Developing Internship Opportunities
If your organization is considering developing an internship position, the Office of Internship Services can assist you. To get started, follow these quick steps:
Determine Your Organization Needs and Specifics
- WHO - How many of each type of student based on major, level in school and skills will you need?
- WHAT - What does your organization hope to achieve from the program?
- WHEN - When will the interns be needed?
- WHERE - In which geographic locations will the interns work?
- WHY - Will this internship(s) encompass one major project or a variety of small projects?
Create a Job Description
Treat the job description as an opportunity to showcase the internship(s) and your organization. For some students, the job description may be the first time they have ever heard about your internship program or your company. An effective job description should:
- Explain the organization’s goals, mission and culture
- Outline the intern’s responsibilities and potential tasks/projects
- Illustrate the necessary qualifications
- Outline skills needed (computer, analytical, design, communications, etc.)
- List desired education level (year, GPA, etc.) and majors
- Illustrate the core skills students can expect to learn during the internship
- Clarify the duration of the internship
- List the hours required per week
- Explain flexibility with schedule or specific hours that need to be covered
- List type internship: summer, semester, etc.
- Note if internship is paid or unpaid
- Provide the job location and whether telecommuting is an option
- Share contact information
Source Candidates
There are a variety of ways to advertise your available internships; below are the most common.
- Career Fairs and On-Campus Events: Career fairs are a great way for employers to meet students and provide information about their company and positions. Registration fees differ by program.
- Employee Referrals: Company employees can be a great source of information about potential candidates, and the cost to source these candidates is zero.
- Online Job Postings: There are many different outlets through which to post internship information, including your business’s website, Career Center’s website (free of charge) and national/statewide postings.
- On-Campus Organizations: Academic organizations focus on students by major or interest(s) and can be a great way to target a large group of students with similar backgrounds. These organizations are also a great way to target diverse candidates.
- Social Media: Promote your job opportunities on your company’s social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
Interview
Internship interviews will help you evaluate if a student is a good fit for your business. The interview process for internships is typically not as in-depth as a regular job interview. Keep in mind that many students will be new to the interview process when applying for internships.
- Create an evaluation form to rate the candidates and make additional comments. This will help keep the interview process consistent among interviewers.
- Contact the Career Development Center about conducting interviews on campus. This will give you better access to students.
Extend the Offer
Once you’ve identified your top candidate, extend a verbal offer and follow up with a written offer letter. An offer letter should include:
- Dates/duration of the internship
- Specific pay, details of location, benefits (if applicable)
- Job title
- Deadline for acceptance
- Contact information
For more assistance in developing an internship position, check out the School of Business Employer Guide for Interns.
