Employer Internship Guide
Yawkey Center for Student Services | 100 Bay State Road, Sixth Floor | Boston, MA 02215T: 617-353-3590 | E: [email protected]
bu.edu/careers | facebook.com/buccd | @BU_CCD
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Internship Basics 1 DefinitionofanInternship BenefitsofanInternship Compensation
How To Develop an Internship Program 4 SetGoalsandWriteaPlan WritetheInternshipPositionDescription(s) RecruitmentandSelection OrientationandTraining Supervision
Resources 10 WorkingwiththeCenterforCareerDevelopment BUCenterforCareerDevelopmentEmployerPolicies AdditionalBUCareerCenters BUInternationalStudentsandScholarsOffice(ISSO) ProfessionalAssociationsforInternships
Appendices 12 I.SamplePositionDescription II.SampleLearningAgreement III.SampleReferenceLetter IV.SampleEvaluation
INTERNSHIP BASICSBostonUniversityandtheCenterforCareerDevelopment(CCD)staffencourageinternshipsasonewayforstudentstoexplorepossiblecareerpathsandgaineducationalexperienceinaspecificfieldorindustry.Internshipsarebeneficialthroughoutastudent’scollegejourneyandoftenhelpthemmakekeydecisionsabouttheirprofessionalfuture.TheCCDsupportsBUstudentsastheynavigateallaspectsofcareerdevelopmentandsupportsemployersastheyrecruitforinternshipsandjobs. WehopethatthisguidewillserveasaresourceforyourHRdepartmentand/orthedepartmentthatwilloverseeyourinternshipprogram.Inaddition,werecommendsharingthisguidewiththeinternshipsupervisortoprovideinformationonorientations,supervision,andtrainings. Asarespectedresourceforcareerservicesprofessionalsandemployers,theCCDadherestoguidelinessetforthbytheNationalAssociationofCollegesandEmployers(NACE),referencedthroughoutthisguide.NACEisaleadingsourceofinformationrelatedtothecareerdevelopment,recruitment,andhiringofcollegestudents.Formoreinformation,visitNACE’swebsite:naceweb.org.
DEFINITION OF AN INTERNSHIP Aninternshipisanopportunityforstudentstohavesupervised,educationalandpracticalexperienceinacareerfieldofinterest,aswellastoexpandindustryknowledgeandbuildskills.Unlikevolunteeringorpart-timejobs,internshipsincludeintentionalmentoring,networking,andskilldevelopment,aswellasopportunitiestolearnmoreaboutaspecificfield.Internshipscantakevariousforms—part-orfull-time,paidorunpaid—areusuallytwotosixmonthsinduration,andaregenerallyone-timeexperiences.
Pleasetakethefollowingcriteriaintoconsiderationasyourorganizationcreatesaninternshipprogram:• Aninternshipshouldhaveadetailedpositiondescriptionaswellassetbeginningandenddates.• Aprofessionalstaffmemberwithexpertiseinthefieldshouldsupervisetheintern.• Aninternshouldhavewell-definedlearningobjectives,whicharerelatedtohis/heracademicand
professionalgoals.• Thesupervisorshouldprovideregularfeedbacktoenhancetheintern’slearningobjectives.• Theorganizationshouldprovideresources,equipment,andfacilitiesthatsupporttheintern’slearning
objectives/goals.• Theskillsgainedduringaninternshipshouldbetransferabletootherworksettings.
BENEFITS OF AN INTERNSHIP Bothemployersandstudentsbenefitfrominternships.Employershavetheopportunitytotrainandsupervise,whilestudentsareabletocomplementtheiracademiccourseworkwithanexperientiallearningopportunity. HOW DO EMPLOYERS BENEFIT FROM INTERNSHIPS?Internsaddvaluetoanorganizationinavarietyofways,including:
• Accesstoenthusiastic,innovative,andhighlymotivatedpre-professionalswhocontributefreshperspectivesandnewideas
• Achancetoprovideprofessionalcontextforstudents’academiccourseknowledge• Aproven,cost-effectivewaytorecruitandevaluatepotentialfull-timeemployees• Aprofessionaldevelopmentopportunityforstafftosuperviseandmentorothers• Increaseddiversityintheworkplace• Thesatisfactionofhelpingstudentsprogressintheirpersonalandcareerdevelopment• Developmentofrelationshipswithcolleges/universitiesandincreasedvisibilityoftheirorganizationon
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campus• Freeadvertising,astheinternwillinevitablytalkabouthis/herexperience;theCCDoffersopportunities
forstudentstosharetheirinternshipexperiences,suchasinternshipstories(bu.edu/careers/about-us/news/internship-series/)featuredontheCCDwebsiteandtheannualSummerExperienceShowcase
HOW DO STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM INTERNSHIPS?Internshipsallowstudentstoexplorecareeroptionsanddeveloptransferable,career-relatedskillsandknowledge,aswellascomplementtheiracademicstudieswithfirst-hand,professionalexperiences.Duringaninternship,studentswill:
• Applyclassroomknowledgeandlearningtoaworkplaceexperience• Learndirectlyfromexperiencedprofessionals• Refineacademicinterestsandlong-termcareergoals• Networkanddevelopprofessionalcontacts,mentors,andreferences
COMPENSATION
Internships,whetherpaidorunpaid,canprovideanopportunityforstudentstoacquireindustryexperienceanddevelopskills.Itisimportanttoensurethattheinternshipprovidesaplacefortheinterntolearnandconnecttheirclassroomknowledgetotheworkplace,withtheinternbeingtheprimarybeneficiaryduringtheexperience.
