Congratulations, you’ve decided to hire an intern! You created the job description, already started interviewing and maybe even have a candidate or two picked out. But what happens once you make that job offer?
From their first day to their final presentation, there’s a lot that can happen during an internship and, if you’re new to hosting interns, envisioning what an internship looks like at your company can be difficult.
As part of SciTech’s Recruiter’s Roadmap Series, we’re here to simplify the hiring and onboarding process for you so, if you haven’t already, check out our previous resources as most of them will be helpful when structuring your internship:
- Use the Need Assessment Tool to identify gaps in your workforce and build an internship project around them
- Use the Job Description Format Tool to craft a concise job description that will attract the right talent to your position
- Use the Interview Question Guide to craft strategic questions that will prompt meaningful and informative answers
And be sure to download the free Internship Structure Guide for easy organization as we take you through the planning process.
Download the free Internship Structure Tool
Start with an end goal
When structuring your internship, it’s best to start at the end and work backward.
Ask yourself, “When the internship is over, what do I want my intern to have accomplished?”
- What deliverables should be created?
- What projects should be completed?
- What skills should be developed?
Having the answers to these questions will help you create trackable tasks to populate a general schedule for your internship.
Tip: Scott Burwell, PhD, is the CEO and Founder of Neurotype Inc. Having hired his first interns when his company was still a startup, he learned a lot about how to manage students with such a small team.
His advice when structuring internships: “During their first week, have your interns draft an end-of-internship resume [that is to say, what new skills/ experiences do you hope to gain when this is over]. Then use that to build out their tasks.”
Knowing the end goal makes it easier to determine what the project looks like when it’s halfway done, and all the steps needed in between.
Include your interns in the plan
With an end goal established and progressive stages & tasks outlined, take some time at the start to sit down with your intern and determine where they can work independently and where assistance might be required so you can plan accordingly.
- What tools/programs are needed to complete these tasks?
- Do your interns have access to these tools or is that something you need to provide?
- Will they be operating on a standard procedure or do they need to learn a process unique to your company, and who’s responsible for instructing them?
Maintaining clear communication throughout is crucial! Right from the start, your interns should know who their main point of contact is in case they have questions, with clear communication channels set up for easy outreach.
Tip: While many companies use Slack or Teams for internal communication, if you’re on a budget, CEO Scott Burwell recommends, “Use Discord instead of Slack -It’s free!”
Scheduling regular check-ins is a must, especially if the internship is hybrid or remote.
You can start with daily 15 minute check-ins the first week, if you feel it’s necessary, transitioning to a brief check-in meeting at the start and end of each week, and ending on a once-a-week check in as you near the end.
A scrum format is perfect for this :
- 15 minutes
- What did you do yesterday?
- What will you do today?
- Are there any impediments in your way?
It’s quick and easy, and it keeps everyone on the same page.
Defining a timeline
Since internships look different at every company, there’s no need to adhere to a strict internship schedule. But if it helps to visualize how a standard internship might progress, here’s a sample timeline you can build from.
This example is modeled off a standard fulltime summer internship: 40 hours a week, $21/ hour, Monday June 2 to Friday August 29, 13 weeks.
Week 1: Onboarding -share tools & access to company resources
Week 2: Intern begins primary project, weekly check-ins
Weeks 3-5: Maintain weekly check-ins, encourage questions, monitor progress
Week 6: Midway check-in -is the project on track? Assess & reflect, pivot if needed
Week 7-9: Maintain weekly check-ins, schedule company outings & teambuilding
Week 10-11: Maintain weekly check-ins, have intern prep for end of internship
Week 12-13: End of Internship Presentation -intern gets to present to full company/ executive team, share what they accomplished & what they learned.
An end-of-internship presentation is hugely beneficial, allowing the students to reflect on their progress and develop their presentation and public speaking skills, while including the wider team and giving them the chance to ask questions and share advice.
Remember, each internship is unique, there’s no “right way” to do it. Use this tool to create a general structure and then play things by ear. Be open to student suggestions and encourage their creativity. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with what they achieve.
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