Hiring Interns? It’s Easier Than You Think!

A Simple, Quick Process—We’re Here to Support You Every Step of the Way.

If you are looking for high-caliber talent, fresh perspectives, immediate contributions, and cost-effective resources, an intern is the answer.

Employers of all types and sizes – whether small or large, for-profit or non-profit, across diverse industries – can easily integrate interns into various roles with a little bit of planning, gaining access to valuable, skilled talent.

Internships are more than a bridge between academic learning and professional experience—they’re a catalyst for growth and innovation. By blending classroom knowledge with practical application, interns can help you stay current with research and emerging trends, providing valuable contributions and delivering impactful results. Fuqua’s recruiting partners often highlight the transformative nature of these experiences, emphasizing the significant impact interns have both during their time with the organization and as future hires. 

Experience the Value of Interns in Your Organization

  • Ready to contribute from day one, interns deliver advanced knowledge, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills from their rigorous academic training and professional experience. They offer fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and cutting-edge insights, enriching your team's capabilities.
     
  • Interns bring diverse professional and personal backgrounds, strengthening your organization’s culture. Additionally, international students offer valuable global perspectives and are eligible for summer internships without the need for an employer-sponsored visa. Maximize your team’s potential with international talent, learn more here.
     
  • By giving interns ownership of short-term projects, organizations can boost overall productivity while creating valuable learning experiences for interns. Positive intern experiences not only strengthen your organization’s reputation at graduate programs but also position interns as enthusiastic ambassadors for your brand and can advance the mission of impact-driven organizations.  
     
  • Internships are often more cost-effective than hiring full-time employees while still providing access to top-tier talent. Eight out of ten employers surveyed by NACE, the National Association of Colleges and Employers, said that internships provided the best return on investment as a recruiting strategy.
     
  • Employers can achieve exceptional value with minimal cost by bringing on summer interns, whether in-person or virtually. Plus, your internship may qualify for up to 1-to-1 matching financial support, making it more affordable. Learn more about Fuqua's Summer Internship Fund.

If you have any questions or need further guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out - Fuqua’s Career Management Center team is here to help!

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Internships Simplified: Employers' Guide

Access actionable steps, practical tips, and resources to help you choose the best options for your organization.

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Fuqua’s Internships Simplified: Employers' Guide

