Host site resources
Onboarding insights
Tips for a smooth start
The onboarding process sets the foundation for a successful internship. A structured, organized orientation instills confidence in new interns and clarifies their role.
Include the following in your onboarding schedule:
- Facility tour and introductions to staff
- Review of key policies, dress code and expectations
- Space out training sessions to prevent overload
- Establish learning goals and outcomes
- List of initial tasks for the first days or weeks
- Meetings at the end of the first week and month to provide feedback and support
| Sample First Day Orientation Agenda | |
|---|---|
| 8 - 8:15 a.m. | Welcome to the office |
| 8:15 - 8:45 a.m. | Tour of the work space and introduction to staff |
| 8:45 - 9:15 a.m. | Overview of policies, procedures and expectations |
| 9:15 - 9:45 a.m. | Break |
| 9:45 - 10:45 a.m. | Training |
| 10:45 - 11 a.m. | Break |
| 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Meet with key staff |
| 12 - 1 p.m. | Lunch at your place of choice |
Intern managementTo maximize interns’ potential and experience, incorporate the following principles:
Create purpose
Help interns understand the relevance of their role to the organization’s mission. This encourages ownership and pride in their contributions.
Build connections
Show interest in interns’ academic and personal interests. Encourage them to engage with staff through group activities, events and professional meetings. Here are some ways you can foster connections:
- Distribute finals week survival kits
- Praise deserving interns in staff meetings
- Write a thank you note for a job well done
Empower
Allow interns to make decisions and think creatively within their roles. This may involve independent project work or input on process improvements.
Provide meaningful opportunities
Interns should be assigned projects that are relevant to their major or skill set, offering both challenge and value to the organization. Internships are distinct from part-time jobs, as they provide hands-on experience that aligns with career goals and prepares students for professional roles. Ensuring that interns have substantial tasks throughout the work term reinforces the internship as a critical learning and growth experience.
Model professionalism
Supervisors play a key role in demonstrating professional behavior and setting a standard for workplace conduct. While building rapport is important, maintaining professional boundaries is essential. Effective supervisors give honest feedback and constructive criticism. Follow these guidelines:
- Connect with interns through appropriate, work-related conversations and open-ended questions
- Set and exemplify professional standards in the workplace
- Provide critical feedback privately
- Recognize accomplishments publicly
Characteristics of a great supervisor
Effective supervisors are approachable, technically skilled and committed to fostering an intern’s growth. Key qualities include:
- Willingness to dedicate time to mentorship and feedback
- Comfort in delivering constructive feedback regularly
- Expertise in relevant technical areas
- Enthusiasm for teaching and guiding interns through meaningful work experiences
- Ability to facilitate reflective discussions that help interns connect learning with competency development
Amplify success through feedback
- Performance based on job description
- Training needs, if any
- Established expectations
- Positive feedback and constructive suggestions
Funding and payroll guidelines
- Intern compensation should be a minimum of $14 an hour, split between InternOSU and the department . If the department chooses to pay more, InternOSU will cover $7 an hour for 14 weeks per semester up to 15 hours per week.
- If an intern qualifies for work-study, InternOSU will fund the 30% of their pay that work-study does not cover and the department will pay nothing.
- Interns are to work a minimum of 210 hours per semester (420 hours combined), which is the maximum hours funded through InternOSU. Please plan appropriately.
- Remove interns from InternOSU funding no later than the last day of finals week in the spring or when all hours are used.
- Each organization is responsible for putting their intern on payroll, ensuring their timesheet is completed correctly, and submitted and approved by payroll deadlines. All interns should be in student, bi-weekly positions, no graduate assistant or temporary positions. Departments do not need to create a new position number, rather an existing student employee position number may be used.
- If hiring an international student, there are requirements to consider including: limiting an international student’s work hours to 20 hours a week total for all on campus positions.
- For on-campus departments, ensure position funding is split correctly between InternOSU and the department on the EPAF. Typically, this split will be 50/50 unless the department chooses to pay more than $14 per hour. Use 1-123010 for the InternOSU paid portion and email a copy of the EPAF to Colton Jones once it is applied by payroll.
- For off campus sites, reimbursement will be processed monthly. You must submit an invoice, billable to OSU Career Services, covering the first day of the month to the last day of the month. Along with the invoice, you must submit your intern’s bi-weekly time sheet and/or paystub which accurately accounts for all hours worked.