Career Planning and Networking Center Employer & Recruiter Information

To ensure that an internship is a guided educational experience, and therefore eligible for academic credit, the following criteria must be met. These criteria are outlined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) as a best practice for internships.

• The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.

• The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.

• The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.

• There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student's academic coursework.

• There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience.

• There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor.

• There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals.

• Sharing Knowledge: Introducing a new professional to your field can reinvigorate your enthusiasm for your work. It can be exciting to se an intern learn all the tips and tricks that you have picked up over the years. In addition, the satisfaction of passing on knowledge can make your feel like you are giving back to your community.
• Expanding Customer Base: Bringing a new person into your company can lead to increased publicity through their friends and family. Interns are apt to talk about their internship with friends and family and increase public awareness of your business. This could lead to increase in sales or clientele, especially if the intern has a positive experience.
• Potential Employee Pool: Having a pool of interns can greatly simplify the hiring process by eliminating unqualified applicants. The intern has already proven their competency, and is familiar with your company. It also allows you to discover potential young graduates and therefore expand your applicant base.
• New Perspective: Interns can provide a fresh, up-to-date perspective for your company.
• Staff development: Providing good mentorship is one of the keys to a successful internship. This is a great way to provide a junior staff member who is looking to take that next step with more hands on management experience.

A site sponsor is a professional staff person who has expertise in the area in which the intern is working. That person will need to:

1. Review and approve the student's learning agreement (sent to you by email) prior to the start of the internship.
2. Provide orientation to the organization, its culture and their work assignments.
3. Provide a safe work environment.
4. Establish a work schedule for the intern.
5. Provide adequate supervision to assist the student in achieving their learning objectives.
6. Offer regular feedback regarding the student's performance throughout the experience..
7. Contact the faculty sponsor or Career Planning and Networking Office at internships@oneonta.edu if there are any questions or problems concerning the student including change is status, schedule, or performance.
8. Allow a representative from SUNY Oneonta to visit the site to confer with the student and their supervisor.
9. Provide evaluation of the intern at the mid-point and conclusion of the work experience.

When should I post my internship?

We accept internship posting throughout the year, but internships must follow our academic terms of fall, spring, and summer (academic calendar). Good times to post your internship:

• For a fall internship, post by late June/ early July.
• For a spring internship, post by November.
• For a summer internship, post between January and April.

What do I include in my posting?

• A brief description of the organization
• A listing of intern responsibilities and tasks
• Overview of learning opportunities available to the student by participating in your internship
• Time frame including start and end date as well as work hours. Typically students must complete 40 hours of work for 1 credit.
• Paid or unpaid? All internships must adhere to the relevant standards and labor laws.

For-profit businesses

Not-for-profit businesses

Fair Labor Standards Act

• Will the internship be on-site or remote?
• Instructions on how to apply.

Using Handshake to post opportunities

SUNY Oneonta uses a web-based job search engine called Handshake for employers to post full and part-time positions and internships.

• Click "Sign up for an account" and select "employer". Fill in required information about your organization.
• Getting Started with Handshake will walk you through how to set up your company account and request to connect with the 'State University of New York at Oneonta' so you can post jobs and internships to our students and alumni.
• SUNY Oneonta's Career Planning and Networking Center will then review your posting. We review and vet all employers and opportunities that may be viewed by our students in Handshake. We reserve the right to reject any employer or opportunity that does not adhere to our guidelines.
• If we have any questions about your posting, we'll contact you. You can use the same system to post job opportunities for our students.

If you have any questions about Handshake or need assistance in creating an internship, please contact us at internships@oneonta.edu.

What happens after I post my position?

All SUNY Oneonta students will have access to your position/internships if they log into Handshake to view internships. The Career Planning and Networking Center also works closely with our academic departments and faculty members to encourage and identify potential candidates.

How should I conduct interviews?

Employers are welcome to conduct interviews on their own via phone, on-site interviews etc., or they can use SUNY Oneonta facilities to conduct interviews here. Interview space can be reserved by contacting internships@oneonta.edu. This needs to be done at least 5 days in advance.

What happens after I select an intern?

All SUNY Oneonta interns earning academic credit need to complete a few forms and register for the internship class. The student will take care of this on their own but they should not be starting the internship until it has been fully approved. The student will need with you to create the objectives on the learning agreement which will need to be signed and approved by you. During the mid-point of the internship, you may be asked to provide feedback to the faculty sponsor who may also ask to do a site visit.

1. Join Handshake (there is no fee to join) and an create a company profile if one is not already created.

2. Getting Started with Handshake will walk you through how to set up your company account and request to connect with the 'State University of New York at Oneonta' so you can post jobs and internships to our students and alumni.

3. SUNY Oneonta's Career Planning and Networking Center will then review your request. We review and vet all employers and opportunities that may be viewed by our students in Handshake. We reserve the right to reject any employer or opportunity that does not adhere to our guidelines.

   To be considered for approval, all employers must enter the following when posting an opportunity in Handshake:

• The legal name of the organization
• The first and last name of the appropriate contact person and their job title
• Organization email address (Handshake does not accept personal email addresses)
• Full mailing address (not a PO Box or residential address)
• Telephone number
• Website address (not a Facebook or other social media web address)
• Organization description
• Job title and job description (Internships/paid positions only – no volunteer opportunities approved at this time)
• Required skills, education, and experience
• Salary or wages, if applicable
• Expiration dates for positions should not exceed three months

3. Once approved, you may create your posting.

Handshake has numerous avenues for connecting with candidates! We encourage you to take advantage of Handshake’s full suite of offerings to maximize your employer account and get those perfect applicants in the door faster!

Crate engaging internship job descriptions

The search for the best interns begins with engaging descriptions of the positions you are looking to fill. Click through to read Handshake’s four tips for writing inclusive internship job descriptions.