SETTING EXPECTATIONS ON DAY ONE – AND BEFORE
Even before the internship has begun, setting expectations is key. According to Mr Kelvin Kao, co-owner of creative agency Protocol, this begins from the interview stage.
“Giving a realistic sense of expectations and roles, and doing a vibe check (of the intern) at that stage, is very important,” he said. “If the company and the intern aren’t aligned, everything from that point is reactive – and it’s going to be tough to manage.”
Expectations must be realistic, since interns often lack work experience.
Ms Jaya Das, Asia Pacific managing director at human resources agency Randstad Enterprise, said that interns should not be brought in just to meet deadlines or fill gaps.
“They need time to learn and adapt, and managers must be able to provide time and proper guidance,” she said.
Mr Gerald Tan, projects director at career coaching service Avodah People Solutions, emphasised the importance of clear expectations – noting that because internships are sometimes viewed as “temporary manpower”, job scopes can shift or be under-communicated.
To prevent miscommunication, Mr Tan advocated using the first couple of days to brief interns clearly on their job scopes.
“It’s good to provide them with policy guides, handbooks, or materials that help them catch up and understand the context behind the work. Copy them in emails, forward them email threads related to their work.”
He suggested letting interns simply observe in the first week – without pressure to contribute – while checking in with them to ensure that they are picking up the requisite context that will enable them to do well.
A structured onboarding plan helps. Some managers even write a clear training plan on day one.
“You tell the intern: ‘These are the four things you’ll need to do, and these are the expectations. There may be a few ad hoc tasks here and there, but this is your main scope’,” said Mr Tan.
By giving interns a copy of this plan and conducting weekly or biweekly check-ins, managers can clarify expectations and foster a sense of shared ownership over the internship.
