Division of Student Life | Career Center
Division of Student Life | Career Center
Career Center

Virtual Internship & Micro-Internship Tips

Employer Tips for Virtual Internship Programs

Below are some ways companies can create meaningful virtual experiences as part of an internship program:

  • Create team-based projects where students can work alongside other interns and managers.
  • Develop a case “competition” or “idea attack” to solve a critical business issue.
  • Include a presentation/feedback loop for students as they contribute to the work environment. 
  • Offer social opportunities through virtual platforms like Zoom as part of ERGs or department “outings.”
  • Use project management software that helps managers and interns better communicate deadlines and deliverables. Some free PM software include: Asana, OpenProject, nTask and Monday.
  • If remote network sharing is an issue, consider using online file sharing like: DropBox, Box and GoFile.
  • Re-tool existing professional development opportunities for entry-level employees to see if an opportunity exists to apply these programs to interns virtually.
  • Parse out job duties from job descriptions to identify discrete jobs that can be offered as internships on a smaller scale aka micro-internships.
  • Review CampusPhilly’s Guide to Internships, "Internship in a Box."

Employer Tips for Remote Micro-Internships/Project-Based Work

Saint Joseph’s University partners with Parker Dewey to offer remote, project-based work to students. Visit Parker Dewey for more information or to sign up. These short-term, paid projects enable college students, graduate students and recent college graduates to demonstrate skills, explore career paths and build their networks as they seek the right full-time role. 

Below is a list of things to consider when creating a micro-internship:

  • Projects should require skills, not necessarily industry knowledge.
  • Consider turning your “We should” tasks — work that managers have had on their to-do lists for some time, competitive research, etc. — into a project.
  • Unbundle internship and full-time job descriptions into multiple projects with set deadlines.
  • View a list of example projects employers are offering to students through Parker Dewey.