Summer Internships – Achieving an Ideal Experience

By Robin Reshwan, Founder of Collegial Services

Having a summer internship tops the list of best ways for a college student or new graduate to prepare for career success. However, not all internships are the same. Here are six tips to help your student make the most from an internship experience.

1. Plan for success. Is the employer prepared for an intern? Look for meaningful work duties, tangible projects, opportunities for accomplishments, and access to a mentor.

2. Goal of the internship. What does the employer want to accomplish by hiring an intern? Some managers use interns to tackle a project list while others use internships to build a pipeline of future career employees. Make sure your student’s needs (and expectations) are matched to the purpose of the internship.

3. Evaluations. Well thought out internship roles/programs should include performance evaluations. Performance measurement conveys what is expected and quantifies how a manager views abilities and results. Advise your student to ask for a feedback if evaluations are not offered.

4. Professional skill development. Will this role introduce or expand a desired or highly transferrable skill set? Advise your student to seek out projects with “take away” experience.

5. Paid or unpaid. It is always preferable to be paid for work; however, there are legitimate and meaningful unpaid internships. If your student can afford to take an unpaid internship, make sure that the role meets the federal criteria for an unpaid internship. * Primarily – will this qualify for academic credit OR does the intern get more from the role than the employer from the “free” labor?

6. Engagement. Will my student be committed and engaged? The manager AND the intern need to be active throughout the program for the best result. Internships result in exceptional career networking when the intern makes the most from the experience even after the role has ended.

Meaningful work outside of the classroom makes a significant positive impact on future “hire ability” and starting salary. Your efforts can assist your student in achieving an ideal internship experience today and set the foundation for their future career.

* Department of Labor guideline for unpaid internships: http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.pdf