Launching a Winning Internship Program

As internships become more competitive, companies across industries are investing in robust early careers initiatives to access top talent. But building a program from scratch can be daunting. Where do you start? This step-by-step guide breaks down the key considerations: Define Your Why What goals will internships meet? Long-term pipelines? Project support? Whatever the motivation, align program design to strategic aims. 

Craft Meaningful Roles 

Shape internship roles that allow for ownership, development and networking while benefiting the organization. 

Fund Equitably 

Budget for fair pay and other investments to yield high-caliber candidates. Unpaid internships face increasing regulation. 

Promote Creatively 

Multimedia outreach harnessing college channels and social platforms to spark interest. 

Recruit Efficiently 

Optimize application-to-offer processes for conversion friendliness, focusing on competencies over credentials.  

Onboard Thoughtfully 

Set the right program tone from Day 1 via orientations, mentor pairings and growth roadmaps.  

Track Results 

Gauge and evolve programming via participation metrics, satisfaction surveys and conversion trends. While manageable initially through internal coordination, over the long-term, specialized internship operations partners like Prospect Rock can unlock scale, continuity and operational excellence. They turn talent pipelines into competitive advantage.

Contact Andrea Benson at andrea@prospectrockpartners.com today to learn how Prospect Rock Partners can help!

 

    Andrea Benson, Managing Director

    Andrea Benson is a Managing Director at Prospect Rock Partners. Prior to joining, Andrea spent 13 years at Bank of America across the IBD (M&A), HR (Campus Recruiting) and Tech (CIO) divisions respectively. Most recently, Andrea was the Global Head of Campus Recruiting and Operations at Morgan Stanley. She holds extensive knowledge of the global recruiting landscape and has a vast network given her tenure in the campus recruiting space. She holds a B.A. from Stonehill College, and lives in New Jersey with her husband and young son.

     

     

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