the Ultimate Internship

Guide for Employers Table of Contents

Introduction 1 Internship Basics 1 The 8 Steps 4 1. Determine Your Needs 4 2. Explore Your Options 6 3. Know the Law 6 4. Develop a Compensation Plan 11 5. Create a Position Description and Work Plan 14 6. Fill the Position 15 7. Manage the Intern 18 8. Create a Clean Ending 21 Closing Remarks 21 Introduction

This guide will help employers understand the advantages that internships offer employers, the challenges to look for, and an 8­step process that will help you create a successful internship program. Follow these guidelines and make the internship a positive experience for you and your interns that will keep drawing more top talent back to your business each year.

Creating a Win-Win How do employers A great internship experience should be mutually beneficial for win when it comes to the employer and the intern. Internships are designed to allow students, recent graduates, or employees trying to change the internship careers to gain practical work experience and learn new skills. game? It actually This will vary a great deal depending on the intern’s area of looks like a WIN­ study, the type of work available for the intern at your business, WIN for both the and what kind of compensation the intern will receive. Internships employer and the can and should be designed to benefit both the student and the intern. employer. It all starts with purpose: why are you seeking an intern and why is the intern seeking an internship? Your answers to these questions will dictate which guidelines you will have to follow and whether you can you legally implement an unpaid intern program.

This guide will help you decide if an intern program is right for your business, if your internship should be paid or unpaid, and best practices to make your intern program successful. You can create a WIN­WIN internship program. Internship Basics Let's start with some basics... Common Reasons Employers Begin Internship Programs ● Create a pipeline for new talent ● Access fresh and creative minds to contribute new ideas and challenge old ones ● Cost­effective employment ● Employers enjoy the opportunity to teach and educate ● They use interns to test new positions and processes for their business ● They do work that full­time staff haven’t been able to complete ● Groom potential future employees ● Bring in new ideas and technology 1 Types of Internships Internships exist in almost every industry and business environment, from government to non­ profit to startup to enterprise. We even see “virtual internships” gaining popularity where an intern is allowed to work from home and correspond with the employer through a variety of digital communication tools. Internships are truly diverse and highly adaptable to fit a variety of situations.

Later we’ll outline what you can do to make sure you don’t get too creative with how you set up your intern program – and stay out of the “hot water” of internship compliance.

In general, internships fall into these 4 main categories: 1. Paid ­ Most internships found in the private and other business sectors fall into this category. These internships create an opportunity Paid for interns to learn while they “work” and get paid for it. 2. Unpaid ­ These offer no form of compensation. These are most commonly found in the not­for­profit organization sector. 3. For Credit ­ These internships allow students to earn credits that Unpaid count as academic coursework. This type must be strongly related to the student’s area of study and be approved by the university/academic department. This usually involves forms of documentation throughout For credit the internship term. Requirements of educational journals, essays, presentations, and midterm/final evaluations are all common requirements for this kind of internship. 4. Not for Credit ­ Students do not earn university credit for the Not For internship. Typically, to be included and listed in most universities as an internship opportunity for their students you will need to complete Credit proper forms and get pre­approval to post in their databases.

The Length of Internships Internships are most often adjusted according to academic schedules. Spring, summer, fall and winter are typically attached to the term of internship to indicate the academic season of the internship. They usually last for 3­4 months, just long enough for the intern to handle a few projects. Some extend beyond these typical time frames into year­long learning processes. Employers can also choose to keep interns on for multiple terms if it is going well, in hopes of continuing to groom them for full­time employment and recruiting. There are both part­time and full­time work schedules, but most are 15­20 hours a week. Summer internships are more often closer to full time.

2 Why Employers Love Internships Interns are a great option for employers for many reasons. Talented and hardworking interns have a great impact on a business – high quality work for a much lower wage than full­time employees. Internships can be used as a great recruiting tool to create brand awareness among colleges and universities in your area to keep attracting top talent. Internships can be seen as the ultimate extended interview, a key hiring tactic, a chance to preview work ethic, personality fit, skills, etc. Why Interns Love Internships Interns love internships because they gain valuable work experience, build their resume, learn new skills, and have the opportunity to get paid or earn college credit. Interns know that internships make you a more valuable candidate for future hiring opportunities.

