Creating A Structured Internship Program

Position Placer officially launched earlier this year in April. Since the launch, the Position Placer team has been posting all the internship opportunities they acquire. We reach out to companies and speak with their HR and hiring departments. Many businesses are excited to see a hiring platform specifically designed for internships and are excited to try a more tailored hiring experience. It is important to remember a structured internship program gives the intern specific guidelines and expectations, allowing him/ her to thrive in the work environment.

INSTRUCTIONS & DIRECTION

In order for your interns to thrive, they need clear and direct instructions. This rule doesn't just apply to interns, but it should stand for all employees. When people have a clear focus and vision, the outcome is more often superb. It's when people are confused as to what is being asked of them, or confused about situations that oftentimes the results get muddled.

At the beginning of each month, week, or day, provide a clear objectives list. This list should clearly state what the intern is to accomplish by the due date. Clear instructions, a clear objective, combined with a clear due date should leave very little room for errors. Following direct task orders is crucial to the success of an employee.

CREATE AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

If you think your business can't provide internships because you don't have a program to follow, think again! All companies have an internship program, it is simply your training program. If you continue to think of interns as temporary workers, you will lose the value of your intern. Think of these interns as future employees. Begin to train these future employees while introducing new work for them to accomplish. The interns will start to learn about your company, how you conduct business and the company culture.

If the intern doesn't exactly fit the criteria or doesn't work out, the company has provided him/her with an amazing opportunity to learn and grow in the workplace. If the intern is a success and you the employer and asks him/her to return for another internship or full-time employment, he/she is lightyears ahead! The intern now knows so much about how your business runs, they can begin work with little to no training time!

FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT

As the employer, it is crucial to provide feedback to the interns. Each intern should have someone or a department head to report to. When the intern has a clear leader, clear instructions, and is provided clear feedback, it creates the perfect environment for the intern to grow.

Without constructive feedback, we can never get better. The department head or leader of the intern needs to provide regular feedback. Catching mistakes and explaining why it is a mistake allows the intern to clearly see how he/she can improve. Additionally, hard work should be recognized. When one feels good about the work they are doing, they feel proud. Proud to be apart of an organization that supports and recognizes the work their employees do. No compliment is too small!

EVALUATION SYSTEMS

Feedback ultimately tells the intern if they are doing their job correctly. One of the best feedback tools I learned from my favorite professor is simple, a rubric. A simple rubric is a visual representation for the intern to understand. Example: one side of the rubric states the task, and the other side states a number evaluation 1-5 scale or 1-10 (whatever one chooses). Now, the intern can clearly see if they missed the mark or hit a home run! They may be simple, but when used correctly, a rubric can be an extraordinary evaluation tool.