Making Internships Work: The Masa Israel Internship Handbook for Israeli Employers

8/3/2019 Making Internships Work: The Masa Israel Internship Handbook for Israeli Employers

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Making Internships Work:

The Masa Israel InternshipHandbook or Israeli Employers


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contents

Opening 4

Introduction 5

Section 1- Getting Started: Preparing the Organization 7

Section 2 - Bringing Interns into the Organization: Eective Onboarding 11

Section 3 - Intern O-boarding: Recognition, Evaluation and Assessment 14

Summary 16

Appendix A - Sample Job Description 18Appendix B - Interns speak 20

Appendix C - Intern Evaluation 21

written by

Manny Contomanolis, PhD

Trudy Steineld, MA

Design:


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4 | Making Internships Work

Dear Partners,

Masa Israel provides the opportunity or every young Jew, aged 18-30, to enjoy a lie-changing experiencein Israel or a period o at least ve months. Masa Israel participants are channeled into programs whichmatch their elds o interest; they are provided with scholarships, counseling and support throughout the

process. These young adults develop a bond with the state o Israel, Israelis and Jewish lie.

Masa Israel has developed a number o internship-ocused programs targeting to young Jewish adultswith academic backgrounds rom leading institutions in the United States and around the world. TheseMasa participants travel to Israel to gain proessional experience in their chosen elds, based on prior areaso study, abilities and proessional experience. They are placed in a wide range o organizations: small andmedium-sized businesses, international corporations, NGOs and government ministries.

Masa participants are highly educated and strongly motivated. They bring an international perspective andhave tremendous potential to contribute to their place o employment, both on a personal level throughtheir encounters with Israelis, and on a proessional level.

A meaningul, quality internship experience greatly contributes to the organizations in which these internswork as well as to the interns understanding o and personal aliation with Israel. The experience evenencourages many to consider a personal and proessional uture in Israel. Those who choose to return totheir home communities abroad do so with a stronger anity and relationship with Israel; they act asyoung ambassadors or Israel in their communities.

This booklet was prepared or you, organizers o internship programs and organizations/companies thattake on interns. It is designed to help the internship program succeed. The booklet contains inormationand advice on how to successully absorb an intern, and how the organization can benet rom the

arrangement in a meaningul way. Here you will nd guidance on developing an eective job description,steps involved in choosing the most suitable intern, how to absorb interns into the organization andmentor them, and examples o successul internship programs.

This booklet is the result o ongoing dialog with you and is designed to help and serve you in the mostecient manner possible. We would be delighted to address any questions, observations, remarks andneeds that arise during the course o your work.

Sincerely,

Ayelet Shiloh-Tamir

CEO, Masa Israel


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Making Internships Work | 5

Introduction

The success o any organization depends on itspeople and the success o any economy - local orglobal - depends on the productivity, creativity,

knowledge, and innovation o those that work in it.In an increasingly complex and competitive worldtalent is the essential component o any successulventure.

This handbook was prepared to assist you inmaking the most eective use o one o the mostcritical sources o talent or your organization university educated interns. Internships are one othe astest growing methods that organizations

around the world are using to identiy, recruit, andhire the talent they need to grow their organizationor business. This is true whether the organizationis a small start-up, a government agency, or a largecorporation or whether one intern or a team o 20interns is being employed.

In the case o the nation o Israel, the need toacquire and develop the very best talent availablebecomes even more critical. The political andeconomic strength o the nation indeed its

survival and success depend on the eectivenesso all its institutions, agencies, and organizations:large or small; public or private; business orgovernment. Through Masa Israel accreditedprograms, talented and motivated college anduniversity graduates rom around the world areattracted to internship opportunities in Israel.Through these internships participants learn, grow,and experience lie in this amazing country. Manyo these interns, as a result o their experiences,

opt to dedicate their proessional and personallives and utures to Israel. Even those who opt toreturn to their home country or region become

ambassadors and spokespersons or the nation,sharing with others what they learned during theirinternship experience.

What is an internship?

Internships are work experiences or a set period otime during which the intern actively contributesto the work o the organization and by doingso learns more about a particular career eld,employer, business, government or not-or-protentity. Internships usually range rom ve monthsto a year, may eature a ull-time or part-time work

schedule, and involve either students who havealready completed their university degrees or are inthe process o doing so and are participating in aninternship to gain both experience and academiccredit. Interns through Masa Israel accreditedprograms also participate in complementaryactivities including Hebrew and travel throughoutIsrael.

Why host an intern?

