Employer Overview

The Marriott School Internship Office connects employers to student interns. We welcome your partnership in sponsoring one or more of our great business students, i.e., undergraduates majoring in every business emphasis, as well as graduate students in the MBA, MPA, MISM, and MAcc. We highly value quality internships, and recognize their importance in preparing our students for their future careers. Marriott School interns provide employers with a valuable pool of talent from which to choose future employees.

Employers may advertise their internship positions on our web site. Click "post internship" on our home page under Employers, complete the requested information, then "submit." When the internship is advertised, interested students will directly contact the employer by sending their resume and cover letter by email. Students may be interviewed at the work site, or our office will schedule an on campus interview room upon request. Once an intern is selected, the employer and intern should discuss and negotiate projects and learning goals, then prepare a contract stating the agreed upon goals and assignments.

Academic credit is provided through our office for undergraduates if the internship includes strong learning projects and a committed supervisor to mentor, train, and evaluate the intern. When the experience is closely related to the student's major, the internship may also replace one of their required business courses. Student assignments for the course credit include weekly journal entries, two reports, and evaluations. Employers are requested to sign a Master Agreement that provides them with liability insurance coverage on all credited students who may work for them. Student interns will deliver the Master Agreement to the employer, have it signed, and return it to the internship office at the onset of their internship.

INTERNSHIP FACTS

  1. Internships may be offered year-round, and are part-time or full-time employment, depending on the course work schedule of the student.
  2. They are generally eight to fourteen weeks in length, but a few may last as long as six months or even one year.
  3. Although some students do volunteer internships, the majority are paid. Some employers offer benefits such as free housing, transportation, stipend.
  4. The majority of students do internships within the United States, but interest and opportunities in international work experience are increasing.
  5. International students may be employed as interns in the United States.
  6. BYU requires that credited undergraduate internships offer at least 45 hours of work experience for every one hour of registered course credit.

INTERNSHIP BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYERS

  1. Internships offer an effective way for employers to locate and train motivated students to fill immediate needs, as well as create a pipeline of talent for a future work force.
  2. Employers can seamlessly convert student interns to full-time employees who can be immediately productive. Cost-per-hire is significantly decreased.
  3. Employers are able to assess each student's "fit" with their organization and receive a preview of the student's ability.
  4. Employers enhance recruitment and retention outcomes, hence, improve their "bottom line."

TIPS FOR EMPLOYERS

  1. Employers are expected to treat interns as valuable members of their business or organization, and provide meaningful work experiences. Interns want to learn how to run a business. They see an internship as a career opportunity.
  2. Good sponsor organizations will provide their best managers to supervise their interns.
  3. Good supervisors guide intern development through mentoring, and maintain frequent and effective communication. Expectations must be established and communicated from the very beginning.
  4. Employers should not underestimate the productivity of students and their high capacity to learn and perform.
  5. It is recommended that employers start small and create a good program. Model other organizations' best practices, or create your own by developing a program with goals that align with your business plan.

INTERNSHIP BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS

  1. An internship can bridge a gap between college and the work world, allowing students to experience the roles, expectations, and behaviors of the job arena. Students learn about their strengths, interests, problem solving skills, and abilities to deal with clients and work under pressure. Networking opportunities are gained that are valuable in shaping their future careers. Students gain credentials for their resumes.
  2. Internships provide an opportunity for students to test compatibility of their chosen major and employer, in advance of graduation and full-time employment.

Research indicates that the more semesters graduates spend interning, the less time they spend looking for employment. Internships typically predict higher starting salaries. (Horowitz, 1999; Donovan, Garnett, 2001)

Internships have the ability to stimulate a student's involvement in the educational learning process (Medoff, 1993)

Undergraduates who receive credit for internships are shown to have a stronger preference for active experimentation, while those who do not receive credit prefer a more reflective observation learning style. (Johnson, 1991)



October 2005