An internship’s benefits to the company and to the intern will be maximized if careful thought is put into the organization of the internship.  Seattle Jobs Initiative can help you plan and develop an internship tailored to your company’s needs.  For now, here are things to consider:

Plan in Advance – HR and/or the hiring manager should work with each department early on to forecast upcoming staffing needs and areas where an intern could contribute most.

Structure the Program – Interns need a supervisor assigned to them, and the supervisor must understand that interns will need some of their time, especially in the beginning.

Create a Duties Outline – Ask managers to create a list of duties and project areas for which the intern will be responsible so that everyone is on the same page before the intern starts work.  Make sure the intern understands his/her role in the company.

Hold an Orientation – Interns need an orientation to learn the ground rules and resources available.  During orientation, set the expectations on dress, attendance, behavior and technology use. 

Assign a Mentor – Whenever possible, match a mentor to the intern.  Mentors are different than supervisors.  Mentoring is a mutually agreeable relationship that is intended to further the educational and professional development of the protégé.  Mentors can be valuable for coaching or day-to-day questions, and can help interns understand and get acquainted with the corporate culture.