Thestandardsregardinginternshipcompensationhaveandcontinuetochangeastheyaredebatedinthecourtsystem.BostonUniversityCenterforCareerDevelopmentdoesnotprovidelegaladvice.EmployersinterestedinprovidinginternshipsforBostonUniversitystudentsareencouragedtoconsultwiththeirownadvisorsregardingcompliancewithcurrentcompensationstandards.WeencourageyoutoreviewthefollowinginformationprovidedbyNACE:
NACE Position Statement on U.S. Internships: naceweb.org/connections/advocacy/internship_position_paper/
NACE: Appeals Court Vacates Ruling in Unpaid Internship Case: naceweb.org/internships/legal-ruling-unpaid-internships-learning-experience.aspx
Please note that the CCD reserves the right to reject any internship or job posting on BU CareerLink.
PAID INTERNSHIPSWhendeterminingwagesforaninternshipprogram,manyemployersusethesalarytheypayanentry-levelemployeeasastartingpoint.Internpayratesvarybasedonthestudent’sexperienceandtheinternship’sfunctionalarea.Internswhoarepaidmaybemorefocusedbecausetheymaynothavetoseekalternativesourcesofincometosupportthemselvesduringtheinternship.
Formoreinformation,refertoNACE’srecommendationsforsettinginternsalaries:naceweb.org/s01102013/intern-salaries.aspx.
NACEalsoreportedhourlywagesforinternsbasedontheresultsoftheir2015Internship&Co-opSurvey:naceweb.org/uploadedFiles/Content/static-assets/downloads/executive-summary/2015-internship-co-op-survey-executive-summary.pdf
UNPAID INTERNSHIPSNotallorganizationsareabletopayinternsandinsteadhostunpaidinternships.Ifthisisthecase,itisimportanttounderstandthatunpaidinternshipsarenotafeasibleoptionforallstudents.Considerthefollowingwhenplanningtoofferunpaidinternships:
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• Hours:Studentsmayneedtofindapart-time,paidpositiontohelpmeettheirfinancialneeds.Thismaybeachallengeiftheunpaidinternshipisfulltimeorifthehoursarenotflexible.
• Non-monetary Benefits:Considerofferingnon-monetarybenefits,suchasopportunitiesforprofessionaldevelopmentaswellasassistancewithhousing,transportation,and/ormeals.Housingandtransportationstipendsmaybeparticularlyattractivetocandidatesiftheywouldhavetorelocatefortheinternship.
ACADEMIC CREDITBostonUniversitydoesnotcurrentlyhaveaUniversity-widepolicyregardinginternshipsforacademiccredit.Thevariousschoolsandcollegesdeterminetheirownpolicies.Itisthestudent’sresponsibilitytoworkwithhis/herschoolorcollegewhenpursuingacademiccreditforaninternship.Academiccreditisnotconsideredaformofinternshipcompensation.EmployersshouldnotrelyonBostonUniversity’sdecisiontograntacademiccreditwhendeterminingtohostapaidorunpaidinternship.
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HOW TO DEVELOP AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Asyoudevelopandimplementaninternshipprogram,preparationandstructurewillhelppositionyouforsuccess.Whetheryouhaveonlyoneinternorseveral,astructuredinternshipprogramisanimportantpartofestablishingameaningfulexperienceforallparties.
SET GOALS AND CREATE A PLANIdentifywhatyourorganizationhopestoachievefromaninternshipprogram.Goalsandexpectationsshouldbeclearlyoutlinedfortheintern,supervisor,andorganizationpriortotherecruitingprocess.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER• How many interns does your organization need?Iftherewillbeseveralinterns,willtheyworkona
teamorhavetheopportunitytoconnectandsharetheirexperiences?• Will the intern be compensated?Wagesvarywidelyfromfieldtofield;besureyoursarecompetitive
andincompliancewiththeU.S.DepartmentofLabor’sFairLaborStandardsAct(seethecompensationsectionformoredetails).
• Is there a dedicated work area for the intern?Inorderfortheinterntobesuccessful,he/shemusthaveallofthenecessarytoolstocompletethejob(e.g.,desk,chair,phone,computer,etc.)aswellasaccesstoanyneededsystems.
