How to Recruit and Prepare Your Workplace for a Summer Intern

Taking on a summer intern is a common activity in many workplaces. Internships are a great way for your company to gain the support, input and talent of up-and-coming individuals in your field while providing a learning opportunity to students and making connections with local colleges and universities.

But before you hire on an intern, make sure you are prepared to live up to your end of the bargain. Good interns expect to work hard, but they also want to gain a worthwhile learning experience from their efforts. Take the time to plan and prepare the internship experience in your organization before you bring on a student.

Below are a few of the things you and your organization should do and consider before you hire an intern.

Define the Responsibilities of the Internship

Create a job description and goals statement for your interns. While this may seem like a lot of work for a position that is relatively short-lived, it will enable you to be sure that both your organization and the intern understand your expectations.

Consider the Types of Students Best Suited to Your Internship

Step back and think like a college student or an entry-level professional for a bit. Review the specifics of the position you have to offer, and think about what types of students it would both interest and benefit.

A internship that involves rotating to various areas of your company and assisting at some level with the planning and marketing of multiple projects might be of value to a liberal arts, social sciences or business student, but not offer much for a student majoring in a technical field or the sciences.

Consider students major or minor programs, as well as other coursework they have completed. Think about the types of entry-levels jobs your internship relates to and how it will help a student prepare for those jobs.

Be As Descriptive as Possible in Your Recruiting Materials