Internships also allow a foot in the door of a business where the student is interested in working. There is no better way to gain valuable work experience that is needed to break into entry­level positions in many industries. They provide networking opportunities that students wouldn't have otherwise. They get to benefit from mentors, attend events, and have the opportunity to learn through experience which is the best kind of learning. What Interns are Really Looking For: ● Pay ­ The number one most attractive thing for interns – getting paid ● Opportunities that align with their chosen major ● Close supervision with guidance and feedback ● Real responsibilities ­ Having meaningful projects that affect the business not just “gofer” tasks, but an opportunity to actually learn ● Enjoyment ­ They want to be involved with a business that they actually click with and enjoy the work. They want to be thinking about creative ideas concerning the work they're doing even while at home and while talking with family and friends about the work they’re doing. If working at your company gives them bragging rights, this is a huge benefit. ● Learning new skills ­ Will it be challenging for them? Internships provide a great opportunity for interns to stretch themselves and try something they have never tried before. They want to learn how to use a new tool, learn something about business they didn’t know, develop themselves professionally, and gain new knowledge about the industry. ● Mentors – They like to absorb wisdom, gain expertise, have co­workers who genuinely care about them and their learning experience, etc. ● Respect – Yes, they may be a little “green” and they know that, but that doesn’t mean they have nothing to offer. They only ask for the opportunity to contribute ideas; they don’t demand that you use the ideas but they do like to be heard. ● Perks ­ For most broke students, “the little things” can make a big difference in whether an intern loves their internship. Small perks can go a long way. These perks could be attending events and workshops, meals, trips, etc. 3 8 Steps For Creating a Successful Internship Program Here's an 8­step guide to creating or re­evaluating your internship program... 8

If you’ve considered whether creating an intern position is right for your organization and have decided that it is a worthwhile endeavor, follow these steps to create the position and intern description.

1. Determine Your Needs And Fit

The very first step you should take is considering why/if you need an intern. An internship program without a clear purpose from the beginning will be headed for trouble. If your company has clear goals and a defined purpose it will allow you to more successfully define the work, and define qualified interns. It will also define what a job well done looks like and expected outcomes for your business and the intern. If your internship program’s purpose is to create a recruiting funnel and groom potential new hires, it will look much different than a program designed as an educational environment that provides credit for coursework at a university.

Consider these common needs and goals for employers and identify which applies to you: ● Creating a recruitment funnel by testing and grooming potential employees on a regular basis. ● Fill in a gap ­ You have projects that need to be done and you think an intern could handle them at a great price. ● Brand Insight ­ Your business will benefit from feedback and ideas from a more youthful employee that could provide you a fresh and valuable insight into your brand. ● You want to add more culture and community to your business by inviting interns into the company culture mix who bring new energy, perspective and community. ● A mixture of any of the above reasons.

Take a moment and note one thing: “free labor” did not make the list. Your intern position should be strictly focused on creating an educational environment where the student will not perform work that will only benefit your for­profit company; otherwise, you need to re­examine your purpose for hiring an intern. If the intern position is not worth filling at a low cost then the program will probably do more harm than good for your business.

4 "Having an intern for the sake of having an intern is a bad policy."

The goal of this step is to put you in a position where you will be able to begin defining goals, logistics, and details that will assist you in finding the right candidates. Ask Basic Logistic Questions:

● What kind of projects or assignments would the intern be assigned? ● What kind of experience or knowledge would be required to fulfill these? ● If you are setting up a partnership with a local university then you might consider how many college credits are required to participate in the internship. Do you need a certain number of credit hours done in the core business focus subject matter? ● What is the best time of year for the internship to take place? Consider your regular business seasons and make sure it is a strategically planned time. ● How long will the internship last? ● Do you have the practical things in place to support this, such as space, equipment, time, tools, etc.? Talk with other employees and managers. ● Can you get employee buy­in? Bounce the idea off any managers who you know would be involved. ● Does the rest of your organization see this as a good opportunity? ● Do they believe it will benefit the business? Will an intern be welcomed by other employees? ● Where will they work? ● When will they work? ● Do you have computers available? (If not many interns can use their own laptops.) Do you want company software or information loaded on an intern's personal laptop? ● Will it be easy to create email and computer login accounts for interns the first day they arrive? ● What will the policy be for things like parking passes, office keys, or security clearance for interns? ● Will interns need to sign a Non­Disclosure Agreement (NDA) or Offer Letter? Define a Supporting Culture Decide what the culture of your internship program will be like and define the tone that will accompany it. Will interns be embraced as employees? Will they be invited to company events and meetings? Will you have a few interns working together as a team or will you have them work individually in close communication with a designated supervisor? Will you assign them mentors in the company to show them the ropes? Maybe you’ll treat them like celebrities to try and win more new hires? Make sure your culture aligns with your purpose. 5 2. Explore Your Options

Once you have a clear purpose for creating an internship program, you are ready to start exploring the potential candidate pools that may be available to you. This will help you shape your position and discover what interns will be looking for and the type of work they will be able to perform.