The rapidly growing success o internships can beattributed to the value they bring to the two keypartners the employing organization and theintern. The benets are clear:

The organization can increase productivity byusing intern talent to help complete existingprojects, launch new ones, and introduce newideas, new energy and new perspectives to the

business or agency. Existing organization employees benet rom

the opportunity to utilize interns in their

The young talent we can attract and acquire through internship programs is the key to

the success o our company, now and in the uture, here and across the globe. Talent is too

important and the economic stakes are too great to ignore the value and contributions o

interns.

Dan Black, Director, Americas Campus Recruiting, Ernst & Young, LLP


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own work creating opportunities to take onnew or more demanding tasks. Further, manyorganization employees are enriched by theexperience o mentorship and guidance theycan provide to interns.

Finding uture employees and helping shapethat talent to the needs o the organization ismade possible through internship programs.Employers can test-drive new intern talentand make better decisions about who tohire or the long-term. Global research oninternships suggests that interns who go towork or their employer upon the completiono their internships stay longer, are promotedmore quickly, and are more productive than

those hired by the company and organizationthat did not have an internship experiencewith the organization.

The organization contributes to the overalleducation o the student strengthening thetalent pool and beneting society and the

country as a whole. Many students upon thecompletion o their Masa Israel experience havechosen to make Israel their permanent home.Interns who do not remain in Israel are ableto articulate to others outside o Israel a rich

and meaningul experience that prooundlyinfuenced their lives.

Many employer organizations around the worldhave developed very sophisticated large-scaleinternship programs and use these programs torecruit the majority o their entry-level hires. Ona global scale most interns, however, work orsmall and emerging organizations. A growingnumber o universities in nearly every country in

the world similarly oer these programs to enrichthe students education and orm productivepartnerships with the employing organizations.Masa Israel partners with universities around theworld to attract the best and brightest students orinternships in Israel.


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Preparing your organization and team or anintern is a critical step that most organizations

skip assuming instead that nding a person,giving them a desk, a project, and a supervisoris as much preparation as is necessary. Positionyour organization or success by completing the

ollowing activities before any interns arrive.

Identiy intern projects and tasks

The ideal internship assignment will: Provide real work experience or the intern

that directly supports the goals and objectiveso your organization.

Include assigned tasks that have clear outcomesor deliverables and provide an appropriate levelo challenge to the intern.

Provide some fexibility that allows, based onintern perormance, or additional tasks to beassigned or adjustments to be made to urtheraccommodate the interns strengths andabilities or the organizations shiting needsand requirements.

Allow or the intern to gain broad exposureto the organization, its culture, and itsleadership.

Particular care should be given to making sure thatthere are sucient projects to ll the ull lengtho the internship assignment and that there areemployees in the organization who are investedin those projects and supportive o the concept o

utilizing interns to complete them.

Interns want to learn new things, grow their skill set,

and gain meaningul experience. Assignments thatare progressively challenging, provide a variety o

experiences, and align with the interns academicpreparation and career interests, and that providereal value to the organization greatly enhanceprospective candidate interest in the assignmentand the motivation to perorm well.

Developing the intern job description

An eective job description is a critical componentto hosting Masa Israel interns at your organization.

Masa Israel interns come rom top tier institutionsaround the globe and have many internshipoptions to choose rom. These interns can aordto be very selective when applying to internshipprograms. They will be making the decision o whichprograms to apply to based on the description othe internship opportunity and the type and scopeo responsibilities described.

Intern job descriptions should: Clearly describe your organization (i your

agreement with the internship program thatsends interns to your organization allows) andthe specic departments or areas in which theintern will work.

Dene in specic terms the interns jobduties, responsibilities and expectationsand, as applicable, any desired outcomes ordeliverables.

Describe the desired skills, competencies,

experiences, and qualications o interncandidates.

Detail the interns reporting structure and

Section 1 - Getting Started: Preparing the Organization

We spend a great deal o time in ensuring that our company is ready to take maximum

advantage o the interns we hire. We expect our interns to be incredibly productive but

also to have a wonderul experience and tell their riends about the great organization they

were a part o. Those happy interns may not only become valuable employees but also loyal

customers. Setting the stage or the interns within our company is key.

Kerry Olin, Senior Director, Talent Acquisition - College, Microsot Corporation


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responsibilities.

Opportunities or additional ormal training,participation in organizational activities, andexposure to key organizational leaders.

Any additional inormation relevant to theassignment including work schedule/hours;dress code; stipends or allowances (e.g. ormeals, housing, transportation).

See Appendix A. or sample intern jobdescriptions.

Preparing and engaging your

employees

It is vital that not just key organizational leadersunderstand and support your internship programbut that employees likely to work with andsupervise interns are ully engaged and enthusiasticabout the program. This support is especiallyimportant in organizations where utilizing internsis a relatively new concept. Interns should be ullyembraced by the organization and ully integratedinto its operations. Its helpul or key leaders to

communicate broadly within the organizationabout the benets o internship programs, thespecic goals and objectives or the programs,and to express their enthusiastic support or theeort. Organizational emails and related internalcommunications as well as employee meetingsand inormational sessions are eective ways tobuild employee understanding and engagement.

