Meeting with my current interns Runor Pinnock (top left), Brandon Nguyen (top right), and Giovanna Barragan (bottom right) along with former intern Elaine Fernandez (bottom left).
Practical ways for students and employers to take advantage of internships
I recently hired my 10th intern at Making Waves Education Foundation and have enjoyed working with and mentoring more than twice as many student employees and interns over my career.
As a current manager and former intern, internship opportunities have made a huge difference in my career journey. I’ve seen how these hands-on learning experiences benefit interns, managers, and entire workplaces.
- For students, internships create access to resume-building experiences that help students grow their confidence, skills, and networks. Internships also help students see possible career paths and what direction they might want to head, or not.
- For employers, internships bring new perspectives, specialized skills, and cost-effective support while creating possible talent pipelines. In marketing and storytelling in particular, internships are critical for content creation, peer-to-peer marketing, and social media.
And yet, a recent report from Handshake found that internship postings decreased over the last two years while internship applications are increasing.
In hopes of helping students navigate a competitive internship market and convincing more employers to start internship programs to meet the demand, I am sharing practical ways to make internships work for you – whether you are applying or hiring.
For those applying to internships
Here are tips for students looking to land the internship and make the most of the experience.
1. Put yourself out there
The networks and experiences you build now – even taking on student leadership opportunities or attending community events – will help with your internship applications later. Send personalized yet concise asks for informational interviews with hiring managers in your field or folks in roles that interest you.
These connections help you learn the ins and outs of the job market, while opening future opportunities – whether job opportunities on their team or within their network.
➡️ Remember: when it comes to building community and networking, focus on quality over quantity. Genuine, meaningful connections will build more trust and open more opportunities in the long run.
Additional resources:
- Tips for networking in college from former Making Waves intern Juritzy Mata
- More networking and mentorship resources from Making Waves
2. Be ready to tell your story
Your ability to tell your story and connect the dots between your experiences will set you apart. Don’t just list what you did. Know your audience and weave together your experiences, skills, and mindsets most relevant to the job. Pick key themes in your journey and share how they’ve shaped you and your passion for where you’re going next.
➡️ Remember: a key to putting yourself out there and telling your story is being YOU. If you use AI, be intentional about editing before submitting your application, sending your message, or starting the interview. Authenticity sticks, especially in an era of AI-written content overload.
Additional resources:
- More career storytelling tips in Harvard Business Review
- Some sample questions and answers from Indeed
- Ways to prepare your elevator pitch and practice in mock interviews from Making Waves
3. Be open to different opportunities
It’s ok to play the long game. You might not land your dream internship or your ideal full-time job right away. Be open to opportunities to learn about different types of roles, forms of collaboration, and organizational cultures. Find organizations or leaders who invest in your growth, use experiences as learning opportunities, and connect the dots to tell a memorable story in your next interview.
➡️ Remember: it’s ok if you don’t love everything about your internship. You’re gaining experience and transferable skills and growing your understanding of what you want for your career.
Additional resource:
4. Put in what you want to get out of the internship
Congrats! You got the offer. Now what? Set some goals and get curious. What are 2-3 tangible outcomes you want from the internship? It could be to gain a solid mentor or lead a project or learn time management skills. Communicate these goals with your manager so they can support you.
➡️ Remember: The more you invest in your experience, the more valuable it will be. Ask questions, build your portfolio, attend events, seek and reflect on feedback, and keep in touch with new connections beyond the internship.
Additional resource:
For those hiring for internships
Here are tips for getting your internship program off the ground and hiring and supporting interns.
1. Pay your interns and pay attention to job titles
Paying interns creates more equity – opening doors for students who can’t afford to give up paid work. Using popular, realistic keywords in the job title makes the role more visible in job search tools and more relevant for applicants. Focus more on industry terms and titles your audience is looking for rather than on your company’s internal initiatives.
With solid pay and an appealing title, your talent pool will be larger and more qualified – and you’ll likely have better engagement and retention.
Not only that; there is a long-term impact. A survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, or NACE, found that not only do unpaid interns receive fewer job offers than paid interns, they receive the same amount as students who never had an internship.
2. Provide structure for productivity and community
Remember, interns are not full-time professionals. They are balancing classes, homework, clubs, jobs, social and family commitments. They are working limited hours or within a limited timeframe and may not have the same understanding or judgement as a full-time team member. They’re likely newer to professional work settings and are eager to learn and build social capital.
Here are some tips to create a positive experience:
- ➡️ Shape the job around projects that have softer deadlines or room to learn, or would benefit from fresh perspective or dedicated hours of time you might not have.
- ➡️ Keep a consistent, transparent schedule with flexibility during busy times like finals week.
- ➡️ Carve extra time for onboarding, write out clear expectations to review together, co-create goals, and set up communication channels and check-ins.
- ➡️ Be intentional about community building. Set up coffee chats (even on Zoom) and informational interviews for interns to meet other employees. Facilitate ways for interns to work together and connect as peer mentors.
3. Know it’s a learning experience for everyone – even you!
During the application and interview process, look for curiosity, problem-solving abilities, and a willingness to learn. Once the structure is in place, give interns the space and support to bring up ideas and be a part of projects. Engage in two-way feedback throughout the internship – it’s an opportunity for everyone to learn from one another.
If your experience managing interns is anything like mine, you’ll get some of the best leadership feedback and project input from interns.
Additional resources:
- Resources around feedback and power dynamics from The Management Center
- The Management Center’s 2×2 format for two-way reviews and feedback
4. Still on the fence? Start small
Start with one intern for a limited number of months, stay organized and open, and make improvements as you go. Or consider micro-internships, which could be 20-hour or 40-hour project-based internships. See how it goes, gather feedback, and adjust the number of interns and duration based on what works.
It’s ok to start with smaller, more meaningful opportunities and grow from there.
Internships are a win-win. If you’re looking for an internship, go after it with intention and reach out for support along the way. If you are in a position to offer an internship, make the leap and start realizing the benefits.
More information for employers
Let’s partner!
Corporate and community partnerships are a win-win.
Further your employee engagement and recruitment goals and support students by partnering with Making Waves to host field trips, speak at career fairs, offer internships, and more!
➡️ Learn more
More information for students
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