It’s Finally Summer! Time to Manage Those Summer Interns You Hired

June 13, 2013

3 Tips for Managing Interns Effectively

I wrote a series of blogs a few months ago about recruiting at career fairs, when to build a summer internship program, paid vs. unpaid internships, interviewing intern candidates, building relationships with universities, and designing an internship that will make an impact.
So, let’s just say, you read those blogs and took my advice. (Just pretend ok?) Now you have awesome interns to help your team out while gaining valuable experience! So, now what? How do you manage these young’uns effectively without impeding your work too much?
Here are a few tips to help you mentor and manage your intern efficiently, and to make sure you’re getting great work out of them while continuing to go about your business.

1) Get Organized Up Front with a Meeting on Their First Day

Meet with your new interns at some point during their first day. Use this time to introduce yourself as their mentor and clarify how you will work together. During this meeting you should also:

  • Review office etiquette and procedures
  • Confirm weekly schedule
  • Schedule your check-in meeting (explained below)
  • If they will be receiving credit, ask if anything will be required from you over the course of the internship (interviews with mentor, sign-offs, etc.)
  • Review general day-to-day responsibilities (projects, etc.)
  • Explain how their assigned duties will add value to the company or the portfolio
  • Provide a brief training on any systems they will need to use
  • Explain any time sheet or payment procedures

These meetings are a great way to get any questions answered upfront and make sure you both start off the internship on the right foot.

2) Schedule Regular Check-in Meetings

In addition to meeting on the first day, you should meet once a month or once a week (depending on your preference) for a short 15-minute check-in. Use this meeting to discuss progress on their projects and any impediments they are running into. This time should also be used to relay any feedback from either party.

3) Encourage Interaction with Other Teams and Departments

Lastly, encourage interns to interact with other teams within the company, whether on a professional basis or during events. While internships are largely to gain new skills and hone current ones in the professional world they are also great for networking and learning how to be an “employee” in an office setting. You should encourage your intern to attend social events and work during the day with other teams and team members. This will ensure that they make the most out of their internship.

What challenges and best practices can you share from your experiences managing interns?

Senior Talent Manager, Engineering

<strong>Meghan Maher</strong> is Senior Talent Manager, Engineering, actively recruiting top talent for OpenView and its Portfolio Companies. Her tech background has helped OpenView hire for nearly 20 IT and engineering positions. Meghan began her career at AVID Technical Resources, where she was a Technical Recruiter for two years.