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Internship Resource Guide • Structuring an Internship • Recruitment and Onboarding • Evaluation and Reflection

Investing in Tomorrow’s Talent Internships can be critical pathways for young people to gain early work experience, explore career options, and develop skills necessary for future employment while earning a paycheck or academic credit. For adults, internship or fellow-ships are keys to putting new skills to work in professional settings.

The following resources are meant to support developing a new internship or enhancing a current program.

Materials will be added alongside the webinar series through the Tech Talent Denver Sector Partnership.

Questions? Email Shannon Jahn (Shannon.jahn@denvergov.org)

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Structuring an Internship

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Initial Questions to Answer Is hosting interns the right move for your company? Use the following as guiding questions to see if

this might be the right fit for you:

• What department(s) could most use an intern?

• Will the internship be open to anyone? (high school students, college students, adults?)

• What role will the intern(s) play or what project could they complete?

• Are there projects your staff have had to put on the back burner for a while that intern(s) could

complete?

• What opportunities can you include to expose interns to different parts of your organization and

the broader scope of what you do?

The above were adapted from Colorado Succeeds Work Based Learning modules.

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Designing Intern Projects Spending time on the front end to plan out the structure the internship allows interns to be more

self-directed, which alleviates pressure on your staff. Supervisors can consider the following:

Project Goals

• What is the desired result of the project?

• What will the intern gain from completing the project?

Project Skills

• What skills does the intern need to complete this project?

• What skills should the intern have prior to starting the project?

• What skills will the intern gain from completing this project?

• What equipment/resources will the intern need?

Choices for the Intern

• Can the intern choose how to complete the project or is that predetermined?

• Can more than one approach be used?

Project Planning

• What is the timeline?

• What are the major deadlines?

• What meetings are necessary as the project progresses?

• Does the intern have access to necessary resources (e.g., computer, workspace,

contacts, etc.)?

Evaluation and Project Completion

• How will you evaluate the intern’s work?

• How will you evaluate the intern’s experience?

• How will you evaluate your supervision of the intern?

• Will this project outcome be displayed/presented?

• Can the intern keep a copy of the complete project to build their portfolio?

The above were adapted from the NYC Center for Youth Employment Employer Playbook and Swiss Post Solutions.

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What are Interns Looking For? People apply for internships for a variety of reasons including exploring possible careers, learning new

skills, building their portfolio, or to learn more about a company. Regardless, the following are

priorities for nearly all interns:

Real work

Interns want to work and learn. Utilize your interns well.

Show me the money (as best you can)

Remember that interns have expenses. Your organization may not be able to pay much, but maybe you

can help pay for parking, take them to lunch or develop other creative way to assist them.

Clarity upfront

If the job is stuffing envelopes, that’s okay. But your intern probably won’t be happy if you tell them they

will be doing research, and they spend 90% of their time doing “grunt work.” Honesty upfront costs

nothing and will make your interns more prepared and productive.

Feedback

Remember interns are learning and may not have the skills, experiences and workplace behaviors you

take for granted. If your intern makes a mistake, use this as a “teaching moment” and pull them aside to

explain how the situation could be handled in the future.

Being part of the team

Staff meetings, project meetings, lunches? Including interns in the daily life of your workplace to provide

a little more perspective on the intern’s work and the product will be much better.

Um…I need a chair

Many employers forget interns need a desk, chair, phone and a computer etc. If you want to get a job

done, supply the intern with the tools to do it well.

Please explain

While the work may seem trivial and obvious to you, it may not be obvious to someone who has never

done it before. A few extra minutes early on will pay off when your intern can produce good work

independently.

The above were adapted from content from the Indiana University Career Development Center.

