To hire the most qualified candidates who are eligible for your company's fall internship program, you'll need to be proactive in your search all year long. The competition is tough with top talent at stake, so it's important to plan ahead with an open mindset to tweak your plans accordingly on a quarterly basis as needed.
And as your team of HR representatives has the ability to connect with partners in the community with access to potential job seekers at colleges and universities, develop a blueprint and communicate your expectations with everyone clearly. By doing so, you'll create a smoother experience and attract the right people to help grow your business and team's success.
Below, 13 Forbes Human Resources Council members share their advice on how leaders can improve the fall intern search outcomes and onboarding process after they've landed the right new hire.
Forbes Human Resources Council members share their thoughts.
Photos courtesy of individual members.1. Communicate Your Expectations Clearly
Define the positions you are looking to fill, as well as the job descriptions, and make sure you are asking the right interview questions. We hire a lot of interns into full-time roles, so it is essential that we are creating the right positions and finding the right candidates. Targeting certain schools, alumni and more has been helpful, and being transparent about what we are looking for is essential. - Erin ImHof, CertiK
2. Plan Ahead
The fall is the most competitive recruiting season because top talent leaves the market quickly. My best advice is to begin planning for this season in the summer and get all business units involved. By fall, you should already have your recruiting and onboarding strategy mapped out and ready to execute. - Ahva Sadeghi, Symba
3. Offer Comprehensive Training
As experienced leaders, we forget the challenges that interns face starting their first professional job. Pre-boarding for interns is key. Provide training on how to access daily work tools, how to schedule meetings, write and send emails and communication protocols for the company. Get interns grounded in professional expectations early to set them up for success. - Maria Leggett, AvidXchange
4. Base Your Plans On The Data
Know your target schools and market. You don't have to recruit from every school, just those that present the greatest opportunity based upon your recruitment metrics. Ensure that you develop a game plan well ahead of the fall timeline and tweak this game plan quarterly because as we all know, recruitment is a moving target of skill! - Nakisha Griffin, Neustar Security Services
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5. Recruit All Year Long
Organizations need to be recruiting all year long, not just in the spring. Interns are looking to secure their internships very early on and will accept offers as early as the winter semester. Being on-site at a school hosting events to attract interns and teach them about your organization early on is key to the hiring process. It's competitive for companies that are competing for the top talent because interns have many options. - Heather Smith, Flimp Communications
6. Lean On Your Internal Network
Every organization is going to have at least one employee with a college student in their family or social circle. Your existing internal network can be a great resource for finding interns who are already somewhat familiar with the business, making onboarding much smoother. We've also found that it results in a more targeted group of applicants with a specific interest in what we do. - Patrick Donegan, SEI
7. Broaden Your DEI Resources
Internships are often offered through networking, so companies hire people they know. This is problematic if you’re trying to further your DEI efforts. When hiring interns, reach out to a variety of sources for referrals, like community colleges, historically black colleges and nonprofits that serve immigrant or disabled communities. For some of these folks, an internship is a life-changer. - Lisa Shuster, iHire
8. Help Out At College Events
Volunteer at a college’s resume and interview event for students! It's a great place to connect with students who are looking for internships. You'll get to help them be one step ahead on their resume and interview techniques while also finding a great candidate pool to tell about your company internship availability. An initial introduction can help interns get a glimpse into your company and a chance to ask questions. - Amy Odeneal, Tech Recruiters
9. Create A Blueprint For Mentors And Interns
Employers should determine the goals of an internship prior to filling each role. These goals should include what industry knowledge interns will be taught, who will mentor the interns and monitor their work and what the interns (and the employer) will take away from the experience. This will streamline the recruiting and onboarding process and create a blueprint for the internship program. - John Feldmann, Insperity
10. Give A Warm Welcome
We celebrate an intern's first day in a big way! The first few days are “Great Take Off Days,” where the intern is introduced at our daily, all-colleague meeting. The day is spent doing relationship-building activities and learning about our culture. At the close of the day, we host a party where the intern invites their family members to attend. It's all about making the intern feel special and celebrated. - Megan Leasher, Talent Plus
11. Establish Relationships With Universities
Begin establishing relationships with universities now in anticipation of the fall intern season. The call for interns deserves as much attention as any other job post and description as interns can become long-term employees. Clear expectations for interns from the start, and for their managers, will make the entire experience smoother. - Niki Jorgensen, Insperity
12. Be Considerate Of Students' Work (And School) Lives
Start early! Recruiting and extending offers in late spring often leads to better onboarding results in the fall. Students like to proactively schedule their classes and internships around each other. Extending offers in June gives you the upper hand in securing top talent while also giving an intern ample time to coordinate their work and school life. They are often thankful for having ample time to plan accordingly. - JacLyn Pagnotta, Allied Partners
13. Remain Engaged With Your Target Base
Be proactive about making connections with early career professionals prior to the fall recruiting season. For example, it's essential to schedule information sessions and coffee chats to provide early career guidance and networking events. You can also offer advanced notifications about intern postings to align the student's expertise with an available work project. Engaging in these types of efforts, prior to fall, give ample time for interns to acclimate to their upcoming engagement and for hiring leaders to seamlessly plan their cohorts' journey. - Britton Bloch, Navy Federal