• What will the intern’s time commitment be?Ifitisapart-timeinternship,howflexiblewilltheworkschedulebe?
• What sort of academic background and experience do you want in an intern? Identifythequalitiesandskillsthataremostimportant.
• Who will supervise the intern?Inadditiontoidentifyingthisindividual,determinethetypeofsupervisiontheinternwillreceive,includingfrequencyofmeetingsandopportunitiesforevaluationandfeedback.Thesupervisorshouldbeaprofessionalstaffmemberwithexpertiseandeducationaland/orprofessionalbackgroundinthefield.Werecommendthatthesupervisorbeon-siteandeasilyaccessible.
• What will the intern’s responsibilities entail?Beasspecificaspossiblewhenoutliningprojectsthatcanberealisticallyaccomplishedduringthecourseoftheinternship.
• Will the intern be assigned to one department or rotate through several? Iftheinternshipisrotating,makesurethatprojectscanbecompleted.
• Are there professional development opportunities that support the intern’s learning objectives? Thesecouldincludeattendingstaffandprofessionalassociationmeetings,seminars,trainingsessions,executivelunches,socialprograms,networkingevents,andmore.
WRITE THE POSITION DESCRIPTION(S)Adetailedpositiondescriptionprovidesstudentswithabetterunderstandingofwhatthepositionentails.Studentsarethenabletoseewhethertheinternshipisofinterestandifitwouldbeagoodfit.
Startbyestablishingapreliminarylistofactivitiesthatwillfittheneedsofyourorganization.Adetaileddescriptionoftaskswillhelpcareercenterstaffpromotetheinternshipandhelpyoutoscreentherightcandidates.Whenyouselectaninterntojoinyourteam,wesuggestthatyoureviewtheplannedresponsibilitiesandmodifythemaccordingtotheintern’sexistingknowledgeandindividualinternshiplearninggoals.
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INTERNSHIP POSTING TIPSYourinternshippositiondescriptionshouldbebothaccurateandappealing.Herearesometipsonhowtowriteaneffectivedescriptionthatencouragesstudentstoapply.PleaseseetheAppendixforasamplepositiondescription.
• Title• Thetitleshouldaccuratelyreflecttheworkthattheinternwillperform.• Addadescriptivewordtoamoregeneraltitle.Example:“marketingintern”
• Summary• Startwithabriefovervieworsummaryoftheinternship’smainresponsibilities.Keepthisshort
andtothepoint:onetothreesentences.• Listalloftheessentialfunctionsoftheinternship.Begineachresponsibilitywithapresenttense
actionverb.Beasspecificaspossible.Examples:“researchsocialmediatrends”or“monitorandrespondtosoftwareproblems”
• Indicatehowfrequentlyataskwillbeperformedorwhatpercentageoftimeitrequires.Thishelpsapplicantsformanideaofwhatatypicaldaymaylooklike.
• Includeadescriptionoftheskillsthestudentmaydevelopduringtheinternship.Example:“developeffectivepeercounselingskills”
• Skills and Qualifications• Listallqualifications,bothmandatoryandpreferred.• Includeadesiredyearinschool,majors/minors,orspecificcourses.Weencourageorganizations
tothinkbroadlyabouttheskillsandqualificationslisted.Forexample,ifyouarelookingforstudentsmajoringinfinanceoraccounting,consideropeningthepositionuptostudentsmajoringineconomicsormath.
• Organization Overview• Describeyourorganization’smissionandgoals.• Addinterestingfactsorusefulinformationaboutyourorganizationthatwouldcatchastudent’s
attention.Thiscanincludeinformationontheorganization’shistory,workculture,awards,andmore.
• Location and Travel • Includedetailsonwherethepositionislocated.• Iftravelisrequired,notethelocation(s),timeperiod,andpurpose.
• Compensation• Indicatehowthestudentwillbecompensated—thismayincludenon-monetarybenefits(e.g.,free/
discountedroomandboard,opportunitiesforprofessionaldevelopment,commutingexpenses,etc.).
• Iftheinternshipisunpaid,thisshouldbeclearlystatedinthepositiondescription.• Format and Deadlines
• Usebulletpointswhenpossibletomakethedescriptioneasiertoread.• Includeanapplicationdeadlinetoencouragecandidatestoapplyinatimelymanner.
RECRUITMENT AND SELECTIONWesuggestthatyoubeginrecruitingforyourinternshipprogramatleastthreetofourmonthsbeforetheinternshipstartdate.Thelongeryouacceptapplications,thebetteryourchanceoffindingthebestcandidatesfortheinternship.Thesooneryousecureanintern,thelongeryouhavetoformagoodworkingrelationship.
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THE INTERVIEWItisimportanttoselectaninternjustascarefullyasyouselectpermanentemployees.Theinterviewisvitaltoidentifyingandselectingtherightpersonfortheposition.Conductingmultipleinterviewscangiveyoumoretimetodeterminewhethersomeoneisagoodfit.