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Recruitment and

Onboarding

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Sample Internship Posting A

Position: Product Assistant Intern

Location: Denver, Colorado Term: Twelve weeks, 12 hours per week

Start: July

About Us: About Us: XYZ Company is a leading global provider of technology solutions for clinical re-

search. Our clients include pharmaceutical companies; biotech, diagnostic and device firms; and academ-ic medical centers. We are seeking an intern to assist our Product team with software development, product management, business analysis, product-usage dashboards and other projects

Through this internship you will:

Learn about software development

Learn about how product management and business analysts help lead engineers

Learn about how usage metrics drive business decisions

About you:

Interest in technology and business concepts

Strong analytical skills and an ability to work with concepts and numbers

Ability to communicate effectively and efficiently—both oral and written

Curious and a quick learner

The above is adapted from the NYC Center for Youth Employment Employer Playbook.

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Sample Internship Posting B

Position: Procedures Analyst Intern

Location: Denver, Colorado

Term: 6 weeks, 10 hours per week

Start: July

About Us: XYZ Company is a leading technology company whose software platform enables and opti-

mizes online advertising. We are looking for a summer intern to join our team in supporting our custom-ers on the XYZ platform.

Main Responsibilities:

• Learn and implement policies and procedures

• Provide support on projects and operations that improve XYZ’s processes and procedures

• Review client advertisements and websites to identify any potential issues

• Proactively communicate any current or potential issues to Project Manager

• Research current landscape and keep up to date with typical industry policies

• Support Project Manager in the execution of special client projects

Personal skills and attributes:

• Proficient with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint

• Ability to learn quickly

• Exceptional organization, time management and problem-solving skills

• Proactive and willing to take the initiative

• Strong attention to detail

Collaborative team player with a positive attitude

Customer service mindset and willingness to go the extra mile to address a challenge

The above is adapted from the NYC Center for Youth Employment Employer Playbook.

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Sample Interview Questions

The above is adapted from the NYC Center for Youth Employment Employer Playbook.

What do you expect from this internship? / What are you hoping to get out of this experience?

What is your definition of good customer service?

What skills and experiences would you bring to the position?

Tell me about your previous work experiences. What did you like best? What did you find most challenging?

Tell me about a time you collaborated with multiple stakeholders working towards a common goal. What went well and what could have gone better?

Tell me a little bit about your coursework or work you’ve done on your own. How is it relevant to this internship?

What do you know about our industry? How do you stay up to date or if you are new how do you plan to learn?

What do you know about our company?

Why are you interested in this position?

How does this fit into your future career goals?

What questions do you have?

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Setting Expectations You may work with an organization to facilitate your internship (e.g., school, non-profit, workforce

center) and it can be helpful to outline expectations. The following template outlines possible responsi-

bilities for three primary stakeholders.

Expectations of the Employer

• Introduce the employee to their job. (i.e., outline job duties, explain rules and regulations, make in-troductions to co-workers, and ensure the employee has your contact information).

• Teach the employee about your business, including through staff meetings and visiting departments.

• Supervise the employee and provide ongoing feedback.

• Provide a safe working environment and follow all federal and state safety rules.

• Discuss any work problems with the employee. Call your Partner Program if it cannot be resolved.

• Sign and complete employee’s timesheets and/or other Partner Program-required documents.

Expectations of the Employee

• Be committed to the work experience requirements, and ready and willing to learn from new experi-ences, and committed to performing tasks to the best of their ability.

• Follow all policy and rules as explained by the supervisor.

• Be on time and take breaks only when authorized. Call your supervisor if you are going to be late or absent.

• Ask questions whenever you need help, or do not understand. Discuss any work problems with the supervisor and call your Partner Program contact if a problem cannot be resolved.

• Use of drugs or alcohol at work or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol while at work, is grounds for immediate termination.

• Complete and submit your signed timesheet and/or other Program Partner-required documents on time.

Expectations of Partner Program

• Clearly communicate the program goals to employers and employee.

• Act as a liaison and support to employers and employee.

• Act as a liaison and ensure prompt payment to the employee (if Program Partner is handling this).

• Ensure that the program is running smoothly. This many include a visit to the worksite or facilitating regular evaluations.

The above is adapted from the Technology Employment in Colorado Partnership.

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Sample Orientation Schedule Think through your intern’s onboarding and first day. Providing structure helps them not feel lost and

to get excited about joining your team.

The above is adapted from the NYC Center for Youth Employment Employer Playbook and KPMG.

Beforehand

• Touch base by phone or email the week before to provide introductions/share orientation details

• Make sure I-9 completed

• Make sure to identify/obtain desk, computer, phone, etc.

• Activate relevant access cards/badges

• Make sure to clarify if certain documentation is required if a program partner (like a school) is involved so the intern can get credit (if applicable)

First Day

Morning

Welcome to Company (Supervisor):

• Organization Vision, Structure, Leadership

• Organization Values, Code of Conduct, Professional Standards

Navigating Organization Resources:

• Time and Expense Reporting Requirements

• Understanding Your Benefits and How to Enroll

First Day

Afternoon

• Laptop and Phone Set Up

• Introductions to Teammates

• Review Expectations for the Rest of the Week

• Company Values Videos

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Identifying Internship Mentors Mentors can be a great resource for interns for things you may assume “everyone knows” such as:

• Do I need to sign in?

• How much time can I spend on my lunch break?

• What are the rules concerning personal phone calls?

• What should I do if I have completed a task and I don’t have another one assigned to me?

• What do I do if I have more than one supervisor?

• What should I do if I can’t make it to work?

Don’t rely on the intern to find their own mentor, however.

Approach mentoring an intern as a staff development opportunity for future leaders at your company.

Encourage staff to volunteer to mentor an intern, identifying staff who truly like to teach and train.

Does your staff need training around mentorship or internships? Are there leadership courses they could take alongside working with their intern?

The above is adapted from Jefferson County Workforce Services.

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Evaluation and Reflection

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Documentation and Portfolios It is helpful – to you and the intern – to track what work the intern does. It helps them build their

portfolio for their next job. It helps you evaluate the benefit of the project you designed for the intern

and inform future internship work.

Interns may keep a journal, write weekly summary reports, or use other tools to document their work.

Here are sample categories the summary might include:

The above is adapted from the NYC Center for Youth Employment Employer Playbook.

Briefly describe some of the project(s) and related duties you worked on this week. List:

What did you learn or observe during your time here this week?

Describe one job, person or department at your workplace that you would like to know more about. Why?

Discuss the academic knowledge that you are receiving in school and how it is useful to you in your internship experience.

What were the peak experiences of the week—your sources of satisfaction and achievement?

What kind of hindrances made it difficult to perform your job effectively this week? What changes would you make to overcome the hindrances?

What was expected of you this week in your internship? Write down clearly the goals you set for yourself and how you did or did not meet your intended objectives.

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Sample Student Evaluation Your Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: _________________

Division: ______________________________________________ Supervisor: ______________________

Please rate the following aspects of your internship experience: (1) Poor (2) Fair (3) Good (4) Excellent

Site Physical environment was safe 1 2 3 4 An orientation was provided to the organization 1 2 3 4 Adequate resources were available to accomplish projects 1 2 3 4 Co‐workers were accepting and helpful 1 2 3 4

Supervisor Supervisor provided a clear job description 1 2 3 4 Regular feedback was provided on my progress and abilities 1 2 3 4 An effort was made to make it a learning experience for me 1 2 3 4 Supervisor provided levels of responsibility consistent with my abilities 1 2 3 4 Supervisor was supportive of the agreed‐upon work days and hours 1 2 3 4

Learning Experience Work experience related to my academic discipline and/or career goal 1 2 3 4 Opportunities were provided to develop my communication skills 1 2 3 4 Opportunities were provided to develop my interpersonal skills 1 2 3 4 Opportunities were provided to develop my creativity 1 2 3 4 Opportunities were provided to develop my problem‐solving abilities 1 2 3 4

Overall Internship Value Rating 1 2 3 4

Feel free to explain any of your responses to the above criteria here (use other side if necessary)

Would you work for this supervisor again? ___ Yes ___ No ___ Uncertain

Would you work for this organization again? ___ Yes ___ No ___ Uncertain

Would you recommend this organization to other students? ___ Yes ___ No ___ Uncertain

The above is adapted from Colorado Succeeds Work Based Learning modules.

