Help Your Interns Make the Most of Their Internship
The Secret To Intern Conversion Is Out!
Many of the skills that help young professionals throughout their careers don’t come from the classroom but rather the real-world experiences they gain through an internship. And the type of managers an intern has can make all the difference in how valuable the internship is! Remember, a good internship experience benefits both the intern and the company, so you’ll want to do everything in your power to provide a positive experience for all interns. Campus Wichita works to match prospective interns with companies and is well-versed in what it takes to lead a successful internship program. Find out how to help your interns make the most of their internship experience below!
Help Them Set Goals
Before the internship officially starts, work with your new interns to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) goals for the duration of the program. Because they will have achievable and measurable goals to show on a resume, you can easily help boost their confidence and value as a young professional while furthering your company’s overall goals. It’s no secret that busy work isn’t the most rewarding aspect of any job, so by providing them with large-picture ideas, your interns will feel a larger sense of purpose as well.
Balance Their Existing Strengths
While most interns have no previous professional work experience, they likely have some skills or tasks that they are great at. A good manager takes advantage of these skills and allows them to excel and show off what they are good at! Once you have identified your intern’s strengths, it is also easier to identify areas that need improvement. Many successful organizations structure their program to devise multiple projects for their interns—some focusing on the intern’s strengths and others in areas where the intern has little experience. This not only provides the intern an opportunity to sharpen their pre-existing skill set but allows them to be exposed to new areas of expertise, which will broaden their experience and marketability.
Provide Meaningful Tasks
By the end of an internship, your interns should have something tangible to show for their experience outside of a timecard signature or letter of completion. Consider the amount of time you want your interns to work each week and schedule meaningful projects and tasks around their weekly schedule. At Campus Wichita, we recommend that interns work at least 20 hours per week to minimize an abundance of daily tasks and busywork. Working enough hours each week means that your interns can create and own something and see a project through from the beginning to the end. This way, they will have something to include on their resume and spotlight in their portfolio. At the beginning of the program, identify a project your intern can accomplish during the duration of the internship, and allow them to demonstrate their problem-solving skills to create actual results!
Schedule Regular Check-Ins
It’s easy for interns to feel left alone once they start working on their daily assignments and tasks, so it is beneficial to schedule regular check-ins to keep them informed about upcoming projects and provide feedback on their previous or current work. Touch base with your interns daily, schedule weekly or bi-weekly meetings for lengthier conversations about work performance, and allow the opportunity for your interns to ask any questions. While this may seem like an added time constraint to your already busy schedule, you can keep these brief while still allotting enough time to make your intern feel like a valued part of the team!
Join Campus Wichita for Free
Are you ready to join Campus Wichita? Create an employer account, then add an internship opportunity or multiple opportunities for intern candidates to review.