We recommend starting your research by focusing on the students and universities you’d 8 like to reach that are in or near your area. Learn about their current student population. Find out what the students are like and how the university manages internships. Learn what communication is required by the university in order to partner with them to create an internship program. Discover which majors will be best to target, given your goals for the position. Discover the level of knowledge or course experience you might require candidates to possess.

3. Know The Law

With a clear purpose and a good idea of what kind of potential interns you might have access to, you need to get a grasp on the laws and regulations regarding internships.

This step will help you gain a basic grasp on the laws and regulations that could affect your internship program. We will cover 1) the FLSA and its potential impacts on your program, and 2) the ACA and what you need to know about any recent changes. In step 4 we will dive deeper into compensation and the laws that apply to this area, as well as best practices for interns. Overview The issue of regulatory compliance and interns grows each year. More lawsuits appear in the headlines related to internships, which brings new policies – the complexity continues to climb. Enforcement efforts have especially increased regarding unpaid internships. All businesses are under the microscope regarding compensation laws and internships.

As more employers try to take advantage of internships, and more young people look for ways to enter the workforce, internships and compliance crackdown will continue to climb. We encourage employers to strictly follow the guidelines to remain above reproach with the law – it will save you time and money in the long run.

Having a legally compliant internship program eliminates the risk of getting sued for back wages, can be a source of pride for your organization and interns, and helps make the entire process run smoothly.

6 The FLSA and Internships The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is all about a “fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.” The Act put in place things like a federal minimum wage, 8­hour workday, 40­hour workweek and overtime pay.

The FLSA does not define “intern,” thus, it does not exempt them from minimum wage or overtime laws. To add to the confuFsion, this doesL not necessarily Smean that studAent interns must be compensated. The FLSA states that any persons who perform some duties for an employer subject to the FLSA are considered “employees.” As such, “employees” are 8 entitled to compensation in accordance with applicable state and federal wage and hour laws. Most HR professionals and consultants take the position that interns, by definition, are professionals­in­training and employers who use an intern’s services should treat them as employees under FLSA protection.

In 2010 the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (they enforce the FLSA) released a new set of guidelines for unpaid internships in the form of a six­factor test. The new guidelines were meant to clear up confusion regarding paid vs. unpaid intern eligibility, but they have been criticized for creating more confusion instead due to vague language which leaves too much room for interpretation. See the guidelines below and our tips for following them. Determining the "Employment Status" of Your Intern Using the FLSA Six-Factor Test

The following list provides general information to help you determine whether your intern must be paid the minimum wage and/or overtime under the FLSA, commonly known as the “Six­Factor Test.” 1. The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment;

2. The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern; 3. The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff;

4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern, and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded; 5. The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for 6. the time spent in the internship. 7 If you're planning to have an unpaid internship program, make sure you meet the six requirements and you can back it up. Internships in the “for­profit” private sector will most often be viewed as employment, unless all six factors are met. Interns in the “for­profit” private sector who qualify as employees rather than trainees typically must be paid at least the minimum wage, and overtime compensation for hours worked over forty in a workweek as set forth in the DOL fact sheet #71 .

Look at compensation and design/arrange the details of the compensation plan according to the most recent laws and regulations (see more info below in Section 4 about legal considerations for compensation). Zooming In on the Six-FFactor TLest SA

"The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the 1. employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment" Don’t misinterpret this statement to mean that offering college credit automatically means you do not have to pay your interns. While the phrase “educational environment” is open to interpretation, the Department of Labor defines training as providing interns with skills that can be used in multiple employment settings. Providing interns with weekly workshops, software training, etc., are ways to increase your compliance with this rule.

2. "The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern"

The Department of Labor states that an unpaid intern should not be performing routine work of the business on a regular and recurring basis. Furthermore, the business cannot depend on the unpaid intern’s work.

"The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close 3. supervision of existing staff"

If you are using an intern to complete work that would normally fall under the responsibility of a regular employee, then you must pay the intern. In addition, if the unpaid intern is supervised like a regular employee it will be seen as an employment relationship rather than a training one, requiring compensation.