Hiring Interns
Define Your Organization’s Internship Needs
  • Determine which areas of your organization would benefit the most from support, such as specific departments, key initiatives or strategic projects.
    • Identify the skills and expertise that your team could strengthen or expand and design roles to fill these gaps.
    • Think about the scope – will the interns focus on specific projects, short-term assignments or a combination of both?  Consider if interns should work within a single department or rotate through different functions to gain broader organizational exposure.
    • Here are examples of project descriptions from Fuqua job posts, showcasing the diverse internship opportunities students engage in Finance, General Management, Marketing, Operations, Product Management, and Strategy.
  • Evaluate the available team, training, and resources to ensure interns receive the guidance and tools needed to succeed.
    • Ensure designated managers and teams have the time and capacity to work with interns and provide ongoing feedback throughout the internship.
    • Identify any general training required to equip the interns to work efficiently and effectively.  
    • Assess the systems and technology needed and available workspace.
  • Resources:
Develop the Internship Role and Application Process
  • Prepare a detailed and engaging job description that defines the role, responsibilities, and expectations for the position.  This preparation will ensure you attract candidates who are the right fit.  
    • Define the preferred qualifications, skills, and experience needed.  
    • Be sure to emphasize your organization's mission and culture.
    • Highlight benefits like skill-building, mentoring, and networking, to convey engagement and development opportunities.
    • Here are sample job descriptions for reference: Operations Summer Associate, Corporate Strategy Manager (Intern), Investment Management Summer Analyst (Intern), Marketing Intern, Graduate Leadership Development Program - General Management (Intern), Product Management Intern, and Social Impact HR Intern.
    • Define the timeline and compensation.
      • The standard internship is a paid, full-time position for 8 to 12 weeks.
      • Compensation is typically determined by pro-rating the full-time salary of the role.
      • Salaries range widely depending on industry, function, and geography. Benchmarking is important to ensure you make a competitive offer.
        • Refer to Fuqua’s Employment Report for insight into market compensation data. Additionally, connect with the Career Management Center’s industry account teams for valuable trends and perspectives in the marketplace.
        • Consider up to 1-to-1 matching fund support as your organization may be eligible. Click here for more information on Fuqua's Summer Internship Fund (SIF).
  • Streamline the application process to be simple and user-friendly, clearly outlining steps such as submitting a resume, cover letter, and the application deadline. Share the anticipated timing for interview(s) and candidate selection decision.
    • Internship application deadlines vary widely with organization needs, with some starting as early as November or December but continuing throughout the spring semester. Fuqua’s Career Management Center’s industry account teams will work with you to accommodate your needs.
    • Consider the academic calendar of potential candidates. Plan to schedule interviews well in advance. For reference, see Fuqua's Recruiting Calendar and interview timeline.
  • Resources:
Promote Your Internship Opportunity Broadly
  • Partner with Career Centers, like Fuqua's Career Management Center, to explore the best ways to promote your opportunity.
    • Consider engaging with candidates by hosting information sessions, office hours and/or participating in a career fair. These efforts help foster valuable connections and increase visibility for your organization among potential candidates.
  • Leverage existing recruiting platforms, such as Fuqua’s CareerBridge, to boost interest in your job openings at no cost. You can share pertinent job details and select student groups, with the added flexibility to choose your preferred application methods, document requirements, and application start and end dates.
  • Utilize your organization's existing platforms such as LinkedIn, website, and social media to broaden your recruitment reach.
  • Resources:
Create a Structured Interview Process to Identify Right-Fit Candidates
  • Develop and execute an interview framework that evaluates both technical skills and cultural fit, whether conducted in-person or virtually.
    • Prepare a set of standard interview questions to ensure consistency, fairness, and alignment with role expectations and organizational values.
    • Interviews conducted on-campus allow employers and candidates to establish an authentic and personal connection, evaluating technical proficiency, and team compatibility within your organization. Virtual interviews allow enhanced accessibility, efficiency, and scheduling flexibility, and may optimize your team’s time and resources. Whether opting for on-campus, or virtual interviews, your Fuqua Career Management Center Account Manager will help facilitate the process seamlessly.
  • Provide prompt feedback to maintain candidate interest.
    • Open communication between the employer and student is essential throughout the interview, offer, and evaluation processes.
      • To keep candidates engaged, employers are encouraged to maintain regular contact with candidates, making sure outreach occurs at least every four weeks.
  • Employers should consider alternate candidates for interviews to expand access to available talent.  
    • This strategy allows employers to engage a larger candidate pool, retain access to high-quality talent should an interview slot unexpectedly open, and optimize the time invested by the interview team.
  • Resources:
Managing Interns
Onboarding and Orientation 
  • Send a pre-arrival package to help your interns prepare for their experience.
    • Provide key onboarding details, a company welcome, team structure, and an overview of what to expect.
  • Upon arrival, welcome interns by providing a thorough introduction to your organization, setting the foundation for a smooth transition and successful internship experience.
    • Provide an on-site tour, introduce key team members and departments.
    • Conduct orientation sessions to familiarize interns with company policies, procedures, and tools. Share materials that will help the intern succeed (i.e., employee handbooks, project documentation).
    • Confirm that technology setup and internal access to company platforms are complete.
    • Provide interns with the opportunity to observe team members to gain a deeper understanding of workflows.
  • Resources:
Ongoing Guidance and Support
  •  Assign meaningful tasks and projects. Set and communicate expectations, goals, and deliverables.
    • Provide interns one or more impactful projects that directly contribute to the business and have them present their results to senior leadership to highlight the value of their work.
  • Implement a structured system for regular evaluation and feedback from both interns and supervisors, ensuring measurable outcomes from their contributions.
    • Provide continuous personal and professional development feedback.
  • For MBA interns, ensure that managers either hold an MBA themselves or are familiar with the MBA curriculum. This enables them to better understand the skills and coursework the interns have completed and to tailor projects in line with their knowledge and developmental needs.
    • Additionally, consider the intern’s prior experience—an intern with a related background may need more advanced tasks, while someone switching careers may benefit from foundational projects.
    • Managers should proactively ask for feedback to ensure the projects are appropriately utilizing and challenging the intern’s skills.
  • Schedule a formal mid-internship evaluation to provide a forum for constructive feedback and questions.  Encourage your interns to report on project status and ask questions.
  • Assign mentors as trusted resources to offer guidance, advice, support, and networking opportunities, fostering a relationship focused on the mentee's overall success.
  • Create networking opportunities for professional development and gain deeper insights into the organization. If possible, allow interns to observe, contribute, and rotate through different parts of the organization.
  • Resources:
Exiting or Converting Interns
Closing the Internship Experience
  • Summarize the intern's achievements and facilitate the transition of their work and knowledge.
  • Conduct an exit interview.
    • Consider what questions to ask to gather valuable feedback on the intern experience.
    • Solicit input from the intern and key stakeholders across the organization.
  • Before current interns finish their experience, encourage them to help recruit for next summer’s interns.
    • Former interns can serve as valuable advocates, offering real-world perspectives about the internship and attracting top talent from their networks.
  • Determine necessary changes or improvements for future experiences.
  • Before the intern's departure, assess whether there are full-time opportunities available within the team or elsewhere in the organization. Take into account the student’s graduation date and evaluate the potential cost-benefit of converting the internship into a full-time role.
  • Resources:
Transitioning Interns to Full-Time Roles
  • Be transparent about the steps involved in moving from an internship to a full-time position in your organization.
  • Present a clear, written offer that includes the job title, role responsibilities, the financial package, benefits (i.e., health insurance, retirement plans), perks that come with the full-time role, and start date.
  • Once the intern accepts the offer, confirm the start date for their full-time position and any onboarding steps that need to occur.
  • Maintain engagement during the transition period from intern to full-time employee. Provide regular updates on any changes in the company, team structure, or policies before their full-time start date.
  • Resources: