HUB International

Jacquilynne Ellison-Wickson

Jacquilynne Ellison-Wickson is an accomplished talent acquisition leader, bringing over twenty years of experience in talent acquisition and human resources. Currently, she manages talent acquisition efforts in Canada while also supporting the Early Career Program.

How can you design a program that encourages university students to consider their career paths and establish a successful internship experience?

Reflect on your college or university days and the overwhelming choices you faced. It was a challenging time, filled with uncertainty about the career opportunities that lay ahead.

To truly inspire and attract early talent, employers must embrace a visionary approach when hiring interns. It’s vital to create an environment where students can vividly picture themselves thriving within your organization, supported by clear and promising pathways to reach their aspirations. Ideally, this journey should lead to a fulfilling job offer at the conclusion of their internship, turning dreams into reality.

Here are several straightforward strategies to enhance your early talent program and transform it into a memorable experience.

Job Postings

Are you accurately describing the role, or are you merely hinting at what it might become? Your job postings should convey both aspects clearly. Clearly define the responsibilities of the position while also highlighting the valuable experiences they will gain during their internship. Make it so vivid that they can truly visualize what the experience will entail.

The Experience

Will your student have access to the right individuals, experiences, and mentorship during their internship? Consider incorporating essential opportunities to enrich your program. This could include assigning a dedicated mentor to the student throughout their experience or offering professional development sessions and learning opportunities along the way. We host an event known as the “Speaker Series,” where some of our top speakers discuss their business units and offer valuable learning experiences. How is this for the section on HUB Gives? Our Program Associate Robin Winer’s favorite part of the HUB Gives project is how it encourages the interns to showcase their leadership and creativity. “Every year I’m blown away by their spirited engagement and impactful contributions. This type of immersive learning is always my goal when working with interns.”

Not your average internship

This could involve offering your interns exceptional opportunities for networking, organizing field trips, fostering social engagement, or enabling them to earn additional certifications. We have our interns do real work and provide different work assignments to our leaders, as we know students work quickly! At HUB, we prioritize gathering insights from both our students and leaders through surveys to learn from their invaluable feedback. Additionally, we are committed to striving for full-time offers at the conclusion of the program to achieve successful outcomes.

Capstone

It is essential to give interns the chance to tackle real business challenges while also sharpening their presentation skills. If you can assemble a group of students, encourage them to collaborate on a business problem that requires teamwork and creativity. This approach is an excellent way to equip them with vital skills they’ll need for success in the real world.

“To truly inspire and attract early talent, employers must embrace a visionary approach when hiring interns.”

Additionally, consider making the capstone project enjoyable by incorporating gamification or recognizing a winning team at the end. Even better, explore whether your organization can actually implement the proposed solution!

Make it fun

Integrating enjoyable events, field trips, and diverse experiences can elevate your program from good to exceptional. Consider whether you are acknowledging your students on National Intern Day or before they join your team with a meaningful note or company swag to get them excited about joining. Don’t also forget to celebrate them on social media when they get here. We have been delighted to have our students participate in career visits and even enjoy riverboat cruises, trips to Madison Square Garden, or participation in local events. In Ontario, Canada, they host a Summer Solstice event that allows students to connect and socialize.