Internships

Thank you for your interest in Clemson University's MBA students as potential interns. Please e-mail your internship job descriptions and contact information to mba@clemson.edu. We will be happy to work with you in trying to meet your needs and market your positions to our MBA students.

Thank you,
Clemson MBA Office
(864) 656-3975

Employer's Guide to MBA Internships

The Value of the Internship Program
Evaluating Your Needs
Determining Work Assignments
Developing a Job Description
Salary Considerations
Intern Selection Alternatives
Company Presentations
Internship Schedule
Career Fairs
Consulting Services

The Value of the Internship Program

Hiring a Clemson MBA candidate for an internship benefits companies and organizations in several ways:

Provides short-term and cost-effective talent.
Clemson MBA interns will immediately make productive contributions to your special projects, research or primary business functions.
Clemson MBA interns are trained to be team-oriented, independent workers and have well-developed technical skills. With their leading-edge training, Clemson MBA interns will bring a fresh approach to your business challenges. Recent Clemson MBA interns have successfully served as management consultants, general managers, production supervisors, marketing specialists, financial analysts, staff accountants and corporate auditors.

Evaluate Potential Full-Time Hires

Clemson MBA interns provide your organization with an effective, low-risk evaluation and training ground for prospective full-time employees.

Your company’s investment is limited, generally for two or three months in the summer. During this time, you can clearly evaluate the intern’s technical ability, written and verbal communication skills, work habits and how the intern fits into your company’s business culture. At the completion of the program, you will have the opportunity to hire a full-time employee who is already acclimated to your organization and supports your business objectives. If you do not anticipate the need for full-time employees, but have important projects that lack the proper attention, Clemson MBA interns can offer professional assistance without a long-term commitment.

The importance of a summer internship to students lies not only in the contact it provides for permanent placement, but also in the information students gather about a functional field or type of industry. It is the most effective way for students to test and evaluate career goals while contributing to the bottom line of your business.

Recruiting MBA Graduates at Clemson University

Your organization’s interest in hiring an MBA intern establishes your recruiting presence at Clemson University for future full-time talent needs. Once you have made the decision to employ a Clemson MBA intern, where do you start?

Evaluating Your Needs

The first step in creating your company’s internship is to determine the functional area in which your internship will be focused. Some examples include:

Accounting
Management Consulting
E Commerce
Finance
General Management
Information Systems & Technology
Marketing
Engineering Management
Human Resources
Environmental Management
Operations
Research and Development

Within each of these functional areas, Clemson MBA interns can assist with a variety of projects. The following are some of the projects MBA candidates have had in past internships:

Developing a business plan for a small enterprise
Writing a product marketing plan
Doing market research and analysis
Performing cost/benefit analysis on capital expenditures
Evaluating the information systems needs of an organization
Compiling and reconciling monthly financial reports
Initiating statistical analysis of key business data
Developing spreadsheets to support management reporting
Evaluating or developing accounting systems
Analyzing the economic impact of changing market conditions
Evaluating personnel policies and guidelines
And much, much more.

As you can see, an MBA intern can contribute significantly to the productivity of your company.

Determining Work Assignments

Clemson MBA internship students are seeking meaningful, productive and challenging work. This approach not only benefits the student from an educational and employment standpoint, but also maximizes the return on your investment in the internship.

The work conditions for the internship should be similar to those you would set for full-time employees. You will need to determine whether you want the intern to work on a single project or on a series of projects. The latter offers variety and introduces the intern to more of the workings of your business. Single projects have the potential to produce more satisfying results for both you and the intern. If you decide on one project, try to structure the program to allow interaction with as many departments and staff members as possible.

Search for projects that will give interns some degree of independence. Avoid projects that require constant supervision in favor of those that will allow the students to use initiative.

The selection of intern supervisors can have a significant impact on the success of your internship.

Developing a Job Description

Once you have identified the work assignment for your intern, a short job description stating the nature and scope of the work to be completed will streamline the recruitment process. A job description will enhance your chances of getting the most qualified candidates to apply for your position. Your internship job description might include such categories as “Primary Responsibilities,” “Specific Duties” and “Special Requirements.” Please consider sending information on your company to the MBA program. We would like to have your company information on file to be used as a reference for our students.

Salary Considerations

Interns are typically paid at the rate of a full-time employee with similar skills, responsibilities and experience. Most often, MBA intern salaries fall in the range of $1,600 ($10 an hour) to $3,000 ($25 an hour) per month. However, compensation decisions should not determine your participation in the internship program.

Intern Selection Alternatives

The MBA program offers your company the choice of two alternatives in selecting your intern:

List an internship position directly with the MBA program by sending an e-mail and the job description to mbacareers@clemson.edu. Once we have received the Internship Job Announcement, it will be sent by the MBA program directly to students seeking an internship.
List an internship position through Clemson University’s online placement system called ClemsonJobLink, collect resumes and conduct on-campus interviews. If you would like, a company presentation/information session can be conducted on campus.

Interviews can be held on campus or at your work site. However, it is recommended that first interviews be held on campus to give your company the advantage of seeing a wider cross-section of students.

On-campus interview schedules typically begin at 8:30 a.m. and run through 3:30 p.m., with students scheduled every half hour. A lunch break is generally scheduled between noon and 1 p.m., with 15-minute breaks in the morning and in the afternoon. However, the Clemson University Michelin Career Center, which handles most of the on-campus interviewing schedules, is flexible and will work with your company to accommodate special scheduling needs.

Company Presentations

Company presentations and information sessions can be arranged for you to introduce your company to the students and to explain the nature of the internship offered. Offering an information session will improve your chances of getting the most qualified students on your interview schedule. Contact the MBA Career Development Office for information on our “Company Lunch And Learn” series. Call (864) 656-2591 or send an e-mail to mbacareers@clemson.edu.

Internship Schedule

Clemson University MBA interns are available to work most mornings and some afternoons, as their schedule permits, during the semester. For summer internships, MBA interns typically begin after May 15 and work through mid-August. However, your company has the prerogative of continuing the employment of your intern into the academic year through mutual agreement of both parties. Experience has shown that most successful summer internship programs are characterized by advance planning before the interviews. Interviewing for MBA intern candidates begins in October and can continue through April. The heaviest time for recruiting is in February and March.

Clemson Career Fairs

Clemson University has combined its internship and full-time job recruitment fair into one big event called the Clemson University Career Fair. The Career Fairs are held every year in September and February. Please refer to the Bulletin Board on the Michelin Career Center Web site for registration information or contact the MBA program. Clemson University welcomes your organization’s participation in this event.

Consulting Services

Clemson University MBA Career Development provides assistance to the business community and to our MBA students. We are committed to building a bridge between the business community and the Clemson University MBA program. Employers interested in developing an internship are encouraged to contact MBA Career Development by phone or e-mail.

Contact information is as follows.

Clemson MBA Office
346 Sirrine Hall
Clemson, SC 29634-1315
(864) 656-3975
mba@clemson.edu