8 "The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the 4. internship"

It is illegal to use an unpaid internship as a trial period to test the water for a future hire. Trial periods for prospective full­time hires must comply with FLSA compensation laws. If the internship is unpaid you should make it explicitly clear that interns should not expect the internship to necessarily lead to a full­time position. 8 "The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from 5. the activities of the intern, and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded"

This is the most common factor cited for the legal reason that all interns working for a “for­ profit” company should be paid. It is very unlikely that you will not receive any benefit from your intern.

"The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages 6. for the time spent in the internship"

The unpaid nature of the internship must be clearly and contractually stated.

If all of the factors listed above are met, an employment relationship does not exist under the FLSA and the Act’s minimum wage and overtime provisions do not apply to the intern. If in doubt, Employers Resource recommends erring on the side of caution regarding these six factors.

After you decide that your intern is subject to FLSA regulations because they could be considered “doing work that benefits the employer,” make sure you follow all the FLSA regulations as you would with a normal employee. This includes federal minimum wage (make sure you check your state minimum wage as well), deductions, overtime, and others. See a complete summary of the FLSA here: http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/wh1282.pdf.

Special Note About Job Entitlement The internship should be of a fixed duration, established prior to the outset of the internship. Unpaid internships generally should not be used by the employer as a trial period for individuals seeking employment at the conclusion of the internship period. If an intern is placed with the employer for a trial period with the expectation that he or she will then be hired on a permanent basis, that individual generally would be considered an employee under the FLSA. 9 The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Internships Don’t forget about ACA considerations! You may never have given this notion a second thought in the past, but with the Affordable Care Act in place employers must adjust and change the way they offer health insurance to their team – sometimes this also means interns.

The new ACA guidelines may not affect every business, but it’s still a good idea to familiarize yourself with the basic requirements should the need arise for your business to 8 comply. ACA First, are you subject to the pay or play provisions? Are you at 50 employees or near it? If you have 50 employees or more your company is subject to following the ACA regulations. If you are near 50 employees make sure that bringing on the interns you plan to hire full­time do not put you over the 50 employee mark: this could drastically change the cost benefit of hiring these interns. Do you have to offer health insurance to your int5erns?0 Recent guidance associated with the Affordable Care Act included clarification surrounding the requirement to provide health coverage to full­time interns. We’ve decoded the confusing messages hidden in the ACA guidelines for you. Here’s what you need to know. If your business is subject to 'pay or play': ● Full­time (30 hours or more) paid interns must be offered health coverage, to avoid a penalty. ● Full­time paid interns at government entities can be excluded. ● Full­time unpaid interns are also excluded. ● If your full­time paid interns can be classified as seasonal workers, then you can exclude them. Seasonal is defined as working 6 months or less at approximately the same time each year. Be careful not to confuse short­term, full­time assignments with seasonal, full­time assignments.

Do Interns Qualify for Unemployment Insurance?

The requirements for unemployment insurance vary from state to state, but the vast majority of time interns qualify. If you are outsourcing your payroll, your vendor should be able to take care of this easily by deducting any necessary payments. If the intern is in a state where you do not currently have any employees, you will have to register at that state’s employment office. This is NOT a major hassle and shouldn’t discourage you from hiring interns.

10 4. Develop a Compensation Plan

The first question to answer is, “how should you compensate the intern?” It’s very important not to skip step number 3 before approaching this question. Know the law and then create a compensation plan for your internship program.

After you familiarize yourself with the potential laws that could come into play, you’ll 8 probably agree with our advice: if there is any doubt, pay the student. You’ll be happy you did, not just for compliance reasons but also for the quality of your interns and the success of your program. Unpaid internships certainly can be legal and completely acceptable given the right situation, but it is becoming increasingly less common. If you approach internships as a simple free labor solution, you are opening your business up to liability risk and costly lawsuits. We want to protect you from this.

If you are looking for a simple rule of thumb on internships and compensation, here it is: All employers in the for­profit business sector should pay interns at least minimum wage to avoid potential scrutiny and treat them as a normal employee in all other areas.

Once you have decided the purpose for your internship position, what kind of work the intern will be doing, and you understand the legal requirements for offering the internship opportunity, then outline the details of the benefits of the internship including payment, experience offered, and other potential perks of the internship. Way too often we see employers who address the compensation based on the applicants and try to “wing it.” This lack of planning will hurt the success of your program by negatively affecting the quality of applicants and your business.