The role o the intern supervisor is essential to

the intern's success. Potential supervisors shouldbe careully selected and ideally demonstrate theollowing attributes: Be a positive role model or and a strong

advocate o the organization.

Be knowledgeable o the organization, itsculture and its people.

Be available to the intern and willing to answerquestions providing appropriate guidance anddirection.

Be an eective teacher and instructor byhelping the intern to learn whats necessary to

the assignment.

Be a mentor and advisor, as necessary, to helpthe interns put their work and experiences in thecontext o a broader career and proessional lie.

Be able to treat the interns with the respectappropriate to them as potential uturecolleagues.

Be able to provide positive and constructiveeedback and a air evaluation o the internsperormance.

Marketing your internship program

Recognizing that Masa Israel has variousdistribution channels in place to advertise yourorganizations internship positions, it is stillimportant to ensure that you are able to attractthe most qualied candidates possible. Potentialintern applicants will routinely collect as muchinormation as possible beore determining whatinternship is the right one to apply to.

Enhance your intern marketing eorts byconsidering the ollowing: Provide the program with which you work

with a detailed intern job description andcomprehensive overview o your organization.Allow or sucient lead-time to ensure theinormation can be broadly disseminated.

Ensure your organizations web site iscurrent, easy to navigate and includes asmuch inormation as possible to help providecandidates a uller understanding o yourorganizations mission and goals, the unique

aspects o your internship program, and yourconnection to Masa Israel and the programwith which you work.

Develop a one-page program summary thatprovides potential intern candidates with keyinormation and points them to where theycan nd additional details about internshipopportunities and application procedures. Thesummary should be available in a variety oormats (e.g. hard copy as well as electronic

versions) so that it can be easily distributedthrough diverse channels.


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Utilize your existing employees to marketthe internship programs through their ownpersonal and proessional networks to studentsrom abroad.

Selecting the intern

Selecting the right intern is among the mostcritical o steps in establishing and operatingan outstanding internship program. The MasaIsrael accredited program that you work withvets candidates through its application process;however, the more inormation you can provideabout the internship, the better the chance ora great match. Ideally, the intern selected will be

ully capable o undertaking the tasks identiedby your organization and able to demonstrate theskills you desire. By the same token, the intern willideally eel highly motivated to learn, grow andperorm during the internship assignment withyour organization.

The intern candidates you will likely attractthrough Masa Israel accredited programsinclude outstanding students and graduates

rom prestigious universities around the world.These candidates will likely have internshipchoices to choose rom and so its important orthe employing organization to treat the interncandidates as potential clients or customers. Theinternship recruiting and selection process isconsequently a two-way street during which theemployer is evaluating the candidate as much asthe candidate is evaluating the employer both aresearching or the perect match. Every candidate

interacting with your organization, regardless oselection outcome, should eel good about theexperience and have a positive impression o yourorganization. Commitment to this type o processgreatly strengthens the talent brand appeal oyour organization; a very positive and powerultool not only in urther attracting talent but alsoin building a pool o uture clients, customers,business partners, supporters, and patrons in theuture as those intern candidates progress in theircareers.

The three keys to a successul selection processinclude the ollowing:

Be sure to organize and prioritize those abilities,skills, and experiences you value in candidatesand assess those as part o the process. Ideally,chart those in an interview orm you can

use to summarize candidate strengths andweaknesses. Typical candidate selection criteriainclude:

People skills the ability to work eectivelywith others

Communication skills ability to write andspeak eectively

Technical or other skills specically relatedto the position

Job experience

Education and other orms o training

Volunteer experiences

Recommendations rom proessors and/or prior employers

Work with the Masa Israel accredited programwhich supplies you interns so that the programknows what your needs and selection criteriaare.

Include the right people in the selectionprocess. Rely not just on the views o theinterns supervisor but also involve othersin the organization as part o the interviewprocess to ensure a diversity o observationsand insights regarding the candidates.

Become highly procient in conductinginterviews whether in person or over thephone. Behavioral interviewing is the most

popular and eective way to ocus on acandidates qualications and abilities. Insimple terms the behavioral interview assumesthat the best predictor o uture perormanceis past perormance. Consequently, ratherthan general questions such as What areyour strengths? behavioral interviewing asksthe candidate to provide specic examples tohelp substantiate any responses to interviewerquestions. I your organization, or example, is

looking or candidates who work eectively ina team setting, the interviewer might ask theintern candidates to describe a situation inwhich they worked with a team to achieve a


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certain outcome, probing into the candidatesroles, responsibilities, and contributions.Another way to think about this approach isoten described as the STAR system: ask thecandidates to describe a Situation, the Task

that was to be completed, the Actionstaken bythe candidates and the Resulto their eorts.

