As an intern supervisor, you use all the skills necessary in any effective supervisory relationship:

• Providing leadership

• Motivating

• Delegating

• Communicating

• Developing and Training

• Evaluating

Additionally, the students will look to you as a mentor who will assist their transition from the classroom to the work environment.

We suggest you meet with your interns regularly to provide feedback concerning their performance. During these meetings, the students can:

• Report on the status of a project.

• Ask questions.

• Learn how their work is contributing to the organization.

• Participate in an evaluation of their strengths.

• Discuss areas needing growth and development.

• Get a sense of what kind of work lies ahead.

You should anticipate that you will have some interaction with the staff from the Enterprise Resource Center, through telephone calls, on-site visits, and written evaluations.   We will help you find a solution if difficulties occur (intern attendance or punctuality problems, low motivation, unsatisfactory work, or personal conflicts).  Also, you should contact the ERC if the internship conditions must be altered, such as a change in supervisors, delays in the availability of data needed by the students to complete an assignment, transfer or termination of an employee involved in the intern’s work, or other unanticipated changes.

• Encourage your students to keep a portfolio of work accomplished during their experience. 

• Maintain an open channel of communication with formal and informal meetings.

• Keep the interns busy and directed towards their learning objectives.

• Provide opportunities for increasing responsibility.

• Encourage professionalism by assisting the interns in developing human relations skills, decision-making abilities, and managing office politics.

• Remember that you are a role model.

• Develop connections.

Back to ERC Employers home >>>