An Employer's Guide to Internships

Finding a talented workforce is one of the major issues that Capital Region employers face today. How can local businesses find the people that they need to grow, and ultimately attract and retain our talent in this region? One answer is through internships.

This guide has been developed for Capital Region employers to provide information about what internships are, the advantages of hiring an intern, and how employers can establish and manage an internship program that will lead to maximum success. Thank you in advance for your interest and participation.

What is an internship?

An internship is a real-world application of concepts and theories that students have learned in the classroom. They involve students working in a career field that is directly related to their major or area of interest. Internships occur either during a school semester or over the summer. They can be paid or unpaid, credit bearing or non-credit bearing.

There are many advantages to participating in an internship program. Students are afforded an opportunity to explore a career in more depth, build valuable experience and skills, gain exposure to the business environment, obtain valuable references, and develop or add to a network of contacts. Employers are provided with an opportunity to help shape the workforce of tomorrow, and preview potential employees for the future.

Why should I hire an intern?

• Create the opportunity to teach, influence and prepare future employees and business leaders for their careers.


• Supply a source of labor to help meet the vision, mission and goals of a business in a financially prudent manner, by providing extra manpower to take on projects that have not been completed due to time and staffing constraints.


• Afford an opportunity for students to bring new, fresh perspectives to old problems.


• Present an opportunity to observe an intern's level of interest, skills, abilities, and overall potential on the job (and beyond the subjectivity of the interview process) - thus giving employers a source of future potential employees while significantly reducing recruiting and training costs.


• Allow employers an opportunity to give direct feedback to educational institutions about the quality of education for tomorrow's workforce.


• Increase the employer's reputation on campus, and create a positive community image.


• Influence the retention of talent within the Capital Region, which strengthens the overall economy.

How long is a typical internship, and what will be required of me as an employer?

Internships vary in length. However, there are customary periods throughout the year that coincide with the academic semester terms of local colleges. Typically, internships run from 10 to 14 weeks, but may differ depending on the student's availability and the employer's flexibility.

Internship requirements vary from college to college, but most require minimal paperwork on the part of the employer. The most critical requirement is that the internship provides meaningful experiences directly related to a student's major or area of interest.

What can I do to establish and manage an internship program that will lead to maximum success?

• Identify the internal needs at your business ... It is important to specifically identify your needs related to your "human resources." What projects need to be done, but are not getting accomplished due to time constraints, labor shortages, etc.? Of these projects, which ones could be successfully completed by a qualified and enthusiastic intern? Or, if you're planning to promote existing staff, what duties, tasks and responsibilities could interns provide to fill the gap? Interns can prove to be valuable in addressing your current and/or future needs.


• Develop a job description ... Once you've identified your internal needs develop a job description for the work (real work!) that needs to be done. Interns, like others in the learning process, need structure so they don't become bored, lost or confused. Some things to consider are as follows:
  • What specific duties and tasks will the intern be responsible for?
  • What will be the "learning outcomes" for the student when performing these duties and tasks?
  • What academic background, experience, characteristics and traits do you want in an intern? What are your standards of quality?
  • What hours are needed, on a weekly basis, to accomplish these duties and tasks?
  • Will there be a set schedule, or can you be flexible and work around the intern's school schedule?
  • Where in the office will you place the intern?
  • Who will have primary responsibility for the intern?
  • Will the intern be paid? If so, how much?
  • What benefits, if any, will be extended to the intern?


• Conduct a formal screening and interview process ... Interns can be potential new employees, so interview interns as you would for any other position. It will save you a great deal of time and energy down the line if you choose your interns wisely. Also, exposing potential interns to a formal screening and interview process increases their awareness and expectations of what will be required when they're looking for full-time employment. It is part of the learning experience for them.


• Assign the intern a supervisor, who will also be a "mentor" ... Spend time prior to the internship to ensure that your interns are matched to the proper managers or supervisors, essentially someone with patience, excellent interpersonal skills, and the ability to teach in a challenging, engaging and supportive manner. The internship is the intern's "real life" classroom; and their supervisor is their professor. Ensure that it is a quality learning experience.


• Provide an "orientation" for your intern ... Treat interns as new employees - orient them to your organization. Show them around your building or facility, introduce them to other staff, and take the time to review relevant policies and procedures (both written and unwritten). Make them feel welcome and a vital part of the organization. How they enter your organization could determine the quality of their experience.


• Introduce your interns to the "culture" of the organization... Invite your interns to attend organizational events, activities, rituals, and celebrations. Let them venture beyond the duties and tasks of their position and department to discover a larger and broader organizational culture. Talk to them about the importance of learning about the culture, "fitting in" to the culture, and discovering in what kind of culture they will be most effective and satisfied.


• Have your interns become valued members of your team ... Include them in staff meetings and project teams meetings. Explain why you are assigning them certain tasks, why they are important, and how they fit into the company's plans and/or strategies.


• Provide feedback ... Give the intern feedback throughout the internship. If they do something well, let them know. If they make an oversight, pull them aside and explain how the situation should be handled in the future. Remember, the internship is a learning experience.


• Challenge your interns ... Remember, if your interns are unchallenged, they will get a distorted perspective of what their future job experience will be. To make matters worse, they will probably share their unsatisfactory experience with their friends, professors and career counselors back at school. This will give you an unfavorable reputation as an employer and make it difficult for you to get quality graduates in the future.


• If you don't have any work for your interns, assign them a meaningful project that has already been completed ... This may sound strange, but it has great value. Give interns a project (i.e. a research project) that has previously been done by another staff person. First, it ensures that your interns will be doing career-related work. They get valid real-world practice, albeit on a project that has already been completed. Second, it frees you from spending valuable time searching for tasks to occupy their time. When an intern completes a project, spend some time reviewing it with him or her. Think of yourself as both a teacher and a coach.


• If you plan to promote one of your staff members to a management position ... Consider assigning an intern to him or her first. Managing an intern is a great way for new managers to learn supervisory skills. However, make sure you monitor the relationship and get feedback from both the intern and the supervisor throughout the process.


• When the internship is over, meet with the intern to evaluate the experience ... Ask them questions like "Do you feel you've learned something about your career?" and "Were you satisfied with your experience?" Provide meaningful feedback relative to their strengths and areas in which they may need further development.
  If you were both satisfied with the experience, discuss the possibility of employment after graduation. If you do not have employment needs at that time, do you know of a colleague to whom you could recommend the intern?


• Even if you don't hire your intern, keep in touch ... You'll find the experience much more rewarding if you strive to be a mentor not just during the internship, but afterward as well. Provide the intern with a letter of recommendation for their job search, critique their resume (from an employer point of view), help "open doors" for them through networking, provide them with interviewing tips and techniques, and support them as they prepare for the world of work.

How do I find qualified and enthusiastic interns?

Through Mybeanstalk of course! For specific needs, don't hesitate to contact a local college or university. For a complete list of Tech Valley higher education institutions, visit the Universities page above. Best wishes in your search, and thank you for your support.