Writing an Internship Position Description

Writing a good position description for your internship opportunity helps you attract the right candidates for the position and helps promote the name and reputation of your organization.

A good internship position description helps students. A student needs to know that the opportunity is appropriate for him/her. It also helps a student with his/her resume development, cover letter writing, and interview preparation.

A good internship position description also helps Career & Leadership Development promote your opportunity. A position description is necessary for posting the opportunity with Career & Leadership Development, and a good position description assists in getting information about the opportunity to appropriate student populations.

Elements to include in a position description:

• Position title (be descriptive; don’t just use “intern”)
• Name of the organization/company
• Company and/or department information (function, mission, etc.)
• Location (city, state)
• Work activities/responsibilities
• Qualifications/requirements: necessary skills, knowledge areas, required grade levels/class standings, specific coursework, etc.
• Approximate duration (start date, end date)
• Number of work hours per week
• Financial compensation (if applicable)
• Specific days/work hours per day (if applicable)
• Special opportunities (travel, professional development, benefits, etc.)
• Application deadline or indication that position is open until filled
• Contact person: include his/her full name, title, phone/fax numbers, email address, and organization website