Therearemanywaystoconductinterviews,includingbyphoneandinperson.On-campusinterviewsprovideemployerswithaprofessionalsettingtointerviewBUstudentsandalumni.Theyareconvenientforstudentswhohavebusyschedules,enablingthemtoengagewithemployersinaspacethatisfamiliarandeasilyaccessible.On-siteinterviewsarevaluablebecausecandidatesareabletoseetheworkenvironment,gainabetterunderstandingoftheorganizationalculture,andmeetotherstaffmembers.
Duringtheinterviewprocess,behonestwithcandidatesaboutwhattheycanexpectduringtheinternship.Ensurethattheyclearlyunderstandthegoalsandexpectationsoftheinternshipprogramsotheyarewellinformed.
THE OFFERWhenyouhaveselectedaninternandarereadytomakeanoffer,werecommendthatyounotifythestudentbysendinganofferletter.Thisshouldinclude:
• Dates/durationoftheinternship• Compensation• Offerdeadline• Contactinformation
Bothstudentsandemployersbenefitbyestablishingreasonableofferdeadlines.Whendeterminingadeadline,givethestudentampletimetothoroughlyevaluatetheoffer,havequestionsanswered,andgainadditionalinformation.Offerdeadlineswillvarydependingontheindustry,thestudent’spriorexperiencewiththeemployer,andoffertiming.
Youshouldavoidplacingunnecessarypressureonthestudent.Pressurecancomenotonlyfromaquickofferdeadline,butalsofromtheuseoffinancialincentives(e.g.,signingbonuses,increasedsalary,andsoforth),whichencourageearlyacceptance.Althoughbothstudentsandemployersbenefitthroughpromptcommunication,itcanalsoincreasethesenseofurgencyandshortenthetimestudentshavetomakewell-informeddecisions.
Formoreinformationonmakinganinternshipoffer,werecommendthatyoureviewNACE’sguidelinesforreasonableofferdeadlines:naceweb.org/principles/reasonable_offer.htm.
ORIENTATION AND TRAININGAnintentional,well-designedorientationandongoingtrainingwillhelptoclarifygoalsandlearningobjectives,providetheinternwithinformationabouttheorganization,andbetterpositionhim/herforasuccessfulinternship.
PRIOR TO THE FIRST DAY• Establishanorganizedworkspacefortheintern.• Setupequipmentandanytechnicalresources,suchasaphone,voicemail,computer,email,Internet
access,andmore.• Outlinetheexpectationsfortheinternship.Expectationsmaybemodifiedbasedontheintern’s
knowledgeandlearninggoals.• Prepareanyformstobesigned.• Ifthishasnotalreadybeendone,identifytheintern’ssupervisor.• Briefyourstaffontheintern’simpendingarrivalandprimaryrole.
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FIRST DAY/ORIENTATIONOncetheinternstarts,orienthim/hertotheworkplacebyprovidinganoverviewofyourorganization,makingintroductionstostaffmembers,discussinglearningobjectivesandresponsibilities,andgivingatourofthefacility.Belowareadditionaltopics(withassociatedquestions)toaddressduringorientation:
• The Mission of the Organization• Whatisthehistoryoftheorganization?• Whatisuniqueaboutyourproductsorservices?• Whobenefitsfromyourproductsorservices?• Whataretheorganization’scurrentobjectives?• Howmaytheinterncontributetothoseobjectives?
• The Structure of the Organization • Whoreportstowhom?• Whataretheresponsibilitiesoftheintern’sdepartment?• Howaredecisionsmade?• Whichpersonnelcananswerdifferentkindsofquestions?
• Rules, Policies, Decorum, and Expectations• Aretherepoliciesand/orexpectationsregardingpersonaluseofcellphones,computers,and
socialmediaduringtheworkday?• Isthereanyindustry-ororganization-specificterminologytheinternshouldknow?• Whatarethespecificworkstandardsandprocedures?• Whataccessdoestheinternhavetothesupervisor(days,times,andduration)?• Howdotheemailandtelephonesystemswork?• Whatarethesafetyregulationsforinterns?• Isthereaprocedureforreceivingapprovaloncompletedwork?• Whatformsorreportsneedtobecompleted(ifany)?• Whatlocal,state,and/orfederalguidelinesorlawsapplytotheintern’swork?• Whatsecurityorconfidentialityissuesdoestheinternneedtoknow?• Isthereanofficedresscode?Whatdoesitentail?• Howshouldtheinternmaintainhis/herworkarea?
• The Intern’s Responsibilities• Whatistheintern’srole?• Whatprojectswillbeassignedtotheintern?• Whatresourcesareavailablefortheintern?• Whattrainingisnecessary?• Whattaskscanbecompletedwithoutsupervisoryapproval?
ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIESEducationalandprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiessupporttheintern’slearningobjectivesandcomplementhis/herworkresponsibilities.