Time and eort invested in preparing or theinterview; conducting it well; and keeping theocus on the t between the position and thecandidates skills, experiences, and interests willalways pay o in better candidate selection.


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Bringing interns into the organization otenreerred to as onboarding is a critical step thatsignicantly infuences the overall success o the

internship program. Current best practices amongleading global organizations include a variety ostrategies designed to do everything possible toensure the intern is productive and ully engaged.

Pre-arrival activities within your

organization Communicate within your organization that

interns will be joining your team reminding

employees o the goals or the program andsharing with them pertinent inormationabout the interns background and experiencesas well as their anticipated job responsibilitiesand project assignments. This is a goodopportunity, as well, to make sure everyoneknows who in your organization is responsibleor intern supervision.

Conrm that the intern supervisor has setaside time or the interns initial orientation

and has the interns work areas ready asappropriate. The time commitment osupervisors tends to be greatest and mostcritical early in the onboarding process. Timecommitment decreases as the interns becomemore condent, independent and productive.

Encourage employees to make the interns eelwelcome when they arrive and be available tomeet and greet them as appropriate.

Pre-arrival activities with the

intern

Communicate with the interns beore theirarrival alerting them to any rst day activitiesand indicating your organizations excitementat having them join your team.

Provide them with any documents or othermaterials you would like them to review priorto their arrival.

Be sure that the interns are aware o and has

conrmed the expected assignment start date.Also conrm that any necessary paperworkand employment documentation has beenprovided by them and appropriately recordedwith your organization.

I you are bringing in more than one internconsider sharing inormation about eachindividual with the ull group o interns. Ipossible you may want to establish an on-linegroup through a social media site to encourage

interns to communicate and get to know eachother prior to their arrival.

Intern orientation

The rst day on the assignment is a critical oneor interns and signals the beginning o theirorientation to your organization and their workassignments. Essential rst day activities ideallyconducted by the interns direct supervisors or

lacking that, an appropriate level organizationrepresentative - include:

Section 2 - Bringing Interns Into the Organization: Eective

Onboarding

Our organization believes that a great start to the internship is more likely to result in agreat nish. From the moment interns arrive we engage them ully in their assignments

and the culture o our company.

Adam Ward, Director Stang, Qualcomm Corporation


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Greeting interns upon their arrival.

Conducting a tour o the organizationsacilities.

Showing the interns their specic work areas.

Making introductions to supervisors and workcolleagues. It is especially impactul i a seniormember o the organizations leadership teamis able to meet and address the interns early intheir orientation.

Processing any necessary nal employmentpaperwork, identity badges, and so orth.

Providing any relevant organizationalinormation (e.g. organizational charts, missionstatements, product/services descriptivematerials, employee policy manuals) thatwas not provided to the interns beore theirarrival.

Intern orientation programs take on many dierentorms they may last or part o a day or overmultiple days; they may be conducted individuallyor in groups; or they may involve the interns directsupervisor and/or other company representatives.

All highly eective intern orientation programs,however, are characterized by ocusing on certainkey dimensions critical to both the interns and theorganizations success.

Understanding the organizations

mission, goals, culture and values

Many organizations communicate well what theydo but it is also critically important to communicate

how they go about accomplishing what they do.Understanding and commitment to the howo an organizations work is the dimension thatcan oten dierentiate outstanding perormersrom others. For the intern consequently boththe what and how o an organization need tobe understood. In addition to the organizationsmission and goals as well as the broader context othe industry, business or economic sector in whichit operates there are several additional issues to

address early in the orientation program. Theseinclude:

Expected intern work schedule includingpolicies on lunch breaks, reporting absences, orrequesting work schedule changes. Companypolicies concerning national holidays andreligious observances are also important to

review with the interns. Workplace dress codes.

Use o cell phones or personal emailing/textingduring work hours; computer usage policiesincluding any dictating access to social mediaand other Internet sites.

Oce etiquette and communication protocolsinvolving colleagues, supervisors, visitors,customers or clients.

Setting intern expectations

A very clear goal o any intern orientation programshould be clearly setting intern expectations. Oparticular ocus here are those expectations relatedto the specic work assignment. This segment othe orientation should ocus on the ollowing:

A review o the intern assignment tasks,

responsibilities and expected outcomes.

A clear statement rom the supervisorconcerning work timelines, schedules, and therole o other individuals and/or teams relatingto the interns assigned responsibilities.

Examples o issues and questions that theintern should direct to the supervisor as well asthose that might better be directed to others inthe organization.