Having your compensation plan clearly outlined will help you complete the following steps and attract more qualified interns. Compensation Unpaid internships are more and more tempting as the economy and job market continue to shrink. Government crackdown has also risen along with this growing interest. As students are getting more desperate and employers are looking for more cost­effective hiring strategies, over half of internships are unpaid. Your choice to not offer your intern compensation immediately excludes a large number of college students who need some level of payment to consider internship employment. Also, the best students have a lot of options to choose from and most can find positions that are exciting and offer some payment. 11 The number of paid internships has been increasing due to reasons listed above and more recently increases in legal requirements and enforcement, as well as the advantage that paid internships attract highly qualified candidates. Oftentimes, employers whose internship program meets unpaid qualifications still elect to offer compensation to attract better applicants. There are two immediate benefits to Paid Internships paid internships for employers: Money is the number one motivator for interns. 1) Attract better talent Students typically care more about monetary 2) Worry less about compliance 8 compensation than credits being awarded. Widen your hiring pool to attract talent that may be limited due to their financial situations. Paying your interns allows you to treat them more like professionals in your business. It allows your intern to play a more important and integral part of your business. Since you’re paying them you can expect more of them as you do with your employees. Paid interns are also more likely than unpaid interns to transition into successful, full­time employees.

PaIf iydo iun taerren lsohoikpisn ga froer aa gbrieeaflty aslttaetrenda rtuivlee otof thuirminbg oan f iunltle­trinmseh ipesm apnlod yceoem tpheants mataioyn ,o hr emrea iyt inso: t work out. Hiring and then letting go of an employee can be extremely laborious. Internships are a great alternative since it is understood from the beginning as a short­term agreement. This makes ending the relationship and employment much cleaner.

Research shows that companies who pay their interns are much more likely to retain their interns as future employees. The long­term value of this may be well worth the upfront cost. Unpaid Internship Compensation Unpaid internships do exist and they can be a great option for both interns and employers in the right situation. Fed and State Work-study Programs Work­study programs can subsidize the salary costs of your intern. Work­study programs are set up to help students who have financial need get hired for internships and other part­time work. Federal and state legislators allocate millions of dollars for various programs each year, which is then passed on to businesses that employ students who are eligible for financial aid. Employers can save anywhere from 25% to 100% on intern salaries by hiring work­study students.

Current work­study options are divided into Federal and State funded programs. These two types of programs are often further supported by individual universities who add their own funds to the mix. Each program has different eligibility requirements and reimbursements. Ultimately, if you discover that your company is eligible to receive reimbursement AND you hire a student who has financial need, then you will likely save thousands of dollars on your intern salary costs. 12 Simply offering college credit does not make an unpaid internship legal which would have otherwise been illegal. The phrase “educational environment” can be loosely translated. The hard truth is that if the intern benefits your company and you operate in the for­profit sector, you should probably play it safe and pay your intern. The safe route is to offer them minimum wage.

The burden is on the student for getting school credit. Students will have to visit their career centers and fill out the relevant paper work. Each school will have 8 different requirements for internships to qualify for school credit. Most of these requirements are fairly lax and vary so much from school to school that employers should not bother making their internships credit compliant until the student presents those requirements to them.

How Much Should You Pay an Intern?

Paying even minimum wage can radically improve the quality of applicants to your internship. It can also have a major impact on the intern’s attitude and morale as they carry out the work. A small increase above minimum wage can have a dramatic impact on the quality of applicants available to you. The best interns will ultimately have their pick of businesses for which to work.

Compliance Consideration for Compensation

Should Interns be Added to Payroll? Paid interns should be added to payroll like regular employees. You should be paying them on your typical payroll cycle.

How to Add Interns to Payroll the Compliant Way Treat your interns exactly like regular employees when it comes to adding them to payroll. The intern should file a W­4 form, and you will need to deduct the proper state and federal taxes. The only difference is that when you give them an offer letter, you should specify the unique short­term nature of the employment as well as any special notes about benefits.

13 5. Create a Position Description and Work Plan You know why you’re creating an internship program, you’re familiar with the quality and types of interns you have available to you, you know the law, and you have a compensation plan in place. You’re ready to create the position and work description.

In this step you will want to consider how to make the position challenging and educational, and create a clear outline of what you will expect of the intern.

