Posting Internships

Employer Benefits

• Introduce fresh ideas and talent
• Promote workforce diversity
• Develop connections with potential employees
• Gain office, project, and department support
• Reduce recruitment and on-site training costs by hiring interns for full-time positions
• Increase job satisfaction and retention rate for potential future employees

Students Benefits

• Gain marketable experience in the anticipated career field
• Clarify goals and learning objectives
• Apply academic knowledge to the workplace
• Improve communication skills
• Learn about general work functions
• Experience organizational culture
• Establish connections for a future career

Are You Ready for an Intern?

• Are your internship duties appropriate for a college student?
• How will the work apply to the intern's coursework?
• Are the duties and responsibilities of the intern challenging and of value?
• Will you provide appropriate resources (computer, phone, desk, etc.) for the intern?
• Will you provide adequate supervision for the intern?
• Have you researched and established compensation for the intern?

Internship Programs Under the Fair Labor Standards Act Background

The FLSA requires “for-profit” employers to pay employees for their work. Interns and students, however, may not be “employees” under the FLSA—in which case, the FLSA does not require compensation for their work.

The Test for Unpaid Interns and Students

Courts have used the “primary beneficiary test” to determine whether an intern or student is, in fact, an employee under the FLSA.  In short, this test allows courts to examine the “economic reality” of the intern-employer relationship to determine which party is the “primary beneficiary” of the relationship. Courts have identified the following factors as part of the test:

• The extent to which the intern and the employer clearly understand that there is no expectation of compensation. Any promise of compensation, express or implied, suggests that the intern is an employee—and vice versa. 
• The extent to which the internship provides training that would be similar to that which would be given in an educational environment, including the clinical and other hands-on training provided by educational institutions. 
• The extent to which the internship is tied to the intern’s formal education program by integrated coursework or the receipt of academic credit. 
• The extent to which the internship accommodates the intern’s academic commitments by corresponding to the academic calendar. 
• The extent to which the internship’s duration is limited to the period in which the internship provides the intern with beneficial learning. 
• The extent to which the intern’s work complements, rather than displaces, the work of paid employees while providing significant educational benefits to the intern. 
• The extent to which the intern and the employer understand that the internship is conducted without entitlement to a paid job at the conclusion of the internship.

Options for Internship Compensation

Hourly Pay

Interns can be paid by the hour as regular employees. Generally, the hourly wage for an intern ranges from $17 -$45 per hour.

Stipend

A stipend is typically a lump sum not related to work performed. Stipends are usually granted to non-profit and government agencies. Typically, stipends are not paid to interns in for-profit companies. Wage and hour law does not use the term "stipend." If the person is entitled to be paid, then the stipend must equate to at least minimum wage.

Scholarship Awards

Scholarship awards may be given to students at the end of their internship to cover expenses for tuition and books.

Academic Credit

Academic credit is assigned only through a CSUN faculty member. Students must contact academic departments for information on this process. It is solely the responsibility of the student to obtain pre-approval for academic credit. Neither the Career Center nor employers can grant academic credit. In order to receive academic credit, the internship must apply to the student's course of study.

Compensation Notes

• Your position is more likely to be filled if a fair wage is offered.
• Most students cannot afford to accept unpaid internships without taking another paid position.
• Interns must be provided with fair compensation and a safe environment.
• Consult the U.S. Department of Labor fact sheet for additional information.

Getting Started

Creating an internship program is the key to successful intern experiences. Employers must be prepared to receive resumes, interview applicants, select candidates, train new hires, and provide structure and feedback for interns. The most successful internship programs are planned with the interests of both the employer and the by no pictures for you today intern in mind.

Duties & Responsibilities for the Intern

It is critical that a learning component accompany the tasks performed by the intern. This learning component must be maintained throughout the internship. A supervisor must be available to guide and counsel the inexperienced student.

Internships are designed to provide students with an opportunity to learn about a specific field or career. The intern will understand more about your work and the goals of your organization if they can experience a day in the life of an employee. The intern can gain great knowledge by participating in a staff or client meeting, listening to a conference call, accompanying staff on field visits, and participating in any other important events that reflect your work experience. Broaden these shadowing experiences to include others in the organization.