Expectations concerning the nature andtiming o regular progress reports and otherperormance eedback.

The nature and timing o any expectedequipment, systems, or work processestraining.

Review intern expectations with Masa Israelprogram providing the intern

Benchmark internship onboarding programs willalso incorporate other strategies and activitiesthat have proven to be o value to both the interns


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and the sponsoring organization. These include: Using senior executives and recently hired

employees as part o the inormation sharingprocess. Whether as individuals or throughgroup panel presentations these executives

and employees can oer valuable and helpulinsights to incoming interns signaling boththe commitment o the organizations seniorleadership and sensitivity to the generationalperspectives o younger workers.

Developing out o oce program andactivities which allow interns to learn moreabout the area and the community and interactwith ellow interns and work colleagues ina more relaxed and social setting. A strong

sense o community service is typical amongthis generation o young proessionals andopportunities to participate in such eortsalong with other work colleagues are also verywell received.

Involving interns not only in standardorganization training programs but alsooering additional training and developmentopportunities consistent with emerging interninterests and goals.

Providing or interns to learn more outsidetheir primary areas o responsibility. Invitingrepresentatives rom other parts o the

organization to address interns on thenature and goals o other unctional units oraddressing broader proessional issues, trends,and research can be extremely valuable tointerns.

A very eective strategy or assisting interns inbecoming acclimated and engaged with yourorganization is the use o a mentor. While directsupervisors may oten evolve into that role inaddition to their supervisory responsibilities, inideal circumstances the mentor is someone elsein the organization who can meet with interns toanswer broader questions, share their knowledgeand expertise, and provide advice and counsel

concerning the interns longer range goals andinterests.

Since interns that come through Masa Israelaccredited programs come rom universitiesaround the world it is particularly important to besensitive to cultural dierences among interns. It iswise not to assume that every intern will intuitivelyunderstand all the important aspects o living andworking in Israel. Other oreign nationals who

have joined your company or organization may beespecially helpul in identiying issues unique toyour setting and o value in communicating withinterns early in their work assignment.


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O-boarding is the term increasingly used todescribe the steps involved when interns approach

the completion o their work assignments. O-boarding involves important aspects o internrecognition as well as evaluation o both theinterns and the overall internship program.

Intern Recognition

Recognizing the contributions o the internsis an important strategy that celebrates theiraccomplishments and contributions to the

organization. Highly eective intern recognitionstrategies include providing interns with theopportunity to showcase their project workand notable achievements through ormalpresentations to colleagues or through internprepared reports to both supervisors and seniororganization representatives. All interns especiallyvalue a letter o recommendation rom theirsupervisor recognizing their accomplishmentsand acknowledging their skills and capabilities.This is very useul to interns as they pursue utureemployment opportunities.

Although many organizations do not providecompensation to their interns most provide a smalltoken git to recognize and reward the interns ortheir work and their contributions. This is otendone during an organization arranged modestcelebration or small gathering over lunch or dinnerto acknowledge publicly the interns contributions.

Evaluation and assessment

Evaluation and assessment strategies should beintegral elements o any organizations internshipprogram. These strategies typically all into twomajor categories: ocused on the individual internand ocused on the overall program.

Evaluating the intern

The most eective evaluation system involves bothormal and inormal eorts to:

Regularly assess intern perormance againstestablished standards or the job assignmentand the goals or the assignment establishedby interns and their supervisors.

Provide on-going eedback and coachingnecessary or the interns to complete taskseectively, develop necessary skills andenhance perormance.

Oer a cumulative and summary assessmentthat ocuses on notable intern accomplishmentsand achievements, areas or continueddevelopment and suggested activities tourther that development.

Consider sharing the successes and challengesinterns experience with the Masa Israelprogram theyre participating in.

Working eectively with interns, as with any otheremployee group, requires a regular and ongoing

cycle o assessment and eedback. There are severalproven operating strategies to accomplish this.

Section 3 Intern O-boarding: Recognition, Evaluation

and Assessment

We are constantly assessing the nature o our internship program. We want to know whatour interns think about their experiences with us and what we can do to improve our

program. In order to continue to attract the very best talent we need we must constantly

ocus on program improvement eforts.

Doug Fauth, Global University Relations and Diversity, Lie Technologies Inc.


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Evaluating the internship program

Internship program evaluation involves gatheringand interpreting useul inormation with an eyetoward improving the overall internship program.

Among the most helpul inormation is thatprovided by the interns themselves. The ollowingactivities are very eective in gathering this typeo inormation rom interns: Focus group discussions

Condential surveys

Individual exit interviews

All these activities provide the opportunity or interns

to share insights about their experiences includingwhat they believed was most appealing about thework assignments and what might be changed tomake a better experience or all participants.

