Entry by Pat Patterson
In the June INTERNnetwork, we included an article about virtual internships, hiring on an intern to work outside of your organization’s office. Although there are many benefits associated with hiring a virtual intern (no office space or personnel needed for constant supervision), not every student can excel as a virtual intern.
I included this checklist in the e-newsletter, which identifies some key characteristics of a student who may be more likely to excel as a virtual intern:
| Checklist of Ideal Virtual Intern Characteristics | |
| Previous internship experience | |
| Self-motivated | |
| Independent/ability to thrive with minimal supervision | |
| Technology savvy | |
| Interest in electronic communication | |
| Flexible | |
| Value/goal driven | |
| Trustworthy | |
| Timely/ability to meet deadlines | |
| More certain of career aspirations |
Although this list may not be an exhaustive list of characteristics, and all students are unique, it may be a beneficial reference to use when deciding who you may hire.
With the growth of social media marketing, and organizations operating more and more online, virtual internships may be the internships of the future. We are curious to know your thoughts, as an employer, about hiring a virtual intern. Do you think it is a good idea or even a feasible one for your type of organization? Also, if you have had a virtual intern in the past, it would be great if you could share your story.
