Employer handbook for. Internships. We are in the business of building successful futures. TM

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1 Employer handbook for Internships

2 Our mission is to support careers by bridging the gap between business students and the business community through internship and placement opportunities.

3 internship Who we are The Career and Placement Office provides services to all College of Business College students in all business majors and class years. We assist junior, senior and MBA students with securing internships, job searching, and other career planning information. What is an internship? An internship is a partnership between individual students, their educational institutions, and companies or organizations where short-term work and learning experiences are offered to students. An internship is an ideal way for students to connect their classroom learning to the realities of daily business life. Internships can be full-time or part-time Internships can be paid or unpaid Internships can take place during an academic semester or on your company s timetable Interns can receive credit for their internship (See Student Eligibility for details.) Internships may be part of a student s academic major or related to a career interest Internships have defined learning goals and are monitored for progress Internships promote academic, career, and personal development goals Benefits for employers Internships provide a cost-efficient way to bring eager and talented workers into your company to support a variety of work functions. In addition, internships offer several other benefits, including: A means to advance or develop projects or services for your company An opportunity to study trends in order to determine future business decisions A method for identifying potential new hires A community relations program that develops strong ties between educational institutions and your organization An opportunity to allow for mentoring of students by company representatives Why UCCS College of Business students? The UCCS College of Business (COB) was established in 1965 to help supply Colorado Springs businesses with a talented and well-educated work force. The COB awards the Bachelor of Science in Business degree, the Bachelor of Innovation in Business, and the Master of Business Administration degree (MBA). The degree programs are accredited by the AACSB International: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This accreditation places the COB in the top 30% of business schools nationally. Areas of emphasis include: accounting,

4 business administration, finance, marketing, management, human resource management, professional golf management, sports management, services management, international business, and information systems. Developing a successful internship program for your organization To create an internship, there are a few important steps that you, the employer, need to take: 1. Define your goals for the internship program. 2. Build support for the program at all levels. To be able to assist student interns in gaining a valuable experience, you will need to have support at all levels of your business. You also need the commitment of your top management for success. 3. Plan ahead by answering the following questions: Will you pay the intern? If so, how much? Do you have adequate workspace for an intern? What academic background and experience do you want in an intern? What will your intern be doing? Who will supervise and mentor the intern? In the supervisor/mentor relationship, a significant amount of learning occurs. Having someone supervise the intern who enjoys this type of work and knows the industry is crucial. How will you evaluate the intern s progress? How will you orient the intern to the workplace? 4. Develop a relationship with the Career and Placement Office. A partnership with us will help you advertise the position, manage the intern, provide necessary feedback, and ensure continuity for your internship program. Recruiting interns Sometimes employers feel that recruiting interns is the most challenging part of an internship program. That s where we can help the most. Our goal is to help you find the right match for your internship. A few tips for the recruiting process Start early. Begin the process about 1 to 2 months before you want the intern to begin work. Be seen on campus. Participate in our semi-annual Career Networking Night (CNN), mock interviews or the campus-wide Career Fair held every semester. Create a thoughtful, well-defined position description. Provide as much detail as possible about what the student can expect from the internship. Pay is not a requirement but does tend to attract the more competitive candidates. Choose carefully. Hiring interns that fit your organization will help them have a good experience and possibly become candidates for permanent positions. Student Eligibility In order to provide employers with the best quality interns we require the following: Applicants must be currently enrolled students in the College of Business, either undergraduate or graduate. Undergraduate students must have completed a junior level class in the discipline of the internship (non-business students earning a minor in business cannot receive internship credit towards their minor coursework). Students must complete all skills courses such as accounting, economics, statistics and management before becoming eligible to enroll in an internship. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5. The internship involves both on-the-job work experience and academic requirements. On-the-Job Hours The amount of time on the job relates to the number of credit hours for the internship. One-Credit Internships: 50 work hours Two -Credit Internships: 100 work hours Three- Credit Internships: 150 work hours Semesters run for 16 weeks. However, we know your business needs may not match the academic calendar so our requirement is for work experience to be completed in no more than two semesters.