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Sample Employer Evaluation A Your Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: _________________

Division: ______________________________________________ Intern: ______________________

Please rate the following aspects of your intern’s work: (1) Poor (2) Fair (3) Good (4) Excellent If any criteria are not applicable to this internship experience, please leave the response blank.

Ability to Learn 1. Asks pertinent and purposeful questions 1 2 3 4 2. Seeks out and utilizes appropriate resources 1 2 3 4 3. Accepts responsibility for mistakes and learns from experiences 1 2 3 4

Listening & Oral Communication Skills 1. Listens to others in an active and attentive manner 1 2 3 4 2. Effectively participates in meetings or group settings 1 2 3 4 3. Demonstrates effective verbal communication skills 1 2 3 4

Creative Thinking & Problem-Solving Skills 1. Breaks down complex tasks/problems into manageable pieces 1 2 3 4 2. Brainstorms/develops options and ideas 1 2 3 4 3. Demonstrates an analytical capacity 1 2 3 4

Professional & Career Development Skills 1. Exhibits self‐motivated approach to work 1 2 3 4 2. Demonstrates ability to set appropriate priorities/goals 1 2 3 4 3. Exhibits professional behavior and attitude 1 2 3 4

Interpersonal & Teamwork Skills 1. Manages and resolves conflict in an effective manner 1 2 3 4 2. Supports and contributes to a team atmosphere 1 2 3 4 3. Demonstrates assertive but appropriate behavior 1 2 3 4

Organizational Effectiveness Skills 1. Seeks to understand and support the organization’s mission/goals 1 2 3 4 2. Fits in with the norms and expectations of the organization 1 2 3 4 3. Works within appropriate authority and decision‐making channels 1 2 3 4

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Basic Work Habits 1. Reports to work as scheduled and on‐time 1 2 3 4 2. Exhibits a positive and constructive attitude 1 2 3 4 3. Dress and appearance are appropriate for this organization 1 2 3 4

Character Attributes 1. Brings a sense of values and integrity to the job 1 2 3 4 2. Behaves in an ethical manner 1 2 3 4 3. Respects the diversity (religious/cultural/ethnic) of co‐workers 1 2 3 4

Open Category: Industry‐Specific Skills Are there any skills or competencies that you feel are important to the profession or career field not listed in this evaluation? If so, please list these skills below and assess the intern accordingly.

Overall Internship Value Rating 1 2 3 4

Feel free to explain any of your responses to the above criteria here (use other side if necessary)

Would you work with this intern again? ___ Yes ___ No ___ Uncertain

Would you work for the supporting organization again? ___ Yes ___ No ___ Uncertain

Would you recommend this experience to your coworkers? ___ Yes ___ No ___ Uncertain

The above was adapted from Colorado Succeeds Work Based Learning modules.

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Sample Employer Evaluation B Your Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: _________________

Division: ______________________________________________ Intern: _________________________

The intern should complete the form first and rate their job performance in the left column. The supervi-sor should then rate the participant’s job performance in the right column. The supervisor and participant will discuss each item and comment in the space provided if necessary. Use the following scale: (1) Not achieving expectations (2) Working towards expectations (3) Consistently achieving expectations (4) Fre-quently exceeds expectations (N) Not observed

The above was adapted from Workforce Boulder County.

Critical Employment Skills Intern (I) Supervisor (S)

Evaluation 1

Evaluation 2

Evaluation 3 Comments / Next

Steps I S I S I S

Attendance Presence, tardiness and arranging approval for time off

Evaluation 1

Time Management Timeliness for work and returning from breaks, budgeting time appropriately

Dependability Reliable and trustworthy

Appearance Appropriate to the workplace

Relationships Works well with peers, supervisor, and public

Evaluation 2

Communication Written and verbal are effective, clear and pro-fessional

Interpersonal Skills Integrity, problem-solving, and flexibility

Attitude Positive and productive – accepts feedback

Initiative Self-motivated, assertive, and responsible

Evaluation 3

Organization Sets priorities and avoids scheduling conflicts

Quantity of Work Productive and completes assigned tasks

Quality of Work Neatness, accuracy, and thoroughness