• Givetheinternmaterialsabouttheorganizationtoreadsuchasnewsletters,annualreports,anorganizationalchart,ororganization-widememosfromtheCEO.
• Encouragetheinterntospendbreaksandlunchesinplaceswhereemployeesgather.• Givetheinternopportunitiestoobserve(orparticipatein)professionalmeetings.
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• Allowtheinterntoconductinformationalinterviewsorconnectwithotheremployees.Encouragetheinterntoobserveothersatworkandtoschedulemeetingsforjobshadowingexperiences.
• Allowtheinterntoattendprofessionalassociationmeetingsorconferences,iffeasible.
SUPERVISIONItisimportantfortheinternshipsupervisortoestablisharelationshipwiththeinternearlyasthisoftensetsacrucialtonefortheexperience.Theinternwilllooktotheinternshipsupervisorasamentorwhowillassisthis/hertransitionfromtheclassroomtotheworkenvironment.Agreatinternshipsupervisorshouldbeabletosupporttheinternby:
• Providingleadership • Motivatingtheinterntocompletetasks• Delegatingtasksandprojectseffectively• Communicatingwell• Developingandtrainingtheintern• Evaluatinghis/herprogress
LEARNING AGREEMENTAtthestartoftheinternship,itisimportanttotaketimetodiscussgoals,objectives,andanactionplanfortheinternship.Werecommendthatthesupervisorandtheinterncompletealearningagreementthatdetailstheintern’sresponsibilitiesandlearningobjectives.Thiscanbereferencedthroughouttheinternshipandthroughouttheevaluationprocess.Inaddition,thislearningagreementhelpsthestudentsetcleargoalsfortheinternshipandhelpsthemtokeeptrackofwhattheywillaccomplishthroughouttheirexperience.
PleaseseetheAppendixforasamplelearningagreementform.
EXPLAIN PROJECTS AND PROVIDE FREQUENT FEEDBACKWhenthesupervisorassignswork,makesurethereisadetailedexplanation.Whiletheprojectmayseemcleartothesupervisor,itmaynotbeobvioustosomeonewho’sneverdoneitbefore.Theextratimespentatthebeginningwillpayofflaterwhentheinterncanproducegoodworkindependently.
Wesuggestthatthesupervisormeetwiththeinternregularlytoprovidefeedbackconcerninghis/herperformance.Duringthesemeetings,theinterncan:
• Reportonthestatusofaproject• Askquestions• Participateinanevaluationofhis/herstrengths• Discussareasneedinggrowthanddevelopment• Getasenseofthekindofworkthatliesahead
Atthesametimethesupervisorwillhaveanopportunitytocoach,counsel,andreinforcepositiveattitudesandperformance.
GET TO KNOW THE INTERN’S WORK STYLEThroughouttheinternshipexperience,theinternshipsupervisorwillbecomefamiliarwiththeintern’sworkstyle,aswellashis/herstrengthsandweaknesses.Thesupervisorshould:
• Utilizetheintern’sstrengthsbyassigningprojectsthatalignwell• Assignprojectsthatarechallengingandthatrequiretheinterntobuildnewskills• Payattentiontotheintern’sbehaviorfromthebeginningoftheexperience;thismakesiteasierto
addressanyproblemsorbadhabitsearly• Recognizechangesintheintern’sbehavior;behavioralchangesmaybeasignthattheinternis
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experiencingproblemsintheinternship.Forexample,he/shemaybejugglingtoomanyresponsibilitiesormayhavehitanobstaclewithaproject,butmaybehesitanttovoicehis/herconcerns.
• Maintainanopenchannelofcommunicationandaddressanyconcernsinatimelyfashion
EVALUATE THE INTERN’S PROGRESSEvaluationisanimportantcomponentoftheinternshipandshouldhappenthroughouttheexperiencetohelpavoidcommonproblems,includingmiscommunication,misunderstandingofrolesandtasks,andlackofspecificgoalsandobjectives.
• The first evaluationshouldbescheduledwithinthefirstfewweeksoftheinternship.Thiswillhelpthesupervisordeterminewhethertheintern’sorientationandtrainingweresufficient,orifthereareanylingeringquestions.Thisalsoprovidesanopportunitytoaddressanyconcernsandtoensurethatthegoalsandexpectationsareclear.Thesupervisorshouldconsiderthequalityandtimelinessoftheworkproducedtodate,theintern’sabilitytofollowdirections,workhabits,andareasneedinggrowthanddevelopment.Thelearningagreementcanbereferencedduringthistimetoensurethattheinternisworkingtowardstheirassignedobjectivesandgoals.
• The second evaluationshouldoccuratthemidpointintheinternship.Thisisanopportunitytoassesstheintern’sprogresstowardsassignedgoalsandtodeterminewhatresourcesarenecessarytocompleteassignments.
