MBA Internships

What value can an intern offer? The benefits of hiring a one-time intern or developing an internship program vary and need to be communicated to your organization and the leadership to get buy-in. Among others, these benefits can include:

• Helping with a specific project that needs to be completed in a particular timeline.
• Enabling a team to advance strategic projects with day-to-day support.
• Attracting and assessing the right talent for future hiring. 
• Helping the organization apply the latest strategies and technology in the field.
• Providing employees with mentorship and leadership experiences.
• Creating enthusiasm for your organization among other students.
• Introducing fresh perspectives on organizational issues. 

The following is a list of typical projects meant to give you ideas. Your projects may include other functions not described here and other types of projects within those functions. 

Strategy: 

• Strategic planning coordination and research 
• International expansion strategy – country prioritization 
• Growth strategy – opportunity evaluation 
• Business Plan revision and improvement 
• Feasibility analysis 

 Marketing & Sales: 

• Marketing plan  
• Digital communications management 
• Distribution channel evaluation and prioritization 
• Development of new products and/or services 

 Operations: 

• Impact assessment – qualitative and quantitative 
• Productivity analysis
• Benchmarking research 
• Synergy analysis for mergers and acquisitions 
• Consulting for clients in the field 

 Finance: 

• Investment analysis 
• Financial structuring and evaluation 
• Valuation 
• Fundraising 

Once you have defined your needs and gained organizational buy-in, you will need to determine several details:

How long should the internship be?

• First, answer the question, "What is a reasonable timeframe to accomplish the work?"
• The length of an internship can vary depending on the needs and goals of the organization. Duke Daytime MBA students are available for internships from the middle of May to the middle of August. See the current recruiting calendar for specific dates.
• The standard MBA internship is a paid, full-time position for 8 to 12 weeks.

How do you make the experience beneficial to the intern?

• Allow interns to observe, contribute, and rotate through the different parts of the organization.
• Ensure they achieve tangible and measurable outcomes to their work.
• Enable them to make career connections through mentorship and networking opportunities within the organization/industry.
• Provide constructive, ongoing personal and professional development feedback.

What is my resource availability?

• Who will supervise and mentor the intern(s)? This person will assist in hiring and onboarding, developing work objectives, and regularly evaluating performance.
• What level of involvement will the team, the broader organization, and the executive team have?

How will I compensate the intern?

• Compensation is typically determined by pro-rating full-time salary of the role. Consult salary data for Duke MBA interns here.
• MBA internship salaries range widely depending on industry, function, and geography. Benchmarking is essential to ensure you make a competitive offer.

Consider the lifecycle of an internship: recruitment --> management --> exit and conversion.

Recruitment & Selection

• Create a job description [see sample job description]
• Work with your HR department to devise recruitment processes
  
  • If you don't have an HR department, please reach out and we will help you think through these processes
  • Promote the opportunity through a variety of channels
• Identify candidates, interview, and select

Management

• Onboard/orient and train
• Set and communicate expectations, goals, and deliverables
• Create networking opportunities
• Arrange for the intern to present work to members of the organization and senior leadership
• Provide ongoing feedback and evaluation
  • Discuss projects regularly and expected outcomes
  • Schedule a formal mid-internship evaluation to provide a forum for constructive feedback and questions.
  • Encourage your intern to report on project status and ask questions.

Exit and conversion

• Off-boarding - an exit interview is among the best practices for internships. What questions will you ask to gather feedback on the intern's experience?
• Solicit input from across the organization and specific stakeholders.
• Is there a fulltime opportunity or need on this team or elsewhere in the organization?
• Evaluate cost-benefit to your organization.
• Determine necessary changes or improvements for future.

We encourage you to explore these factors as you develop an internship program.

Consider diversity

Fuqua's international talent may not be the first thing you think of for diverse talent. However, these candidates provide the expertise and diverse perspective your company needs in the global economy and marketplace. These individuals have a great understanding of cross-cultural business management and development, and represent diversity to enhance your organization. They are considered among the brightest and most highly motivated within their countries, and have demonstrated courage to tackle the unknown and excel in diverse workplaces. Hiring international talent from Duke is easier than you think!

Legal considerations

• If you do not have a robust Human Resources department, as a host organization, the best way to cover your bases legally is to consult with your company's legal counsel or contact an employment law professional before you begin the hiring process.  
• One legal issue, for example, is paid versus unpaid. The Fair Labor Standards Act dictates that employees must be paid. Interns may or may not be considered employees. 
• The Fuqua Career Management Center does not post or facilitate recruiting for unpaid internships. The Fuqua School of Business offers a Mentored Study Program in which students may receive credit for unpaid internships.

Remote work 

Navigating a remote internship, even for an employer with remote employees, can be full of complexities for the organization and the intern. How do you successfully onboard and engage short-term employees, especially if your goal is to convert them to full-time hires? We've compiled some helpful resources for you.

• Convert your internship program into a remote option  
• Virtual Internships, Checklist for Success 
• Develop meaningful learning objectives 
• Develop a virtual onboarding program