News Archives

As more people get vaccinated and we start to see light at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, Indiana INTERNnet (IIN) surveyed employers to understand their plans for hosting interns this summer. IIN last surveyed employers in November 2020. You may view those results here. IIN distributed the survey to all registered employers on its web site;127 employers responded.

Of those surveyed, 65% (83 employers) indicated that they typically hired summer interns prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (summer 2019), and 56% (50 employers) said they hired summer interns during the COVID-19 pandemic (summer 2020).

With their current knowledge of events surrounding COVID-19, 93% (54 employers) of those who hired summer interns in 2020 plan on hiring interns again this summer. Of that 93% that still plan on hiring, 34 employers (63%) said they still plan on hiring interns without changes to plans. Twenty employers (37%) said they plan on hiring summer 2021 interns, but with changes to plans.

Those changes are (employers were able to select any/all changes):

Changing in-house …

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Over the spring and summer, Indiana INTERNnet  surveyed employers to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their summer 2020 internships. You may view March’s executive summary here, April’s here and July’s here. As we end 2020, Indiana INTERNnet wanted to better understand employers’ plans to host interns in 2021. 

Indiana INTERNnet distributed the survey to all registered employers on its web site. Also, Indiana colleges/universities and economic development organizations shared it with their employer networks. A total of 154 responses were received from November 4 to November 18. 

Of those surveyed, 56% (86 employers) indicated that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, they typically hired spring interns. Nine percent (14 employers) indicated that they were unsure if their company typically hired interns.  

With their current knowledge of events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, 64% (64 employers) of the 100 employers who either typically hire spring interns or were unsure, said they still plan on hiring spring interns. Of that 64% who still plan on hiring, 34 employers said they still plan on hiring interns without changes to plans. Thirty employers said they plan on hiring spring 2021 interns, but with changes to plans. 

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In order to combat the spread of COVID-19, many Indiana colleges and universities moved to eliminating fall and spring breaks while extending winter breaks. While a longer break can provide a much-needed period of relaxation for students, it also can be the perfect time to explore micro-internships.

Micro-internships are short-term, project-based experiences that provide individuals opportunities to increase their skills, explore new career paths and build their networks. They’re an excellent opportunity for employers to hire students specifically for the purpose of completing a singular project. It’s important to note, however, that micro-internships are not eligible for the EARN Indiana program.

Unlike traditional internships, micro-internships take place over a range of hours as opposed to a set timeframe. They typically last from 10 to 80 hours of work with most projects due within a week to a month after assignment. Their short timeframes make micro-internships a great fit for this …

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During both March and April, Indiana INTERNnet surveyed employers to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their summer 2020 internships. You may view March’s executive summary here and April’s here. With fall internship season fast approaching, Indiana INTERNnet wanted to gauge employers’ feelings toward hiring fall 2020 interns. Also, now that summer internship season is concluding, we wanted to understand Hoosier employers’ experiences with hiring summer 2020 interns.

The survey was distributed to all employers registered on IndianaINTERN.net. In addition, it was shared with employer networks by Indiana colleges/universities and economic development organizations. A total of 121 responses were received.

Of those surveyed, 68% (82 employers) indicated that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, they typically hired fall interns. Five percent (6 employers) indicated that they were unsure if their company typically hired interns.

Forty-one percent (34 employers) of the 82 employers that typically hire fall interns prior to COVID-19 said they …

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In March, Indiana INTERNnet surveyed employers to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their summer 2020 internships. You may view the executive summary here. Since this has been an extremely fluid situation, Indiana INTERNnet sent another survey in April to see if – and how – anything has changed.

The survey was distributed to all employers registered on IndianaINTERN.net. In addition, it was shared with employer networks by Indiana colleges/universities and economic development organizations. A total of 181 responses were received.

Forty-six percent (84 employers) revealed they completed Indiana INTERNnet’s March survey. Of those 84 employers, 62% (52 employers) said  their answers had changed from the March survey.

Of those surveyed, 86% (156 employers) indicated that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, they were planning on hiring interns for summer 2020.

When those 156 employers were asked what types of interns their company plans/planned on hiring, here’s how they responded …

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With the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, Indiana INTERNnet wanted to get a clear idea of Indiana employers’ initial reactions to hosting summer 2020 interns. Who received the survey? All employers registered on IndianaINTERN.net. In addition, it was shared to employer networks by Indiana colleges/universities and economic development organizations. A total of 224 responses were received.

Of those surveyed, 93% (208 employers) indicated that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, they were planning on hiring interns for summer 2020.

The majority of respondents 66% (138 employers) said they were planning on hiring between one to three interns before the pandemic.

With their current knowledge of events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, 72% (161 employers) said they still plan on hiring interns. Of that 72%, 74 employers said they still plan on hiring interns with no changes to plans. Eighty-seven employers said they plan on hiring summer 2020 interns, but with changes …

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Join Indiana INTERNnet at its second online internship fair on October 30! The event takes place virtually through CareerEco which means you will be able to connect with students around the state from the comfort of your office. It is the perfect opportunity to find your next spring, summer or even fall 2020 interns!

Like a traditional internship/career fair, employers can connect directly with potential interns. However, unlike a traditional fair, everything takes virtually place within a chat room. Registered employers have their own chat room with the option to host private text, video or audio chat sessions.

Here are some more benefits of the online internship fair:

Eliminate travel costs and costs associated with ordering promotional items

Since the fair takes place online, there are absolutely no travel costs associated with attending. Employers can take part in the fair from their home, office, coworking space, coffee shop, anywhere!

