Consider whether your organization might be able to offer rotational internships
that help students get to know multiple areas within your professional scope. Rotational programs are one of the most popular options for students today, who see interning as a fundamental way to discover where their greatest career potential lies. Rotational opportunities can offer students the variety they need to inform important career decisions they’ll make.
Now, perhaps more than ever,
students prioritize opportunities that will allow them to be involved in meaningful and high impact work
.
That being said, it’s a reality of the working world that not every task, or every day, will be glamorous and fun. Set expectations with intern candidates during your hiring process about this, and make sure to explain that seemingly dull or administrative tasks often play a vital role in your organization running smoothly and thriving.
Set criteria for and evaluate the performance of your interns
.
Especially in internships that may convert to a full-time offer, performance-related conversations help keep everyone on the same page. Doing so also ensures that your organization maximizes the return on your investment in student help. These conversations can happen as frequently as makes sense for your team, but at the very least, a final performance evaluation should be conducted at the conclusion of an internship.
Solicit feedback from stakeholders
involved in the internship program. By surveying interns, their managers, and others involved, you’ll likely receive valuable insights that allow you to develop and improve your program for all involved.
With recruiting timelines in several industries moving up,
plan a strategy around students who ultimately renege on their internship offers
.
Although career services staff do their best to instill in students that this is not an acceptable course of action, it will likely happen more frequently due to increased competition for talent and earlier internship offers being made.
