What makes an internship

The internship experience is for the benefit of the student. The intern does not replace regular employees, but works under the close observation of a regular employee. The employer provides the training and derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern. Occasionally, the operations may actually be impeded.

I believe it is important to have at least one significant project as part of an internship. People want to find purpose in their work and contribute to something meaningful. Interns will not find satisfaction in some laundry-list of small tasks disconnected from a larger purpose.

As I just mentioned, early in an internship, it is important to tackle a few small tasks and see them to completion. But after that, an intern needs a well-defined project—a goal that they can identify with and have some ownership of.

The intern will not work on this project exclusively or independently—they will consult, code review, pair program with others on the team, and so on—but they need to take the lead on this particular project.

Considering an intern might only be with the team for 8 to 12 weeks, this can be a challenge. You need to carve out a project that is meaningful, but also something that can be completed in the short time-frame, while, at the same time, balancing this time with them coming up to speed, learning new technologies and processes, and attending intern events.

As the employer, a significant project allows you to see how this person performs beyond the execution of simple tasks. It allows you to see the thinking behind their work—what motivates and drives this person, how they solve problems, how they communicate, how good they are at learning new things, and how they deal with uncertainty, risk, and conflict.

In other words, you get to evaluate the full breadth of this person's skill-set in deciding if you want to one day offer them a full-time position. As the intern, you have an important interest in completing a significant project that you can reference on your resume—whether or not you want to return to work at this employer, or somewhere else.

In Joel Spolsky's article on interviewing , he describes how we want to hire people who are smart and get things done. He warns that smart does not mean "knows a lot of facts", and, I think, by extension, does not mean "has performed a bunch of tasks". In future interviews, you want to demonstrate that you can get things done and provide value.

Aline Lerner's research has demonstrated that candidates who can effectively describe what they actually did, in context, and why it matters, offer a better indicator for success after hiring. This means that after your internship, you want to be able to make statements about your experiences like the following:. I implemented two-factor authentication for the web application to make it more secure and to increase sales by meeting the requirements to enter a new market.

You want to come out of your internship with a meaningful narrative and the best way to do this is to feel an attachment to a significant and impactful project. Having interns as part of a team is very valuable. Internships can also be project-based or a response to an increase in business activity and workload. Compensation — The debate continues on paid vs. In general, workers feel more valued when they are being rewarded for their work.

They are also more likely to identify with and feel part of the rest of your team if they are compensated just like everyone else. Unpaid work carries a lot of stigma with it that can weigh on the morale of your unpaid worker. Paid internships are better set up for success. An employer has to ensure that they have the workplace culture and resources to ensure a good fit between the organization and the intern.

If you are interested in a co-op, we recommend speaking with one of our staff to develop a structure for the experience that will be the most workable for our students. Research opportunities are available both on- and off-campus. Orients the student to the organization, its culture and proposed work assignment s. Helps the student develop and achieve learning goals. Offers regular feedback to the student intern.