Internships: Information for Employers
Why Should I Offer Internships?
- Satisfy business needs through the intern’s engagement in projects and tasks.
- A cost-effective way to recruit new, permanent hires.
- Gain a recruitment edge on K-State’s campus.
- Access to current educational thinking and skills.
- Obtain a fresh perspective of the field through the intern’s eyes.
Do I Need English Interns?
There are general misconceptions that English majors strictly belong in either the publishing field or in academia; however, students in English develop a highly valuable skill set that can be applied to a majority of careers. The following highlights some skills of English majors:
- Professional or creative writing in various communication contexts
- Editing with an eye to spelling, punctuation, and grammar
- Accurately assessing audiences
- Analyzing large volumes of text and identifying key points
- Researching, gathering, interpreting, summarizing, and presenting data and information
- Utilizing evidence in support of ideas
- Perceiving patterns and structures
- Persuasive oral communication
- Creative thinking
- Problem-solving as well as deadline management
- Proficiency in computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office
- More examples of English majors' skills
How Do I Select Interns?
Hiring an intern is a serious process and should be done as meticulously as you would when hiring a permanent employee. You should consider the following:
- Is the applicant interested in and passionate about your company or field of work? Did the applicant ask questions in the interview? The ones who did are most likely to be interested in your opportunities.
- Does the applicant have the skill or level of experience you need or desire?
- Will the applicant fit into your organization’s culture and demands?
- Is the applicant available to work your ideal schedule?
- Ask for recommendations and learn from what they have to say about your applicant.
How Do I Help Interns Succeed?
- Begin the internship with an orientation by touring the facilities and introducing the intern to employees.
- Utilize your intern by allowing them opportunities to contribute to real work.
- Schedule regular meetings with your intern to discuss and evaluate his or her progress; interns appreciate feedback.
- Turn an intern’s mistake into a teaching moment and explain how future situations should be handled.
- Include your intern in the daily life of your workplace; bring them to lunch or let them sit in on meetings.
- Provide detailed explanations when you assign work to your intern, so they will be able to produce good work independently in the future.
- Require a mentor for your intern, someone who likes to guide, teach, train, and will show your intern the ropes within the company.
- Make sure your intern has their own workspace and tools so they do not lose productivity due to constantly moving around the office.