5 Supervising Interns In order for you to have a successful experience with your student interns, we suggest that you consider the following as you develop or enhance your internship program: Orientation Provide your intern with an orientation to your company, your office environment, and introductions to key personnel and services. This will help your intern become productive more quickly. Access to appropriate resources Make sure your interns have access to equipment and resources they will need to perform their work duties appropriately. This should include a computer work station if necessary, access to telephones, , office supplies and equipment, etc. Regular contact and feedback Schedule time to meet with your intern regularly. Most supervisors find that initially they need to set aside daily time to work with their intern. After the intern has become acclimated, weekly meetings are suggested. Inclusion Make an effort to include your intern in staff meetings, lunches (when appropriate), and other gatherings. Include them on updates, and encourage other staff members to do the same. Immediate explanations Don t wait for questions. Interns sometimes don t know enough to ask the right questions (or any questions at all). Take the time to explain policies, procedures, and how you would like the assigned work to be done. This will pay off for you in the long run, as you will see errors early on and be able to take corrective action. Useful and meaningful projects No one likes busy work, and you certainly aren t using your intern s talents to the fullest by assigning menial tasks. Take the time to learn your intern s skills and strengths, then make assignments based on what the student can offer you and your company. Evaluation An internship is a learning experience. What distinguishes an internship from a job is that you and the intern negotiate learning goals at the beginning of the experience; subsequently, you evaluate those goals and work performance at the end of the experience. Build in both informal and formal evaluation opportunities throughout the internship. Employer Expectations 1. The employer should make every attempt to expose the student to as many business activities, policies, and procedures as possible. Because the internship is a learning experience for the student, we ask that supervisors take the time to explain management practices and operating policies and procedures as necessary to ensure that the student understands the intricacies of the position, the business, and the organization. 2. Firms interested in hiring an intern may arrange with the Career and Placement Office to interview interested students (either on campus or through office visits) to select an appropriate student, and to make an offer of employment. 3. The intern s supervisor will send the Career and Placement Office a written evaluation of the student s Performance upon completion of the internship. (An evaluation form is included in the back of this handbook.) Feedback is always appreciated at any time during the internship.

6 4. If the student has gained experience that fulfills the requirements of professional examinations (such as the Uniform CPA Examination), the employer should give the appropriate documentation to both the student and the Director of Internship and Placement. Ethical Expectations The Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at UCCS instills principle-based ethics education throughout the business school, resulting in a high standard of ethics in our students and graduates. The ethics initiative promotes principles as a constant foundation for personal and organizational ethical decision-making and leadership. Students in the College of Business follow these eight principles: DANIELS FUND ETHICS INITIATIVE PRINCIPLES Integrity - Act with honesty in all situations Trust - Build trust in all stakeholder relationships Accountability - Accept responsibility for all decisions Transparency - Maintain open and truthful communications Fairness - Engage in fair competition and create equitable and just relationships Respect - Honor the rights, freedoms, views, and property of others Rule of Law - Comply with the spirit and intent of laws and regulations Viability - Create long-term value for all relevant stakeholders For more information about the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at UCCS, contact us at ethics@uccs.edu. Knowing the legal issues Here are some legal concerns for employers to consider: Provide your intern with written terms and conditions of employment. Advise your intern of appropriate workplace behavior, your company s harassment policies, and complaint procedures. Since every company has its own rules and procedures, we encourage you to speak with your organization s attorney, CPA and/or HR department if you have questions about hiring an intern. How to get started All employers will then be asked to create a Business Connect profile: From Business Connect you will be able to: Connect with interested students Upload job descriptions Receive applications & Resumes Completely control your search Once you upload your offering to Business Connect, we will publicize the internship opportunity in s to our students and through the website. Once students begin to respond to your posting, it is up to you to decide whom to interview, and choose who you feel will best fit what you are looking for. We will continuously keep all lines of communication open and promote all internship opportunities to College of Business students, but we cannot guarantee that candidates will be found for any particular position Questions? Contact the Career & Placement office in the College of Business at UCCS at or cobplace@uccs.edu.

7 TOP 10 CONCERNS OF INTERNS 1. We want real work! Not grunt work. Some amount of clerical work comes with any internship, but please try to find good learning experiences for your interns. Give them good projects and they will shine. 2. Lay out your expectations. Discussing your expectations up front will help avoid miscommunications and hard feelings in the long run. 3. Give us feedback. Interns can t improve their performance if you don t help them learn from their mistakes and congratulate them on their successes. 4. Include us in company events. Attending a staff meeting, a project meeting, or a social lunch with office-mates helps interns feel welcome and gives them a better perspective on the organization. 5. Please help us understand by explaining. Give a detailed explanation of projects you assign to help the intern understand the purpose of the project. 6. We need mentors. Find a staff member who truly likes to teach and help new professionals to provide guidance to the intern. 7. Give us your time. Interns might not speak up if they are feeling ignored or have questions. The mentor/supervisor should schedule time to spend with the intern. 8. Be prepared for us. Create a job description, inform others in the office, and find time to spend with the intern on the first day 9. Arrange the details of our arrival. Interns will need a place to sit, a computer to work at, and a phone. If you want to get a job done, give the intern the appropriate tools to do so. 10. Every little bit helps. Remember what it s like to be a poor student? Not every employer is in a position to pay their interns, but if you can offer an hourly rate, a stipend, or meal or parking benefits, you ll be greatly assisting your student.