• A final evaluationshouldoccurduringthefinalweekoftheinternship.Thisisanopportunitytomeasuretheintern’simpactontheorganizationanddetermineiftheorganization’sneedsweremet.Reflectingontheinternshiphelpstheinterntoidentifyhis/herstrengthsandareasforgrowth.Thesupervisorshouldencouragetheinterntobehonestabouthis/herexperience,asthiswillhelptodeterminethevalueoftheworkforfutureinterns.Inordertomeasuretheprogram’ssuccess,thesupervisorshouldrefertothelearningagreementandthestatedprogramgoals.
PleaseseetheAppendixforasampleevaluationform.
BEFORE THE INTERN LEAVESAnappropriateoff-boardingprocessprovidesclosureandhelpsconcludetheinternshipexperience.Beforetheinternshipconcludes,thesupervisorshould:
• Confirmtheintern’slastdayandnotifystaffmembers• Encouragetheinterntostayengagedandmakethemostoftheremainingtime• Offertobeareferencefortheintern(seeAppendixforasamplereferenceletter)• Suggesttheinternconductinformationalinterviewswithstaffmembers,ifhe/shehasyettodoso• Ensurethattheinterntransfersanyprojectstothesupervisororanotherstaffmember• Remindtheinterntoreturnanyorganizationalproperty• Asktheinterntoleavehis/hercontactinformation• Thanktheinternforhis/herefforts
Additionally,iftheinternshipwentfavorably,thesupervisorand/orHRmaywanttodiscussfutureemploymentopportunities.
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RESOURCES
WORKING WITH THE CENTER FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT TheCCDassistsorganizationsinmeetingtheirrecruitingneeds.Asafirststep,employersareencouragedtopostinternshipsonBUCareerLink,ourNACElinkNetworksystempoweredbySymplicity.Additionally,campusrecruitingactivitieshelptoconnectstudentswithemployersandtobroadenstudents’awarenessofavailableinternshipsandjobs.
POSTING INTERNSHIPS ON BU CAREERLINKQuicklyandeasilypostinternship(andjob)opportunitiesviaBUCareerLink.Employerscanreceiveonlineapplicationsdirectlythroughthesystemandfindpotentialcandidatesthroughresumebooks.
GetstartedwithBUCareerLink:https://careers-bu-csm.symplicity.com/employers/.
CAMPUS RECRUITING ACTIVITIESCampusrecruitingactivitiesconnectemployerswithBUtalentandincreasethevisibilityoftheirorganizationsoncampus.TheycanhelpemployerstoestablishastrongerpresenceatBU,informstudentsabouttheirorganizations,recruitstudentsforinternshipandjobopportunities,and/orshareindustryknowledge.TheCCDoffers:
• InformationSessions• MeetandGreets• Employer-in-Residence• Skills-BasedWorkshops• CareerExpos/Fairs• On-CampusInterviews
Learnmoreaboutemployerengagementopportunities:bu.edu/careers/for-employers/
SignupwithBUCareerLink:https://careers-bu-csm.symplicity.com/employers/
Forquestionsorassistance,contacttheemployerrelationsteamatbucareer@bu.eduorcall617-353-3590.
BU CENTER FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT EMPLOYER POLICIES WeaskthatallemployersabidebytherecruitingpoliciesfoundontheCCDwebsite.Wehavepoliciesrelatedto:
• BUCareerLinkandRecruitingActivity• PostingUnpaidInternshipOpportunities• EqualOpportunity/AffirmativeAction
LearnmoreabouttheCCD’srecruitingpolicies:bu.edu/careers/for-employers/policies/
NACE PRINCIPLES FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE FOR EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALSBUadherestoNACE’sPrinciplesforProfessionalPracticeandrequiresthatallindividualswhoparticipateinrecruitingactivitiesabidebythesestandards.Theprinciplesforemploymentprofessionalsaddresstopicssuchasmakingoffers,servingalcohol,equalopportunityandaffirmativeaction,recruitmentactivitiesthroughstudentassociationsoracademicdepartments,andmore.
Foradditionalinformation,pleaseseeourwebsite:bu.edu/careers/for-employers/policies/
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ADDITIONAL BU CAREER CENTERS InadditiontotheCCD,severaloftheUniversity’sschoolsandcollegeshaveacareercentertailoredtotheirstudentpopulations.StudentsintheseschoolsandcollegesarewelcometousetheCCDaswellastheirowncareeroffice.
ViewafulllistofadditionalBUcareercenters:bu.edu/careers/additional-boston-university-career-centers/
BU INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS & SCHOLARS OFFICE (ISSO) Youshouldconsultyourlegalcounseland/ortheBUInternationalStudents&ScholarsOffice(ISSO)ifyouhaveanyquestionsorconcernsregardingtherecruitmentofinternationalstudents.
LearnmoreaboutISSO:bu.edu/isso
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS FOR INTERNSHIPSNational,memberorganizationscanofferadditionalassistanceforbuildingarobustinternshipprogram.Belowareafewthatwerecommend.
COOPERATIVE EDUCATION AND INTERNSHIP ASSOCIATION (CEIA)CEIAprovidesprofessionaldevelopmentandresourcestopractitionersinthefieldsofcooperativeeducationandinternshipprogrammanagement.
• Phone: 513-793-2342• Web: ceiainc.org
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND EMPLOYERS (NACE)NACEisaleadingsourceofinformationrelatedtothecareerdevelopment,recruitment,andhiringofcollegestudents.
• Phone: 800-544-5272• Web: naceweb.org
NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION (NSEE)NSEEisanonprofitmembershipassociationofeducators,businesses,andcommunityleaders.NSEEalsoservesasanationalresourcecenterforthedevelopmentandimprovementofexperientialeducationprogramsnationwide.
• Phone: 856-423-3427 • Web: nsee.org
SOURCES
Messiah College http://www.messiah.edu/crif/documents/StartingAnInternshipProgram-7thEdition.pdf
University of Connecticut http://career.uconn.edu/
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APPENDIX I: SAMPLE POSITION DESCRIPTION
Belowisasampleinternshippositiondescription,followingtheguidlinesandtipsoutlinedabove.
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW YouLearnisanonprofitorganizationthatprovideschildrenandadolescentsinBoston,MAwithafter-schooltutoring,mentoring,andrecreationalprograms.YouLearnstrivestocontributepositivelytotheintellectualandsocialdevelopmentofstudents.Wewanttobeavaluableresourceandpartnerforcommunitymembers.YouLearnwasrecognizedasoneoffivenonprofitorganizationstowatchintheupcomingyearbyTrends Magazine.
SPECIAL EVENTS INTERN TheSpecialEventsInternwillgaineventplanningexperienceatagrowingnonprofitorganization.Theinternwillbeexposedtoallaspectsoftheday-to-dayoperationsatYouLearn.TheinternwillbesupervisedbytheCommunityRelationsandEventsManager.TheinternshipwilltakeplaceatourBostonoffice,whichisaccessiblebypublictransportation.Theinternwillwork20hoursperweekduringthesummer.
RESPONSIBILITIES Theintern’sresponsibilitieswillincludethefollowing:
• Coordinatebiweeklysocialprogramsformentorsandmentees• Helpplanourannualcommunityeventandopenhouse;tasksincludecommunicationwithvarious
stakeholders(e.g.,students,parents,mentors,communitymembers)andcreationofprintedmaterials• Drafteventpromotionplan• DevelopandhonecommunicationskillsinworkingwithYouLearnstaffandvariousstakeholders
SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS • Abilitytomaintainahighlevelofaccuracyinwork;attentiontodetail• Strongcommunicator(bothoralandwritten)withapositiveattitude• Organizedindividualwhoisabletomanagebothshort-termandlong-termprojects• ProficiencyinMSWord,Excel,andPowerPoint• Interestineventplanning
COMPENSATIONTheSpecialEventsInternisapaidposition.Theinternwillalsohaveopportunitiesforprofessionaldevelopment,suchaslunchwithYouLearnleadership.
APPLICATION PROCESSToapply,pleaseuploadyourresumeandacoverlettertoBUCareerLinkdetailingyourinterestinYouLearnandrelevantskills/experienceandapplythroughthesystembyApril3,2015.
Formoreinformation,pleasevisitwww.youlearn.org.
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APPENDIX II: SAMPLE LEARNING AGREEMENT
Belowisasamplelearningagreementthatyoucanusewithyourinternoncehe/sheisonboard.Usethislearningagreementtosetgoalsandtoevaluatetheintern’sperformanceinreachingthoselearninggoals.
This agreement represents a joint effort between the intern and the internship supervisor to ensure a quality experiential learning opportunity.
STUDENT INFORMATION
Name
College/University ClassYear
Major(s)
Minor(s)
Email Mobile#
INTERNSHIP INFORMATION
Organization
Address
City State ZipCode Country
InternshipTitle
Department
StartDate CompletionDate
SupervisorName
Title
Email Telephone#
BriefDescriptionoftheIntern’sDutiesandResponsibilities
Learning Agreement
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GOALSWhatarethegoalsoftheinternship?Whatisthesupervisor’sgoalinhavinganintern?Whatistheintern’sgoalincompletingtheinternship?
OBJECTIVESWhatdoestheinternplantolearn?Whatskillsorknowledgeareasistheinternlookingtoimprove?Whatskillsorknowledgeareaswouldthesupervisorliketheinterntodevelop?Whatdoestheinternexpecttolearnduringtheinternshipintermsoftechnicaltraining,professional-skillstraining,andpersonaldevelopmentthatwillhelphim/herachievehis/hershort-,mid-andlong-termgoals?Pleaseidentify3–4specificskillstheinternhopestogain.Theobjectivesshouldbespecificandmeasurableandcanbeacademic,professional,orpersonal.