Internship Schedules

Student interns also have academic obligations in addition to their internships. Employers should work with students to schedule working hours around their classes. Most students will be able to work part-time (10-20 hours) during a semester. Internships during the summer can be full-time (40 hours) positions.

Internship Orientation

If you have several interns, you may want to hold a formal orientation day or half-day. During this time, interns can be introduced to company policies and the logistic aspects of their position.

Orientation Ideas

• Introduction to the company: Give interns an overview of the company, including history, philosophies, organization, and goals, as well as an overview of any services or products produced by the company.
• Tour: Show interns around the company and its facilities. Introduce the intern to other employees.
• Employee conduct: Review the company's dress code, timecard procedure, sick leave, phone manners, and other aspects of employee behavior.
• Workspace: give the interns a tour of their workplace. Give the interns access to computers, phones, restrooms, supplies, break rooms, and other essential aspects of work.
• Resources for the intern: Introduce the intern to any supervisors and employees in their immediate environment. Schedule a regular meeting time for questions and concerns, or tell the intern how to reach you should they have any issues.
• If you have multiple interns, consider regular meetings that could include speakers from individual departments within your company.

Feedback

Interns should be provided with feedback on their performance several times during the course of the internship. Feedback may be in oral or written form but should be presented by the intern's supervisor.

Ending the Internship

As the end of the internship approaches, each intern should be evaluated and given feedback on their performance. At this time, employers may want to consider the intern's future possibilities in the company or organization. Interns may be offered full or part-time positions in the company or may be asked to extend their internship for the following semester or over the summer.

Compensation, schedules, and duties for these possibilities should be discussed as early as possible so that the students are able to plan for the following term. If interns are not a good fit for the company, employers should offer advice on ways to improve their performance for their next internship or job. Employers should end the internship period with a debriefing session, individually or in a group. 

When to Post a Position

Students follow academic semester calendars when they are looking for internships. Students usually begin their search one or two months before a new semester. A small number of students are still looking for internships three weeks into the semester as well. To maximize student response, consider posting internships at least two months before and one month into an academic semester.

• Fall Semester Postings: June - September
• Spring Semester Postings: October - January
• Summer Postings: October-April

Length of the Program

Internships typically last for at least one semester. If students are not receiving academic credit for their internship, students may work for longer or shorter periods of time. Remember to plan enough time for the intern to get to know the company or organization, receive any necessary training and participate in the work environment.

Internship Hours

Interns are usually able to work part-time (10-20 hours per week) during the fall and spring semesters and full-time (40 hours per week) during the summer. Some students will be able to work full-time (not recommended) during the semester as well. Please specify the number of hours per week in your job description in order to locate an intern who will be able to serve the needs of your organization.

Internship Guidelines

CSUN has partnered with Parker Dewey to offer Micro-Internships. Parker Dewey developed the Micro-Internship concept 5 years ago. Both CSUN and Parker Dewey believe Micro-Internships is a way to bridge the gap between college and career. 

Micro-internships are short-term projects typically between 20 and 40 hours in length. These projects are paid and suitable for current college students or recent graduates. 

Creating a profile about your organization and post projects is quick and easy. You start by registering with Parker Dewey. You can choose to browse the project library and sample projects before posting. 

All projects are paid on average $15-20/hour, and each project is individually vetted by Parker Dewey to make sure that it is appropriate for college students/recent grads and compensated fairly.  Companies are invoiced by project and are not required to post a minimum number of projects. Students are paid in full at the conclusion of each project.

Opportunities are posted for free, and 90% of what the company pays goes directly to the student. Students become independent contractors of Parker Dewey, who manages the administrative burden of the Micro-Internship, including legal, payroll, and onboarding. See more details regarding flexible staffing solutions.

These projects offer employers access to students who are currently challenged to engage in traditional internships.  These may include student-athletes or non-traditional students who may be unable to complete a summer internship. In reality, most students cannot afford to participate in unpaid internships while in college. These Micro-Internships provide opportunities for a diverse population of students.

Use this link to register and post Micro-Internships.