Inormation rom these activities should be combined

with supervisor evaluations o the interns and internal

discussions with all organizational representatives

involved in the internship program to gather the

most comprehensive array o thoughts, comments,

and suggestions about the programs efectiveness.

The assessment process should use all the gathereddata to ocus on answering several key questionsabout the eectiveness o the program including:

1. Intern recruiting and selection.2. Orientation and onboarding3. Quality o work assignments and alignment

with intern skills, interests, and abilities.4. Supervisor activities including intern

coaching, guidance, perormance evaluationand day-to-day management and supervision.

5. O-boarding activities and programs.

Provide eedback to the Masa Israel programproviding the intern. Working with the programallows your company to select the right intern oryour company in the uture.

The most critical question to assess, o course, is whether

the program contributed to the accomplishment o thegoals and objectives established by the organization

or the internship program.

Regular opportunities to assess intern progressand provide eedback should be welcomed wheninitiated by the intern but should remain largelythe responsibility o the employing organization.These opportunities can be either ace-to-ace or

via written progress reports and updates. The ocusshould be on the regularityo the opportunities;the specic means o reviewing and providingeedback may vary depending on organizationalculture, the nature o the work assignmentprojects and tasks, and the preerences and needso the supervisor and intern. Blending ace-to-ace meetings with written summaries works veryeectively in most circumstances.

At appropriate intervals during the course o theinternship typically two to three times dependingon the duration o the work assignment - internaccomplishments relative to project and individualgoals as well as overall perormance should besummarized ormally. These periodic summarieshelp in completing a nal intern evaluation.The goal o that nal summary document is toprovide an overall assessment o the internsperormance. This evaluation helps put the internsaccomplishments in a broader context and is

tremendously useul to the interns in thinkingabout their uture career plans and activities. Thenal evaluation should provide both quantitativeand qualitative assessments and cover both theinterns project related accomplishments as well asskill development.

A sample intern evaluation instrument is includedin the Appendix B.

Evaluation systems are greatly enhanced wheneedback goes both ways between the supervisorand the intern. Consequently, interns should beencouraged to provide eedback on the internship.Supervisors should encourage interns to commenton their experiences and refect on what they havelearned. In particular interns should comment onthe eectiveness o the training and supervisionthey received and provide a sel-assessment otheir own skill development.


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This handbook has been designed to assist anyIsraeli employing organization in maximizing theuse o interns. While there are many strategies

organizations can utilize in managing theirinternship programs there are 10 key operatingprinciples that describe the very best o thoseprograms. These include the ollowing:

1. Be prepared and organizedInterns want to eel that the organization is wellprepared or their arrival and that the people theywill be working with are aware o and are excitedabout the internship. The organization should

provide, in advance, materials that describe typicalwork responsibilities and possible projects internswill be assigned to as well as a schedule thatallows introductions to colleagues, and providesnecessary training.

2. Provide a place to workAlthough every work setting is dierent (e.g.school, government oce, health care acility,business operation or agricultural environment),

all interns want to eel at the outset that theybelong and have a place to work. This oten is assimple as having a desk, a computer, a set o toolsor materials or a place to store their belongings.

3. Be clear in setting expectationsInterns value honesty and transparency. Theywant their supervisors to give them as accuratea picture as possible about their internship job responsibilities and any expectations the

organization has or them.

4. Provide real work experiencesInterns want to contribute to the organization theyare working or and they want to learn, but mostimportantly to contribute to meaningul projects.Interns are especially motivated to perorm whenthey understand how their assignments contributeto the overall eorts o the organization.

5. Encourage coaching and feedbackInterns benet greatly rom constructive eedbackand supportive coaching on how to improve their

perormance. Interns and the organization bothgain rom this open line o communication.

6. Be generous with time and patienceYour interns most oten come rom outside Israeland consequently they need time to not onlyacclimate to their work responsibilities but also toliving and working in a new country. Supervisorpatience, support, and understanding goes ar inhelping this transition.

7. Provide value-added experiencesLook or ways to complement intern workassignments with value-added learningopportunities. Meetings with senior organizationleaders, opportunities to make presentations abouttheir work, or participation in training programs allenhance the intern experience.

8. Involve interns in the evaluationprocessYour organization, Masa Israel and the Masa Israelprogram you work with will benet greatly i theintern is encouraged to provide useul inormationabout the scope and depth o their experience.Although ongoing eedback should be solicitedit will be benecial i the intern also has theopportunity to provide thoughtul suggestionsand comments that can be used to enhance theprogram or uture interns.

9. Treat interns like other employees of

the organizationInterns that are joining your organization want tobe included and thought o as part o your sta.That means including them in meetings, projectsand the daily activities o your organizationwhenever possible. I there is a group activity orcelebration, be sure to invite them to attend andparticipate.

