5 Traits Of A Great Internship Program

With fast paced changes in the workforce and a low unemployment environment, internships are becoming increasingly more important in the strategy of many organizations. No longer is the pop culture image of interns as glorified coffee runners and those filing papers in the back room, the expectation. Both companies, students, and universities are increasingly measuring the value they receive from internship experiences and using that to their advantage.

Universities see internships as helpful aids to a student’s academic training in the classroom. Students see them as a potential stepping stone to their full-time career after graduation and a way to explore different lines of work. Increasingly, companies are utilizing internship experiences to evaluate potential recruits and to complete work traditionally done by entry-level employees. In short, all sides tend to benefit from these experiences in different ways.

However, not all internship experiences are the same and not all are as impactful for the company and student as others. They tend to vary widely from company to company. Based on my experience working with internship programs and talking with companies about how to engage interns in their work, I have identified a few key things that tend to make internships more successful for all involved. The following are five of them.

First Impressions

They say first impressions are everything and that is certainly true for internship experiences. The way an intern feels on their first few days in the office often sets up the mood for the entire experience. Companies who are successful in this area will often host meet-n-greets on an intern’s first day or schedule a team lunch. They try to provide opportunities to welcome the individual and to allow them to mingle with those they will be working with.

Regular Communication

This seems so simple, but regular and clear lines of communication between the intern and their supervisor go a long way to ensuring their success. This helps both parties see how the other is experiencing them and their work. Setting and consistently checking-in about internship goals throughout the experience is helpful to make sure everyone is on the same page and that the intern’s work is going in the right direction.

Clear Expectations

Someone has to file the papers, but nothing is more challenging than for a student or company to have hidden expectations about what an internship experience would look like. Being clear and detailed in internship descriptions at the time of fielding applications is the best way to prevent issues here. Clearly identifying projects, tasks, and outcomes for an intern are important for allowing the student to discern their fit for the role.

Encouraging Questions

Students often feel like internship experiences are “auditions” for full-time roles after completion. In many cases, this might be true. However, it might also discourage them from asking questions for fear of harming their perceived performance or ability. Ensuring that interns feel comfortable and even encouraged to ask questions can go a long way to making experiences successful.

Feedback Channels

Having ways for interns to provide feedback during or at the end of an internship will be helpful in improving or making useful changes to the program. You can think of this as their “mini exit-interview.” It would be best for this feedback to be anonymous but that could prove to be difficult in smaller organizations that only host a handful of interns. Even though feedback from interns is subjective, you can get a good picture of more than just the student’s rating of their internship. You can get a sense for your company culture overall and how a new outsider experienced the environment.

These are just a few ideas on how you might want to approach your internship programs at your organization. This is by no means an exhaustive list. However, each of these will help you and your interns make the most of their experiences while providing as much value to the company as possible!

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