Begin by creating a complete description of the type of work you will have the intern perform on a daily basis. Describe your business and the role the intern will have as it relates to it, and you can then begin to define the following basic issues. The Basics While a lot of work will go into your internship program once it is up and running, you will save time and energy by figuring out these logistics as soon as possible: ● What title will you assign to the intern position? ● Describe the work they will be doing ● Identify the necessary knowledge, skill, and abilities you’re seeking ● Set minimum education and experience requirements based on your needs ● How many hours a week will the intern work? ● What can you actually afford? ● Will there be other forms of compensation (software training, networking events, etc.)? Listing these when you post intern positions will help you attract more applicants. ● When would the intern start? ● How long will the internship last? ● What skills are most important for the intern to have? Creating a Work Plan Make sure you have a clear plan and you know exactly what the intern will spend their time on BEFORE hiring them. This will eliminate confusion and create clear expectations. Think about day­to­day, week­to­week, month­to­month: how will their work day look from day one to their last day? ● Orientation needed? Training? Who will do it? ● Who will manage the intern? Decide who will oversee the intern ­ meet once a week for coffee? Make sure the intern feels comfortable asking the supervisor questions. ● Set goals and define what success looks like. ● Identify the projects and assignments for which they will be responsible.

14 ● Will there be deadlines? ● Will they need to attend any meetings? ● What company events and activities will they be involved in?

Here are typical hiring dates, lengths and hours:

Season Beginning Date End Date Avg. # of Hours / Week

Fall Mid­September Mid­December 10­20 Winter/Spring Mid­January Mid­April 10­20 Summer May Mid­August 20­40+

6. Fill the Position

Now that you have a position to fill, it’s time to do it! Having a clearly defined position, work plan, and compensation plan will give you a leg up on many other competing businesses. Get the Word Out and Create a Posting Create a job posting for the internship. In the posting, pitch your company. With your student audience in mind, provide reasons that would appeal to them – why they would want to work for your company. Pitch the education opportunity your internship provides. Describe the kind of skills they will gain, the kind of valuable experiences, the kind of people will they get to interact with, etc. Detail the role based on your projects, responsibilities, and compensation that you have planned. Make sure your posting includes any possible benefit that an intern could see as a perk.

Once you have crafted a clear job posting, it’s time to spread the word. Announce the opening on your website and other online accounts such as social media that your company owns. Send the posting to former interns and employees who may know of interested candidates. Send it to professors and other people in your professional network. Post it on Craigslist and any free public job boards. Reach out to any EOCC identified diversity groups and the connections your business may have with these as well. This is a good practice when you are doing any kind of recruiting.

Make sure you post on the university job boards for the schools you are targeting. Most universities and colleges have dedicated areas online and offline for these postings, and they can vary depending on which departments are applicable for your posting. Ask department heads where they recommend posting for their specific department. Ask the career center what resources they have to get the word out on campus and/or to recent graduates. 15 Most small businesses start recruiting and posting in March and April, prior to May for summer internships, but students are always looking for internships.

Date to Post Expected Start Date (Season) Student Search Volume

Early August Mid­September (Fall) Low/Medium September – November Mid­January (Winter/Spring) Medium Early to Mid­January May (Summer) Medium/High March May (Summer) Very High Select Qualified Candidates and Hold Interviews Before setting up interviews with selected applicants, it will be important that you have completed steps 1­5. This will ensure that you are prepared and know exactly what you are looking for, and that you are prepared to provide the intern with answers to their questions about the program. Interview During the interview, spend the first 5 minutes promoting your business and making the position appealing. You should have a list of questions prepared prior to the interview. Review the intern’s resume and qualifications. Set up a time to talk again before making a final decision. Constantly manage expectations related to job expectancy after the internship is completed and other expectations the intern might have. Last but not least, double check to make sure that the intern will be a good fit with your office culture and team. This can be just as important or more important as having the knowledge and skills to do the job. Making the Offer Once you have gathered applicants and interviewed the selected applicants, now it’s time to make an offer. Below is an internship offer letter template as provided by internmatch.com. You can use this template as a basis for your offer letter. You can visit their page at http://www.internmatch.com/guides/sample­internship­offer­letter/ to download this template for free to adapt and use as needed.

Employers Resource highly recommends that if your intern is on your payroll and being treated as any other full­time employee, you should implement any applicable non­disclosure agreements or non­competes related to your business which you have other employees sign. We also insist that employers use an internship contract letter. This creates a documented formal record of the offer extended to an intern. Have the intern sign it and file it for your records.

