site, that outlines expectations and clearly explains the application process will encourage applications.
Internship programs can be large or small. Understand what your organization can manage well, rather than making the internship program more robust than is manageable for the person overseeing the program. Internships can run either in conjunction with a college semester or during the summer break. A well-organized program will have a defined start and finish date. There is no hard and fast rule on length of time; this is purely subjective by the employer, as is the choice to offer a paid or unpaid internship. Are unpaid internships legal? It depends on the net gain to the company. The decision is governed by the Fair Labor Standards Act. It’s recommended that employers consult an attorney to decide if an intern should be paid.
Day One:
Prepare for and treat a new intern as you would any new hire, beginning with a new-employee orientation. Interns should understand what is and is not acceptable company protocol. Thoroughly explain expectations of the position and provide a job description. In addition, provide:
• A “rules book” on what the intern will have access to within the facility, and provide a guided tour if applicable.
• A description of where pertinent office equipment can be found.
• Direction for who will serve as a point of contact for questions (preferably this will be an assigned mentor).
• The criteria on how the intern will be evaluated, who will conduct the assessment and at what touchpoints the assessments will take place.
• An introduction to the assigned manager and fellow coworkers.
• Training on office equipment, computers, phones and any other items found at the intern’s work station.
Touchpoints
These are the assessments that help guide and shape the performance of the intern. Assessments should be done at regular intervals (i.e., end of week one, 30 days, last day of internship, etc.) Stay with a predetermined schedule for the assessments, and provide objective critiques to the intern for making adjustments in work performance or to affirm that his or her performance is on track with expectations. The touchpoints should also allow for the intern to provide feedback on the internship experience from his or her perspective. The intern should be allowed to discuss successes, as well as short-comings of the program.
Last Day
Just as on day one, treat the intern as you would any departing employee. How does your organization handle the employee exit strategy? Organizations that find value in the comments of employees leaving under amicable terms also should find worth in final comments from interns. Present the option to provide feedback as a non-threatening condition, and assure the exiting intern that all feedback is welcome and will be treated with privacy and respect. A gift or token of appreciation also can be provided to the intern as a sign of encouragement for providing feedback.
Show appreciation. Acknowledgement can go a long way toward reinforcing your presence as an employer of choice and providing the goodwill and word of mouth that will increase your pool of potential interns and talented employees.
C.T. Trivella is the director and branch manager for NAS Recruitment Communications in Kansas City. (913) 663-2244 ctrivella@nasrecruitment.com
This article was originally published in KC Small Business monthly newsletter.
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