Photo Source: Adobe Stock
Bringing on an intern sounds simple—until they show up and no one knows what they’re supposed to be doing, who’s managing them, or how to make the experience useful for anyone involved.
“A successful program doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be intentional,” pointed out Charlie Melvoin, Co Founder of Zygo, a company whose headphones let you listen to music while swimming. “Interns want real experience, your team wants real help, and everyone walks away better for it if you get it right.”
This article provides smart tips for building a summer internship program that can have a positive impact on your interns, your business, and your reputation.
What Is a Summer Internship Program?
If you’ve worked in or around the professional world, you’ve probably heard plenty about internship programs. But what do they actually look like in practice — and what are they supposed to do?
“A strong summer internship program gives workers early in their career a real chance to gain valuable job experience through hands-on practice,” explained Dr. Manjula Jegasothy, Co-Founder of MiamiMD, a company known for its wrinkle remover. “It’s usually an eight-to-12-week experience that should be structured enough to offer guidance but still flexible enough for them to explore, ask questions, and learn as they go.”
Interns should contribute meaningfully, gain exposure to your team’s workflows, and leave with a clearer sense of what they’re good at and where they want to grow.
Why Offer a Summer Internship Program?
Between onboarding, deadlines, and everything else on your plate, offering a summer internship program might feel like something you can skip. But there are real benefits — both short-term and long-term — that make it worth doing well.
Extra Hands for Projects That Keep Getting Pushed
A summer intern can take on the kind of projects that help your team but always seem to get deprioritized. These might include research, QA, documentation, social content, and reporting clean-up.
“Interns can be incredibly helpful when given direction,” said Griff Duncan, Digital Marketing Manager of CON-CRĒT, a company that specializes in creatine gummies. “If you match their skills to tasks that are scoped and needed, you’ll be surprised how much they can move your business forward.”
Before they start, ask your team what keeps getting overlooked. Then, carve out a project that’s meaningful for them and helpful for you.
A Trial Run for Future Hires
Internships help you build relationships with early-career talent before they’re officially on your team. Interns get to learn how your company runs, and you get a preview of how they solve problems, work with others, and handle direction.
“Interns add value to the workplace and can also be a return on investment for the business,” said Michael Timmes from Insperity. “Impactful internship experiences lead to valuable relationships, which in return can lead to future top job candidates.”
Make your program a two-way experience. Offer feedback throughout the program, and keep notes on who stood out. You’ll be glad you did when a role opens later.
A Boost for Your Brand
A strong internship program doesn’t just help the intern — it reflects well on your company, too. It shows that you’re not only hiring talent but investing in it.
“Interns are brand ambassadors, especially when they feel included and supported,” said Daley Meistrell, Head of Ecommerce at Dose, a company known for its cholesterol supplements. “They’ll talk about your company long after their internship ends on campus, online, and in future interviews.”
All that buzz benefits you. A positive intern experience leads to stronger word of mouth, a better talent pipeline, and even a boost to your reputation with clients. It’s free marketing, culture-building, and long-term recruiting — all from one summer program.
How Do You Set Up a Summer Internship?
If you’re new to building internship programs, you may struggle with where to start. There’s no single formula when it comes to internships, but if you want to build one that delivers, these steps can help.
Know What You’re Hiring For
Hiring “an intern” is too vague. Are they writing copy? Editing video? Running data pulls? A clear role will lead to better applicants and a smoother experience for all. It also helps avoid the common trap of scrambling to figure out what your intern should do once they’re already onboarded.
“If an intern’s role isn’t clearly defined, it’s confusing for the entire office,” suggested Greg Hannley, Founder and CEO of Soba Mesa, a company that provides the drug rehab Arizona trusts. “Interns feel lost, and teams don’t know what to give them. You need a plan before they even apply.”
Ask yourself: What team are they joining? What skills would be helpful? What projects could they help move forward? You don’t need a rigid list of tasks, but you do need direction. Think of it as building a rough outline with enough structure to keep things focused, that is still flexible enough to evolve as they settle in.
Assign Someone To Lead the Experience
Even the most talented intern won’t thrive if they don’t know who to turn to for questions. You’ll need each intern to have a dedicated point person to lead them in the right direction.
“Every intern needs someone who checks in, explains how processes work, and keeps them connected to the team,” said Shaunak Amin, CEO and Co-Founder of Stadium. “Without that one-on-one connection, your intern (and their motivation) can fall through the cracks.”
Pick a point person who’s good with people, communicates clearly, and has time to listen to your interns’ needs. It could be a junior teammate or a department lead — the title doesn’t matter. What matters is that the intern knows who their go-to person is from Day One.
Set Expectations Early
Most interns won’t ask what’s expected of them — they’ll try to figure it out by watching everyone else. That’s fine if your team runs like a well-oiled machine, but more often than not, it leads to confusion.
“Interns want to do well, but a lot of them are too nervous to ask basic questions,” explained Sanford Mann, CEO of American Hartford Gold, whose American Hartford Gold reviews highlight the benefits of gold IRAs. “When no one explains the rules, they start making them up and making mistakes.”
Explain early on what a typical week looks like, how they should ask for help, and the best way to share updates, join meetings, or flag something they don’t understand. You’ll save your intern from second-guessing and help them hit the ground running.
Make Them Part of the Team
Your intern should feel like they’re actually on the team rather than just visiting it. When they’re looped in, they learn faster, contribute more, and build confidence in the process.
“Being included in meetings, conversations, and team Slack channels makes a huge difference,” said Brianna Bitton, Co-Founder of O Positiv, a company that offers MENO vaginal moisture capsules. “Interns learn just by being around how things work. If they’re excluded, they miss all of that.”
Invite them to participate in team standups, brainstorming sessions, or group lunches. Let them see how decisions are made, how people collaborate, and how tasks get done. It’s a low effort for your full-time team, but it can greatly impact your intern’s experience.
Give Them Space to Learn
Interns aren’t full-time employees, and they’re not supposed to be. They’re learning, which means they need space to try, stumble, ask follow-ups, and grow from mistakes.
“Internships shouldn’t feel like a constant performance review but a safe place where interns can test things out,” suggested Justin Soleimani, Co-Founder of Tumble, a company that specializes in washable rugs. “You want them to leave smarter and more confident, not scared of getting things wrong.”
Give them projects with a little breathing room that they can own and circle back on. Maybe it’s drafting social captions, testing a new internal tool, or pulling insights for a presentation. Pick something with clear boundaries but enough room to stretch. Then, step back. Don’t fix their work behind the scenes or jump in too soon. The more they’re trusted to try, the faster they learn.
Ready To Make Your Summer Internship Program Count?
This guide provides the blueprint for an internship program that’s clear, useful, and worth getting right. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but it does need to be thoughtful. That’s what turns a one-off summer hire into something more valuable for your intern and for your team.
“Gone are the days of the stereotypical intern fetching coffee and picking up the boss’s dry cleaning. Today’s internship market is competitive, and high-caliber candidates aren’t looking for jobs making copies — they want real-world experience that will help them excel in their careers,” pointed out Kate Rockwood from SHRM.
Build something intentional. Be clear, show up, and let them contribute in ways that actually matter. If you do it right, they’ll walk away more prepared for what’s next — and they’ll remember your company as the place that gave them their first introduction into a thriving career.
