Mastering the Art of Interviewing Unpaid Interns in 20 Minutes

Table of Contents

The Importance of a Solid Interview Process

Understanding how to properly interview interns is crucial for building your team. Selecting the right candidates can lead to fresh perspectives and creativity within your organization. Moreover, a well-structured interview process helps save you time and resources while ensuring that you find individuals who fit into your company’s culture.

Key Elements to Consider:

Professionalism: Setting the right tone from the start establishes mutual respect.
Structure: Having a clear plan for interviews makes the process smoother.
Evaluation: Effective candidate assessment helps avoid costly hiring mistakes.

1. Preparing for the Interview 🔍

Preparation is the first step in your intern interviewing journey. This ensures you’re well-equipped to evaluate candidates based on their qualifications and fit.

What to Do:

Create a Candidate Tracking Sheet: Utilize Google Sheets to manage candidate data effectively. This helps maintain a clear overview of applicants and their progress through each stage.
Draft Concise Email Templates: Use initial emails for outreach that include the position applied for and a deadline for required responses. Keep the emails clear and straightforward to encourage prompt replies.

Example:

A subject line might read: “Thank You for Your Application at [Your Company],” while the body covers the next steps regarding a Google Form to gather more information.

Tip:

Use BCC when sending emails to multiple candidates to protect their privacy.

2. Utilizing Google Forms for Pre-Screening 📝

Google Forms are a powerful tool for initial candidate screening. They allow you to gauge interest and qualifications without needing to schedule calls initially.

Essential Questions to Include:

Full name and contact information
LinkedIn profile URL
Availability for the internship period
Relevant skills or experiences related to the internship

Surprising Fact:

Candidates who take the time to fill out a form are often more invested and organized, increasing the likelihood they’ll be a good fit for your program. 🏆

Practical Tip:

Limiting the length of your forms will increase completion rates; long surveys can deter potential interns from finishing them.

3. Conducting Structured Interviews 📞

Now that you’ve set up your candidate list and collected responses, it’s time for the interview. The way you conduct interviews can significantly impact your hiring success.

Interview Best Practices:

Test Their Skills: Design a relevant small task or test for candidates during the interview to understand their thinking process and abilities.
For example, if hiring a marketing intern, ask them to brainstorm content ideas.
Duration Matters: Aim for 30 to 60 minutes, with the latter half dedicated to the skills test. The first part should focus on background and motivation.

Important Insight:

Interns who showcase a genuine passion during interviews tend to perform better over the course of their internship. 🔥

Tip:

Pay attention to how candidates discuss past experiences. Passionate candidates will provide detailed answers and exhibit excitement about their interests.

4. Evaluating Candidates After the Interview 📝

How you evaluate candidates after interviews can streamline your selection process.

Scoring System:

Utilize a clear scoring system out of 10 to quantify each candidate’s performance during interviews and tests. Along with scores, jot down notes to recall specific points that stood out about the candidate.

Example:

Candidate Name: [Insert Name]
Score: 8/10
Notes: Great problem-solving skills, enthusiastic about the role!

Tip:

Leverage Google’s commenting feature to add your evaluation notes directly in the candidate’s information, making retrieval easy and organized.

5. Offering the Internship Position 🎉

Once you’ve narrowed down your candidates, it’s time to extend offers. A well-defined offer process ensures clarity for both parties.

Steps to Take:

Send an Offer Email: This email should include details about the role, responsibilities, and any logistics about the internship (such as starting date and reporting structure).
Utilize Scheduling Tools: Tools like TidyCal can simplify the scheduling of follow-up calls or meetings, enhancing communication without requiring extensive back-and-forth email exchanges.

Tip:

Make sure to set a deadline for accepting the offer. This clear timeline encourages candidates to make timely decisions.

Resource Toolbox 🛠️

Here are essential resources to help streamline your intern hiring process:

Email Hiring Templates: Ready-to-use templates to simplify communication.
Intern Data Tracking Sheet: Organize and track candidates effectively.
Example Intern Test: Use as a template for assessing candidate skills.

Additional References:

Ask Me Anything / Exclusive Content: More insights from the creator.
Let’s learn how to hire (unpaid) Interns Playlist: Access related videos for deeper learning.

Wrapping Up

Understanding the intricacies of interviewing unpaid interns is critical in fostering a productive internship program. A meticulous approach that includes careful preparation, structured interviews, and effective evaluation can lead to successful partnerships with your interns. With these insights, you can ensure a smooth and rewarding hiring experience that enriches your team and its projects. 🚀