Virtual internships have been around for a little while but are certainly becoming more prevalent as organizations constrict their budgets. A step further than telecommuting, virtual internships often involve never meeting your supervisor in-person. Instead, the entire interview process and internship itself take place over the Web and phone from the comfort of your dorm, apartment or home.
“We use virtual interns, since it allows us to work with the best and the brightest students and new graduates from around the country without requiring them to relocate for the duration of the internship,” said Jennifer Woofter, president of Strategic Sustainability Consulting. “It’s been an incredibly successful model – we’ve gotten fresh insight and great research from our interns, and they have had a chance to glimpse what goes on behind the scenes in an incredibly competitive industry without having to incur the costs of a temporary move.”
Sound too good to be true? It can be if the program is not properly run.
Questions to Ask During the Hiring Process
Virtual internships are certainly not the same as face-to-face, in-office internships. Look at why you’re doing an internship. You should not expect to be as closely mentored by an experienced professional as you would be if you were in the office, unless your supervisor is really on his or her game. However, a good virtual internship program will still provide relevant, résumé-building work experience.
“When we interview for virtual internship positions, we are really looking for two things. First, interns need to be self-starters. Because they won’t be in our office each day, I need to know that they will be diligent with deadlines, make good use of their time and come back to me if they have the ability to take on additional projects,” said Woofter. “Second, we’re looking for good communicators—we rely on Web conferences, e-mails and phone calls to manage the internship process, and it’s important that interns be able to clearly tell me what’s working and where they need more help and guidance.”
Ken Gaebler, president of Gaebler Ventures, who is currently seeking applicants for his robust Summer 2009 virtual internship program, advises students ask the following questions during the interview process:
- How much mentoring will I get from people at the office?
- How often will I be in contact with people at the office?
- Do virtual internships ever transition into full-time positions at your organization?
- What type of work will be assigned to me during the virtual internship?
- If I do an excellent job, will the organization write a letter of recommendation?
- How and when will I get paid for my work?
Signs an Organization has a Strong Virtual Internship Program
1. Key staff person to contact or oversee the program. “It's too easy to assume that someone else will handle the questions or issues that arise if there is more than one point person. Other staff members can be assigned to work with the intern, but someone has to be responsible for overseeing the intern, giving assignments, follow-up and training,” said Patricia L. Harman, editor-in-chief of Cleaning & Restoration Magazine, whose production staff is spread across three states and contributors are located worldwide.
2. Frequent interaction with the company. “We make sure to set up weekly staff meetings, where everyone gets together using Web conferencing software to compare notes and check in. It’s critically important to have some way to get ‘face time’ between the interns and their managers to ensure that there is a regular flow of communication,” said Woofter. “As a manager, you definitely don’t want to find yourself in a situation where an intern has been given a project and then you don’t hear from them again until the final draft is turned in—that’s a recipe for disaster. And as an intern, to get the professional development experience you need, it’s essential to talk regularly with your manager—not just about the projects you’ve been assigned, but also about how you can use what you learn in your career development.”
3. The personalities involved are well-suited for remote work. “If the intern needs a lot of direction and hand-holding, that individual is probably not a good candidate. If the supervisor doesn't like to mentor, doesn't have the time or doesn't manage people well, it probably won't work either,” said Harman.
4. Real tasks, and a variety of them. Ideally, the organization has a written outline of projects to be completed by certain dates in advance of you coming onboard. These projects will likely change and deadlines will move because that’s how business works, but at least you’ll have an idea of how the program is structured and what exactly you’ll be doing.
“Look at the scope of the projects or work to be handled. Is there a variety? Is it just busy work, or does it provide value to the organization and the intern? Identify the expectations on both sides upfront so no one is disappointed or has unrealistic expectations,” said Harman.
5. Experience with remote workers (telecommuters). “Does the organization allow staff members to work remotely? If so, then they will have the technology in place, and the staff will be used to having people work outside of the office,” said Harman.
6. Virtual workspace or Intranet. “Employers who have gone beyond sending e-mails back and forth mean business. It shows that employers have invested both time and money in making the system work and chances are the interns will get as much, if not more, from a virtual internship than they would in an office environment,” said Kelly Fallis, president of The Remote Stylist, Ltd., who hires 30 virtual interns each semester.
7. Reward. “It’s important for everyone, especially when working virtually, to feel as though they are contributing to a worthwhile project or task. Interns should inquire as to whether they’ll be able to see and share in the results of projects they are working on, and if not, why, said Fallis.
Signs an Organization Isn’t Ready for a Virtual Intern
According to Fallis, a virtual internship will not work if the employer:
- Can’t concretely explain how the program would work
- Can’t elaborate on how a larger initiative translates into daily tasks for the intern, particularly in the form of an example
- Is hiring multiple interns but hasn’t yet divided the responsibilities/teams
- Intends to deploy information and tasks in another format than over the Web
Comments
Great article. I'm considering using a virtual intern during the upcoming summer session. This is a great article to help me think things through so that the internship can be a success on both sides.
I've been looking for a virtual internship but i couldnt find any. it would be great if you post an article with some websites or magazines that use the virtual intenship programs, and it doesnt have to be a summer one. thanks.
Great article by the way.
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