10. Recognize and reward interns for a

job well doneEven i you cant provide a salary or your internsnd other ways to recognize and reward themboth privately and publicly or their eorts. Taking

Summary Comments


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them to lunch, acknowledging their work withcolleagues, or providing them with modest gitsare all simple but eective ways to recognize andreward interns.

The concept o gaining practical experience isnot a new one, however it has only been overthe last several decades that there has been animportant shit in both the demand or internshipsrom students, as well as the importance thatinterns play in employing organizations on aglobal scale. Increasingly employers across allsectors are utilizing interns to support important

work and projects and contribute to the overallproductivity o an organization. At the same timeinterns are being more selective when applyingor opportunities and asking about measurableand practical outcomes at the conclusion o the

internship. As employers within Israel continueto grow and compete or top young talent acrossmany elds, it is important that intern programsare developed and structured in a way that willadd value to both the organization and the internsthat are recruited. Incorporating many o theconcepts outlined in this handbook will ensurea quality internship experience and program orboth participants and employers.


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Sample Intern Job Description - For Prot

Organization

Position Title: Gaming Technology InternEmployer: Aviv Technology GroupLocation: Tel Aviv, IsraelContact Information: David Melnick, InternProgram [email protected]: 5 MonthsStart Date: July 2011Hours: Sunday Thursday 8:00-16:00Additional hours may be required dependingon project needsNumber of Internships Available: 3

Organization DescriptionAviv Technology is located in the hi-tech corridoron the outskirts o Tel Aviv. This hi-tech start-up has tripled in size in the last ve years andis known or developing innovative computergames or all popular gaming platorms. AvivTechnologys most popular games include ActionHero Adventures Across Time and Invasion Earth.In addition to its main location in Israel, Aviv hasgame studio development locations in Asia andEastern Europe. Although most employees arerom within Israel, Aviv is made up o employeesrom across the globe and all work is conductedin English. Named one o the astest growingcompanies in Israel, Aviv is a company on themove and has an ambitious goal o surpassingsome better-known technology companies in

sales within the next ve years.

Intern Position DescriptionAviv seeks interns who are ambitious and have aninterest in and appreciation or computer gamesacross the globe. Interns will be working as parto a team and will be expected to perorm as andbe treated as ull-time, regular employees. Ateran initial orientation and training program, internswill be assigned to a specic project aligned with a

particular product line and managed by a ProductManager. During the internship, interns will beexpected to present to Aviv sta on their project

assignment progress. Interns will be consideredas integral members o the product development

teams they are assigned and provided withopportunities to enhance their skills, interact withsenior managers and gain wide exposure to variousareas o company operations.

Desired Skills and Qualifcations

Aviv requests applications rom candidates whoare interested in being involved with a globaltechnology company that has a growing presence

within Israel, but also, increasingly, in other partso the world. Applicants who possess the ollowingwill receive priority consideration:

undergraduate and/or graduate coursework ina technical discipline with particular ocus oncomputer science or computer gaming

knowledge o C++, 3-D modeling andanimation (in both Maya and 3dsMAX) ishighly desirable

strong written and verbal communication skills

language fuency in written and oral Englishand additional language skills (e.g. Mandarin)would be desirable as well

general experience working in a business oroce setting

Additional InormationThe Aviv Technology Group is an innovative

start up with a proessional yet casual corporateculture. Business areas include various technologydepartments, as well as marketing and businessdevelopment groups. Interns will be given realprojects and given vouchers or meals andtransportation costs.

To ApplyInterested and qualied candidates should submitan on-line application orm at careersaviv.com.Any urther questions may be directed to [email protected]

Appendix A Sample Job Descriptions


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Sample Intern Job Description Not-or-

prot Organization

Position Title: Educational Assistant InternEmployer: The International School oJerusalemLocation: JerusalemContact Information: Elena Feldstein, InternProgram [email protected]: 10 MonthsStart Date: February 2011

Hours: Sunday Thursday 8:00-15:00Number of Internships Available: 1-5

Organization Description

The International School o Jerusalem is dedicatedto providing the best and most comprehensiveeducation to young Israelis and other memberso the Jerusalem community. The school iscomposed o students ages 5-12, who are rom

all over the world, but whose amilies have eitherimmigrated to Israel permanently or are living andworking in Israel on a temporary basis. Instructionis conducted in both Hebrew and English andtraditional Jewish customs and holidays are taughtand observed as part o the curriculum. The Schoolhas an outstanding reputation or providing arigorous, innovative and enjoyable curriculum witha relatively small student to teacher ratio.

