Mentoring an intern takes time, patience and dedication. In order to make this partnership beneficial for the student intern as well as your organization, please consider the following:
- Ensure the intern supervisor will be able to mentor your new student, as well as provide relevant projects and tasks and give advice when needed. The supervisor is not necessarily the person coordinating the internship. The supervisor should be a seasoned professional in the field in which the intern was hired.
- Work with your new intern to create a schedule. When doing so, please keep in mind the student's schedule of courses. Also, students will be required to attend monthly seminars on Webster's campus. Ensure the schedule will allow the student to complete the 192 hours requirement for academic credit.
- The student will require your participation to complete the Internship Authorization Form prior to the beginning of his or her internship.
- Meet with interns at least on a weekly basis to discuss projects, answer questions and provide the informal feedback needed for the student to perform well.
- Supervisors will conduct a formal evaluation session midway through the semester and at the end of the term. Half of the student's grade for the internship program will be based on these reviews.
Tips for Intern Supervisor & Coordinator:
- Upon beginning the internship, orient the student to the office and your organization. Show them around the workplace and give them an overview of the company.
- Be honest about what you expect from an intern in terms of work and behavior.
- Review goals the student has and ask them what they are hoping to achieve out of the internship.
- Give interns real work and the resources he/she will need to do the job. Interns are looking to be challenged.
- Offer ongoing support and plenty of feedback. An intern is looking to learn about the industry and, more importantly, make connections with someone willing to teach them the business.
- Invite interns to meetings, lunches or coffee breaks. This will allow them to relax and develop relationships, and likely allow them to work better with you and co-workers and open up.
- Recognize your intern's hard work in meetings and privately.
Remember, this experience is a learning experience for the intern and can provide them with excellent skills and experience for the future, but it can also be rewarding for you and your organization. An intern will have fresh ideas, a genuine interest in completing good work and will be able to alleviate some of your workload and that of your organization's.