16 Dear [Intern Full Name]:

I am pleased to offer you a Marketing Internship with ABC, Inc. (the "Company") as of January 1, 2014 (the "Effective Date") and reporting to Jane Doe, Chief Marketing Officer of the Company. In addition to the duties that were outlined during your interviews, you shall perform such other duties as are customarily associated with such position. You shall devote your full business efforts and time to the Company and agree to perform your duties faithfully and to the best of your ability. You agree not to engage in any other employment, occupation or consulting activity for any direct or indirect remuneration without the prior approval of your supervisor (remove if Part­Time).

You should be aware that your employment with the Company constitutes "at­will" employment. This means that your employment relationship with the Company may be terminated at any time with or without notice, with or without good cause or for any or no cause, at either party's option. You understand and agree that neither your job performance nor promotions, commendations, bonuses or the like from the Company give rise to or in any way serve as the basis for modification, amendment, or extension, by implication or otherwise, of your employment with the Company.

You will be compensated INSERT DOLLAR AMOUNT per hour of work performed. You will be paid in accordance with the Company's normal payroll practices and be subject to the usual, required withholding.

While employed hereunder, you will not be entitled to participate in the employee benefit plans maintained by the Company, if any. You will be eligible for paid leave and paid holidays only as approved by your supervisor. (Benefits are optional per employer.)

The Company will also reimburse you for reasonable and documented travel, entertainment or other expenses incurred by you in the furtherance of or in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder, in accordance with the Company's expense reimbursement policy as in effect from time to time.

(optional) You agree to enter into the Company's Proprietary Information and Invention Assignment Agreement (the "Proprietary Information Agreement") upon commencing employment hereunder.

You acknowledge and agree that you are executing this letter voluntarily and without any duress or undue influence by the Company or anyone else. You further acknowledge and agree that you have carefully read this letter and that you understand the terms, consequences and binding effect of this letter.

This letter, together with the Proprietary Information Agreement and any agreement you enter with the Company represents the entire agreement and understanding between the parties as to the subject matter herein and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous agreements, whether written or oral. In the event that any provision hereof becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, unenforceable or void, this letter will continue in full force and effect without said provision.

No waiver, alteration, or modification of any of the provisions of this Agreement will be binding unless in writing and signed by duly authorized representatives of the parties hereto. This letter shall be governed by the internal substantive laws, but not the choice of law rules, of the State of ______.

To indicate your acceptance of the Company's offer, please sign and date this letter in the space provided below and return it to the address indicated below. A duplicate original is enclosed for your records. We hope that this offer will be favorably received and we look forward to working with you at the Company. Your anticipated start date is August 1, 2015. 17 Sincerely,

Jane Doe Chief Marketing Officer {Address}

ACCEPTED AND AGREED: [Intern Full Name]

Signature: ______Date: ______

Start Strong Once the intern is selected, start off strong by letting them know what they need for the job. Have the logistical pieces in place like email address, workspace, equipment, etc. to ensure their time is well spent from day one. Be upfront about office rules and expectations, and give them a heads­up about important norms and workplace culture tips. Make the necessary introductions. Make them feel welcome!

7. Manage the Intern

After the logistical items are in place and the proper introductions and orientations have been completed, perform any necessary training required to assist them in completing their projects and assignments. Educate them about the background of their projects, the context of the work they’re doing, and give them any tips or best practices they might not know. Most businesses have a certain unique approach to their product or service: make sure you educate them about these types of oddities.

While managing an intern it is important to provide ongoing feedback and guidance. During the internship refer to your description and plan if needed. It is important for you and the intern to remain focused on the goals set in place from the remain beginning. Perform necessary reviews and check­ins to stay on track. Adjust the work plan if needed but if you do this, make sure focused on to clearly communicate all changes to the intern and ensure they’re aware that it is an acknowledged change. If you have the goals overestimated or underestimated their abilities, adjust, and move forward. Take notes in an ongoing basis regarding possible improvements for the next internship.

18 Best Practices Assign the intern a single manager who enjoys working with students. This has a huge impact. Students can accomplish big goals when given the right amount of guidance. This person will ensure they know what your expectations are or where to start. Empower someone on your team to take the reigns of the intern’s success. Find someone who likes teaching and enjoys sharing their expertise with young people. Ask them to commit to the intern’s success. 8

Make sure the intern has a dedicated project. One expert tip we advise is to assign a smaller, more manageable project at the onset of the internship to help you gauge the intern’s strengths and weaknesses. How many projects have you had sitting on the back burner without the proper bandwidth to do the job right? Assigning an intern to an overarching internship project helps them learn more quickly, keeps them focused, and means they can provide a final project that adds a lot of value to your company.