Travel isn’t the …

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I’ve been with Indiana INTERNnet for almost three years, but every once in a while, I make a mistake. It may be a small typo in an email, forgetting to follow up with a voicemail or messing up the formatting in a PowerPoint presentation. Humans aren’t perfect! I quickly own up to the mistake, correct it and move on.

That’s why when interns make mistakes, it’s very important to realize that no one, not even yourself, is capable of delivering perfect work 100% of the time. For most interns, an internship is their very first experience working in a professional setting. Many things are new to them, so they need the freedom to learn and grow from their mistakes. However, what should you do when your interns mistakes become a bigger issue? Here are some examples:

You noticed your intern posting inappropriate things on their social media channels
You …

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We recently started screening every single internship posted on IndianaINTERN.net. We quickly realized this is a time-consuming process. But it truly increases the quality of internships we share with students. I noticed, however, a common trend: Employers were putting a lot of emphasis on experiences as opposed to desired skills from potential applicants.

I see a lot of internship postings requesting specific qualifications. The employer limits its search to juniors or seniors, a student with a certain GPA, number of courses completed and/or total years’ experience. There are plenty of other attributes that should be considered when trying to find your next intern.

Applicants’ skills

When you review an applicant’s resumé, it’s easy to hone in on how many internships they have or have not completed. Instead of looking solely at quantity, focus on abilities developed during their professional experiences.

If the applicant doesn’t have an internship background, avoid discounting them. …

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Indiana INTERNnet is hosting its first online internship fair through CareerEco on March 28! This is the prefect opportunity for employers to connect with students and hopefully fill their upcoming summer internships. And unlike a traditional face-to-face career fair, an online internship fair provides employers and students with much more convenience. Want to participate? Here’s the important details:

What times does the fair take place?

The online internship fair runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST. However, your company doesn’t have to attend the entire time. Employers can indicate a specific timeframe that they’ll be available. Students can see all the registered employers’ availability so they can determine when they’d like to attend the fair to meet with their top prospects.

What’s makes this fair different from a traditional career/internship fair?

Zero travel is involved! Attend via your computer or laptop whenever is convenient to you. Employers won’t …

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Even though it’s only January, many companies are already starting to think about summer intern recruitment. In fact, if you scroll down this page and look at our live numbers, you can see that summer internships are quickly getting posted to IndianaINTERN.net. Feeling a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out)? Think you need an intern? You may want to pump the brakes before posting.

I’m all about increasing the number of available internships for students. With the addition of interns, employers can accomplish additional tasks, introduce fresh perspectives and help train/mentor the future workforce. At the same time, students can increase their skills outside of the classroom, network and explore career interests. It’s a win-win!

There’s a danger, however, in poorly-executed internships: Already understaffed employers hire interns and can’t provide them with training or feedback. They don’t put much thought into tasks and projects their intern will be accomplishing. Or …

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Each IMPACT Awards season, I am always impressed to see the number of Intern of the Year nominations that either mention the employer offering the intern a full-time position, or that the employer plans to offer the intern a permanent position after they graduate.

From the intern who strove to finish his case study with zero errors, to the intern who helped complete a large IT project two months ahead of schedule, employers are realizing that some of their best talent lies within their internship program. And, with Indiana’s unemployment rate being close to zero, this couldn’t be a better time for that realization.

According to Glassdoor, it takes the average U.S. employer 24 days to hire a new employee. By using an internship program as a talent pipeline, companies wouldn’t have to worry about that waiting period to fill entry-level positions. Plus, internships are a trial period that can …

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At this point in the year, life can start to feel hectic. Class work and projects are starting to pile on. Internships are starting to really pick up. And to top it all off, the holidays are approaching! That means plenty of gatherings for family and friends, gift giving, finding the perfect Halloween costume and more.

While all this is going on, it can be easy to forget about the most important person…YOU! So, to help you relax as you ease into fall, I made a list of helpful self-care tips.

Make sure to aside some time for yourself

Find some time, even if it’s only five minutes, in your busy schedule each day to focus on yourself. During that time, make sure that you are only doing things that bring you happiness. This mini-timeout can allow you to regroup and recharge before bouncing right back in to getting …

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Now that we’re in October, it’s the halfway point for most fall internships. It’s also the middle of the fall semester for college students. As midterms are used to check student’s knowledge at the halfway point during a semester, a simple mid-internship review can be used to check in on the intern’s experience.

Here are some questions internship supervisors can ask their intern to see how they’re doing:

Do you have any questions or concerns about (insert project name here)?

If the intern is working on a long-term project or projects for your organization, now is the time to check on them to see if they have any questions. Some interns may be apprehensive to ask for help or clarification, so asking them directly about the things they’re working on will give them the opportunity to speak up. Plus, this will give internship supervisors the chance to get an idea …

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It’s the end of September and career fair season is going strong. While I was in college, I unfortunately never attended a single fair, and I missed out on so many wonderful opportunities! Unlike applying online or through email, career fairs give you the opportunity to meet face-to-face with a wide variety of employers. You’re able to ask them plenty of questions about their company and internship/job openings while sharing information about yourself.

But now at Indiana INTERNnet, I get to go to so many career fairs throughout the state to let students know how we can help them find their next internship. Being on the other side of the table, I’ve learned a lot about what can help you stand out with recruiters. Here’s some tips:

Dress to impress…

If you’re going to a career fair, you should preferably dress in business professional attire, or business casual at the …

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