ACTION PLAN Howdoestheinternplantoachievetheobjectivesidentifiedabove?Whatactionsorprojectswilltheinternundertaketoachievethesegoals?Whatresourceswilltheinternneedandwhocanhelp?
CORE COMPETENCIES & SKILLS TO BE EVALUATED BY THE INTERNSHIP SUPERVISOR
• Writing(learnedorappliedwritingskillsinaworksetting)• SocialInteraction(workedcooperativelyandeffectivelywithothers)• OralCommunication(deliveredpresentationsand/orexpressedideasingroupsettings)• Research(developedresearchand/orinformationretrievalskillsandgainedknowledgeofinformationsources)• Quantitative(processeddataorideasanddrewconclusionsbasedontheinformation)• ProblemSolving(defined,analyzed,andsuggestedsolutionstoproblems)• EthicalImpact(gainedexposuretothecomplexityofethicaldecisionsintheworkplace)
SIGNATURESThisdocumentestablishesanagreementbetweentheinternandtheinternshipsupervisorforthedurationofthetimeindicated.
Theinternagreestofulfillthedutiesandresponsibilitiesasoutlinedbythesupervisor.
Theinternshipsupervisoragreestoprovidetheinternwithtraining,supervision,andevaluationnecessaryforrelevantexperientiallearning.Yoursignaturebelowsignifiesyourunderstandingof—andcompliancewith—theseresponsibilities.
InternSignature Date
InternName(printed)
SupervisorSignature Date
SupervisorName(printed)
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APPENDIX III: SAMPLE REFERENCE LETTER Belowisasamplereferenceletter.Westronglyrecommendthatsupervisorsactasreferencesforinternsuponcompletionoftheirinternship(iftheirworkwassatisfactory).
March9,2015 Ms.SusanSmith HumanResourceDirector GreatAds 6262AnywhereStreet Somewhere,MA07665
DearMs.Smith:
IhadthepleasureofworkingdirectlywithThomasThompsonduringhistimeasaMarketing&CommunicationsInternatEastArbor.Thomaswasprimarilyresponsiblefordraftingsocialmediacontent,brainstormingpotentialsocialcampaigns,monitoringconversationonsocialchannels,andanalyzingdatatoinformfutureefforts.Thomasperformedhisresponsibilitieswiththeutmostcompetence.
Thomas’sstrongverbalandwrittencommunicationsskillsallowedhimtorelayinformationinaclearandcoherentmanner.Heestablishedgoodrelationshipswithhiscolleaguesanddevelopedstronginterpersonalskillsthatwereunanimouslypraisedbycolleagues.
Thomastookadvantageofprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities,whichfurtheredhisunderstandingofandinterestintheindustry.ThomasdisplayedhisabilitytoapplywhathelearnedinhiscoursesbycreatingsocialmediacontentthatalignedwithEastArbor’ssocialmediastrategy.
Heclearlyhastheinterestandabilitytoexcelinthisfield.Therefore,Ihighlyrecommendhimwithoutreservation.IfyouneedanyfurtherinformationaboutThomas,pleasedonothesitatetocontactme.
Sincerely,
EmilyGotepils DirectorofRecruiting EastArbor 721WestAnywhereStreet NewYork,NY10021 [email protected] 212-580-5888
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APPENDIX IV: SAMPLE EVALUATION
Belowisasampleevaluationthattheinternshipsupervisorcanuseattheconclusionoftheinternship.
INTERNSHIP
Semester(circleone) Fall Spring Summer Year
Intern
Organization
Supervisor
Please evaluate the intern’s performance, level of professionalism, and the development of knowledge and skills during the internship experience. Supervisors are asked to share this evaluation with the intern.
SECTION 1: ATTRIBUTES & PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICSExceeded
ExpectationsMet
ExpectationsBelow
ExpectationsDependability � � �AbilityToLearn � � �AttitudeRegardingInternshipWork � � �LevelofProfessionalism � � �QuantityofWork � � �InterpersonalRelationships � � �AbilityToTakeDirection � � �Judgment � � �
Regular InconsistentAttendance � �
ConsistentlyProfessional
NeedsImprovement
Appearance � �
Comments
Supervisor Evaluation of Intern
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SECTION 2: CORE COMPETENCIES & SKILLSExceeded
ExpectationsMet
ExpectationsBelow
ExpectationsNot
ApplicableWritingLearned or applied writing skills in a work setting � � � �SocialInteractionWorked cooperatively and effectively with others � � � �OralCommunicationDelivered presentations and/or expressed ideas in group settings
� � � �
ResearchDeveloped research and/or information retrieval skills and gained knowledge of information sources
� � � �
QuantitativeProcessed data or ideas and drew conclusions based on the information
� � � �
ProblemSolvingDefined, analyzed, and suggested solutions to problems
� � � �
EthicalImpactGained an understanding of ethical implications in the workplace
� � � �
Yes NoThisreporthasbeendiscussedwiththestudent. � �
Comments
SupervisorSignature Date
InternSignature Date
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