Schedule a weekly check­in. This is a simple task that can make managing your interns much more efficient. By meeting for a casual 30­minute to one­hour conversation every week, you can assign objectives, answer questions and help your interns move forward in their projects with confidence.

Set quantifiable weekly goals for the intern. This is a management best practice and extra important for interns. Interns need to have clear project goals and you need regular benchmarks to see how they are performing in order to help them improve.

Break assignments into small tasks, and review drafts early and often. Don’t assign an intern a project that is due in a month. Interns are new to the professional world, so having them complete drafts will let you point them in new directions, before going down a wrong road.

Provide perspective. To keep them motivated and encouraged, share the big picture of how they are helping the company and the impact of their contributions to the company. Let them know how the industry and the company is doing. Providing these insights and bridging any knowledge gaps that are present will help them continue to be motivated and feel like they are making a difference. The intern will also feel they are a part of something bigger. Have a day where interns get to meet everyone in the office and learn about their role. 19 Encourage your interns to ask questions. Interns may not know proper question asking etiquette within your company or the business world. If you are the intern’s manager, let them know they can ask you questions, as this can save a lot of time in the long run. One way to provide fodder for the intern’s learning is to set up brown bag lunch appointments each week with various executives or managers to give them opportunities to ask questions and see differing roles in the business.

Education about the field. 8 Some employers may not be able to pay huge sums of money to their student interns, while others can. However, many of the best forms of compensation are free. Teach your interns the tools of your trade, whether that is Microsoft Excel, Salesforce, HootSuite, or nuanced email tactics. These are invaluable skills that you have accumulated and that can’t be learned in school. This knowledge is worth its weight in gold to ambitious students. Another simple value­add you can offer is to recommend books, bloggers, or other information sources that students can read to become more versed in the field and become a stronger applicant in the future.

Have Fun! Having great interns at your office can and should be a lot of fun. These students come into the office for the first time with big ideas and big goals, and they will grow a tremendous amount during the course of their internship with your company. They also come with new ways of thinking and will add an exciting dynamic to your office for however long they are there. Use the presence of an intern to boost the morale and strengthen your business culture by creating fun events for them to participate in, like attending a baseball game or going bowling at the end of the internship program.

Keep Them Involved Too often interns are given a lot of attention toward the beginning and then cut loose to be lost in confusion and segmented from the rest of your company’s day­to­day operations. Continually look for something new to give them each day. One great way to do this is by bringing them along to observe in different meetings with various groups in the company each week or whenever you have the opportunity. Even though they will most often be sitting in the background, they will still appreciate the chance to learn something new about the business. HAVE FUN! It's Mandatory 20 8. Create a Clean Ending

Starting strong is critical for the intern to be successful while interning, but the end of the internship is the most critical for turning a strong intern into your new successful full­time hire and/or creating a positive impression on a student to share with other future interns. Be prepared when the internship is over. Know what the process will look like and be prepared to make a compelling offer to interns you wish to hire. A successful intern program with smooth transitions into a successful employee can save you costs on recruiting and hiring. 8

Set up a meeting at the end of the internship. Thank the intern, and assess the progress and major projects on which they’ve worked. Put a capstone on their internship period at your business. Set the tone for a full­time offer if desired, and then make the offer the sooner the better since new grads are more likely to accept the offers faster than your typical applicants. If you are not interested in hiring, offer to provide a letter of recommendation to the intern.

Employers Resource recommends providing a thorough performance evaluation and asking the intern to do the same. Ask them to evaluate your company and their experience there; ask them to give you tips that they think will make the internship better for future interns. Allow the intern to give you feedback and insights that they learned or observed. Get their input on what went well and what could be improved for the next intern.

The use of a symbolic event will assist you in punctuating the internship to create a clear transition or ending to the relationship. Too often the end is lost in ambiguity and the intern is left to just fizzle out. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, just an event that provides a clear end to the process. It’s also common to do something fun like throw a party, share a treat in the office, have a company lunch, or take a company outing of some kind in honor of their internship ending. Closing Remarks From trying to fill in skill gaps, creating a pipeline for new hires or looking at regional expansion, internships can be a great option for employers. Just remember this is not a free­ labor tool – don’t expect it to be successful without investing any of your or your employees’ time.

Disclaimer: This publication is for general information and is not to be considered in the same light as official statements of position contained in the regulations or laws discussed in this publication.

Employers Resource 1301 S Vista Ave Ste #200 www.employersresource.com Boise, ID 83705 (800) 574­4668 21