Hiring Interns

The Fleishman Center offers employers many opportunities to engage students through internships, and we are happy to help you organize and/or promote your internships to our students. Whether you are interested in offering paid or unpaid internships (and credit-bearing or not), our Employer Services Team can help you recruit at Binghamton University.

Binghamton students are working hard to develop the knowledge base they need to intern at your organization in a variety of capacities, from copywriting to accounting and human services to engineering.

Our undergraduate and graduate programs help students develop well-rounded skill-sets that can be employed in day-to-day duties in all organizational departments. 

  • Why employers should offer internships

    By offering internships to Binghamton University students, you are supporting the next generation of professionals. Internships are an excellent addition to your organization, as they give you the chance to:

    • Find potential future employees who are motivated to succeed
    • Increase team productivity
    • Gain new perspectives from a diverse student demographic
    • Complete important projects more efficiently
    • Enhance the visibility of your organization on campus and in the community


    Internship Value to Students
    The opportunity to learn applicable skills and gain valuable professional experience is vital to Binghamton University students. Employers can play a crucial role in the development of students by mentoring them and sharing vital knowledge about what is necessary to succeed in life after college. Nearly all the employers who participated in the 2015 National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job Outlook survey said they prefer to hire candidates with work experience, and 60% said they prefer to hire candidates who have had an internship.

  • How to write an effective internship description

    An effective internship description must clearly explain the intern’s duties and should include the development of challenging work assignments that complement the intern’s academic program. Employers are competing to stand out amongst their competitors and gain the interest of applicants. The description is an opportunity to showcase your internship.

    Before writing your description, ask yourself:

    • Why should students apply for your opportunity over others in the industry?
    • Does your opportunity illustrate how it will be a unique experience?
    • Do you fully define the incentives your organization provides the intern?

    Sample layout:

    Title of Internship
    The title of the internship should be specific to the type of work the intern will perform, as well as engaging.

    Location
    City, State

    Full- or Part-Time
    Most internships are part-time during academic semesters and full- or part-time during summer and winter breaks.

    Paid, Unpaid, and/or Academic Credit
    Internships may be paid or unpaid (in accordance with labor laws outlined in our Employer Policies), but it is important to include that information in the description and when hiring an intern. If you would like students to receive academic credit for the internship and/or they want to receive credit, contact cdci@binghamton.edu.

    Description
    Describe your organizational mission, goals, and what your organization does. Provide an overview of the intern’s responsibilities and projects to be completed. Mention who will supervise the intern; students will look to supervisor to be a mentor to assist their transition from the classroom to the work environment.

    This is your chance to sell your organization and to attract students to work for you! Remember, if your internship is unpaid, it is even more important to make students excited about wanting to take that opportunity.

    Example:

    Do you want to learn more about research? XYZ Research is a growing market research firm serving the healthcare industry. In fact, we’ve grown by 289% in the last year alone! Founded in 1985, our company focuses on... Our mission is to offer the best research capabilities for small- to medium-sized hospitals... We offer a paid internship... etc.

    Responsibilities
    Describe projects or other tasks that the intern will do.

    Examples:

    • Research trends in healthcare
    • Assist other staff with presentations for clients
    • Participate in team meetings and brainstorming sessions
    • Generally, a company will list 5-10 responsibilities. If an applicant has specific interests, it is a good idea to remain flexible and to modify the list of responsibilities after interviewing the candidate/while the student is at the beginning stages of their internship.

    Qualifications
    List things that you’d like to see in an intern. It is best to use “prefer” rather than “require” when possible.

    Examples:

    • Pursuing BS/BA/MA/MS/Ph.D.
    • Prefer GPA of 3.0 or higher
    • Prefer junior or senior, but will consider other class levels
    • Interest in ______________________ (fill in any job-related interests)
    • Excellent oral, written, and communication/presentation skills

    How to Apply
    Students can apply for internship positions directly through hireBING, if desired. Application materials can be automatically e-mailed to you as they come in individually, or as a packet after the application deadline.

    If you want students to apply directly through your website, provide the necessary contact information in this section.


    Write the sections using your own words. Otherwise, your description will be the same as every other employer’s description.

    For example, instead of using “Excellent oral, written, and communication/presentation skills”, you might consider saying: 

    • Strong communication and interpersonal skills 
    • Ability to work well with diverse groups of people
    • Comfortable talking with and interacting with others
  • Legal considerations for internships

    For general information to help determine whether interns must be paid the minimum wage and overtime for their services, please review the  fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Labor. This applies only to “for-profit” private sector employers.

    Unpaid internships must have the following characteristics:

    • Similar to training which would be given in an educational environment, even though it includes actual operation of the employer’s facilities
    • Experience is for the intern’s benefit
    • Intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff
    • Employer that provides training gains no immediate advantage from intern’s activities
    • Intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship
    • Employer and intern understand that intern is not entitled to wages for time spent in the internship.

    Harassment

    If an intern is harassed and nothing is done about it, there is a risk of lawsuits against the organization. Interns should be advised of:

    • Appropriate workplace behavior
    • Organization’s harassment policy
    • Complaint procedures

    International Students

    International students who hold F-1 visas:          

    • MAY NOT work more than 20 hours/week when school is in session
    • MAY work full time during holidays, vacations and breaks, as long as they intend to register for the next school term
  • Employer Recruiting Policies and Procedures
  • Building and Maintaining a Strong Internship Program
  • Credit-Bearing Internships

    The Fleishman Center's Career Development Centralized Internship (CDCI) program gives employers the opportunity to mentor undergraduate student interns who are being graded for their internship experience.

    Learn more about offering a CDCI Internship for academic credit.

  • Employer Guide for offering Remote/Virtual Internships