Intern Position Description

Interns working at The International School oJerusalem will have the opportunity to train withsome o Israels nest teachers. Interns will bepartnered with a Master Teacher and given theopportunity to assist in designing lessons andactivities or the students as well as teaching classesand working on school wide events. Interns willbe able to contribute their ideas and suggestionsand help shape some programmatic elements othe school under the supervision o the MasterTeacher. Interns will also be included in a varietyo proessional development activities, including

training programs, lectures and workshops. At theconclusion o the Internship, participants will beable to demonstrate increased communicationand acilitation skills in both Hebrew and English;enhanced organizational abilities; and a strong

understanding o best practices in providinginstruction across cultural boundaries.

Desired Skills and Qualifcations

We seek Interns who are interested in learningmore about international education in Israel andwill be able to make a strong contribution to ourexisting programs and our students. The successulcandidate will have the ollowing:

undergraduate coursework in Education or

related area

excellent communication skills

language ability in English and some amiliaritywith Hebrew

experience in working with children o variousages

some knowledge o Israeli culture and

understanding o Jewish lie and traditions

enthusiasm and willingness to work as amember o a team

Additional Inormation

The school environment is inormal and internscan dress in casual attire or most workdays. Lunchand snacks are provided to all teachers, students

and interns. Interns living in an area that requiresthat they take transportation to and rom theschool will be provided with a bus pass.

To Apply

Please submit a letter outlining your specicinterests in the internship and a copy o yourresume to [email protected].


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Name:Chad SchaeerHometown: Orange Country, Caliornia

Program: Oranim Tel Aviv Internship ExperienceMarketing and Sales intern at SKS Innovating PeopleAs a person, Ive grown tremendously rom my internship. Ive become a lot morecondent and a better leader. In Israel, a persons ideas and hard work are valued ratherthan his experience. This is an opportunity that I would not have gotten anywhere else.

Name:Hannah HellerHometown:Windsor, New JerseyProgram: Career Israel

Intern at Omanoot - Israel Through ArtWhile becoming immersed in the Israeli art scene, I met hard-working and passionatepeople and became more condent in my spoken and written Hebrew. But ar and awaythe most signicant thing I gleaned rom my time in Israel was that I realized the powero art and decided that I wanted it to be an integral part o my uture.

Name:Jesse ZrybHometown: New York, New YorkProgram: Career Israel

Intern at Stav ArchitectureMy Career Israel experience denitely gave me more employable qualities. Being ableto work in an international oce shows a level o independence and initiative. In a eldlike architecture, its a great thing to get dierent perspectives.

Name:Leila HesselsonHometown: Battleord, SaskatchewanProgram: Career IsraelResearcher at Tel Aviv University

During my ve months in Israel, I interned in a genetics lab at Tel Aviv University,gaining hands-on lab experience that will be crucial in my uture career.

Appendix B Interns speak


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Appendix C Intern Evaluation

Masa Israel Intern Evaluation Form

Intern Information:

Intern Name:

Email:

Organization or program:

Department:

General Information:

Intern Job Title:

Department Assigned to:

Supervisor Name:

Hours per Week:

Start Date: End Date:

Responsibilities:


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Please rate the intern on his/her performance in the following areas by circling the appropriatenumber with 5 indicating outstanding and 1 indicating unsatisfactory.Wherever possible, please provide a brief description of your observations.

Quality o Work (Accuracy/Thoroughness): 5 4 3 2 1

Quantity o Work (Volume/Eort): 5 4 3 2 1

Competence (Applies experience and training): 5 4 3 2 1

Ability to learn (Grasps and retains skills and concepts): 5 4 3 2 1

Initiative (Originates ideas and seeks new responsibilities): 5 4 3 2 1

Reliability (Dependable, conscientious, punctual, attendance): 5 4 3 2 1

Judgment (Reasoning ability and common sense): 5 4 3 2 1

Attitude (Willingness to accept instructions and assignments): 5 4 3 2 1

Interpersonal Relations (Ability to work eectively with others): 5 4 3 2 1

Communication Skills (Written and Verbal): 5 4 3 2 1

Ethics (Demonstrates ethical and proessional behavior): 5 4 3 2 1

Sel-Awareness (Understands strengths and weaknesses): 5 4 3 2 1

Leadership (Ability or potential to lead others and/or projects,set and achieve goals, create change and inspire condence): 5 4 3 2 1

Overall Perormance: 5 4 3 2 1

Additional Comments

Proessional Preparation:

Strengths and Areas that need improvement:

I a permanent position became available would you consider hiring this individual:

Any additional inormation:Has this evaluation been reviewed with the intern? ___Yes ___ No

Supervisor Information

Name:

Title:

Date:

Work Address:

Phone: Email:


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Making Internships Work: The Masa Israel Internship Handbook for Israeli Employers

Documents

Transcript of Making Internships Work: The Masa Israel Internship Handbook for Israeli Employers