How to Supercharge Your Info Session with Micro-Internships

Like campus career fairs, information sessions have long been a go-to strategy for employers seeking to attract top talent. These sessions offer a platform to introduce students to your organization, share insights about your company's culture, and present career opportunities. 

While info sessions can be useful for students and employers, they’re often brief and don’t allow enough time for real connections to form. However, when paired with Micro-Internships, info sessions can help you engage students effectively and meaningfully. 

Understanding the Info Session Challenge

Information sessions are undoubtedly valuable, providing students with a glimpse into your company and its offerings. However, they often fall short in several areas:

Limited engagement: Information sessions typically last an hour or two, providing only a brief window for interaction. It's challenging to engage deeply with students and convey the intricacies of your organization within such a short time.

Passive learning: These sessions are passive in nature, with students primarily listening to presentations. While they gain knowledge, they may not have the opportunity to experience your company firsthand.

Limited interaction: Due to time constraints, you might only engage with a fraction of the interested students during an information session, potentially missing out on top talent—especially students with work, family, or athletic obligations. 

Skill assessment: Information sessions focus on company overviews, leaving limited room to assess students' skills and capabilities.

How Micro-Internships Complement Info Sessions

Micro-Internships are short-term, project-based opportunities that allow students to work on real tasks and projects for your organization. These experiences typically last from a few days to a few weeks. Including Micro-Internships as a potential option for info session attendees can yield recruiting efforts like:

Extended engagement: Micro-Internships provide a way to engage with students over a more extended period. Instead of a one-time session, you can have students participate in projects, creating an ongoing connection.

Deeper interaction: Micro-Internships allow for deeper interaction with students. They can interact with your team members, experience your workplace culture, and build more meaningful relationships.

Skill assessment: Through Micro-Internships, you can assess students' skills in action. Assign specific tasks or projects that align with the roles you offer, helping you identify the most promising candidates.

Candidate diversity: Micro-Internships offer the flexibility to tailor experiences to individual students' interests and career goals. This personalization can make your organization more appealing to a diverse range of students.

Presenting Micro-Internships at Info Sessions

Now that we've established the synergy between Micro-Internships and traditional employer information sessions, let's delve into how you can prescriptively integrate Micro-Internships into your campus recruitment strategy:

1. Preparation and planning 

• Identify Micro-Internship opportunities: Before the information session, identify specific projects or tasks within your organization that can be transformed into Micro-Internship opportunities. These tasks should be relevant to the roles you're hiring for.
• Craft clear job descriptions: Develop clear, concise job descriptions for these Micro-Internships, highlighting the skills students will acquire, the impact they can make, and the flexibility of the opportunity.

• Announce Micro-Internships with your session: Make sure to mention Micro-Internships in any communications about your info sessions to create excitement and anticipation among students.
• Leverage digital platforms: Utilize social media, your company's career page, and campus job boards to spread the word about these opportunities. Ensure that students are aware of these Micro-Internships before they attend your session.

• Tailor Micro-Internships to the session: Make these Micro-Internships exclusive to students attending your information session. This exclusivity not only makes the opportunities more appealing but also ensures that the applicants are genuinely interested in your organization.

• Introduce Micro-Internships: During your information session, introduce the concept of Micro-Internships. Explain how these opportunities offer a unique way to experience your organization and the roles you're hiring for.
• Highlight real-world value: Emphasize that Micro-Internships provide hands-on, practical experience that can significantly benefit students in their career journey.

• Express enthusiasm: During the session, encourage students to apply. Share your excitement about the value these opportunities can bring to their professional growth.
• Mention benefits: Highlight the advantages of participating in a Micro-Internship, such as skill development, networking, compensation, and the potential for future employment.

• After the session: Following the information session, send personalized follow-up emails to students who attended. Mention the Micro-Internship opportunities again and encourage them to apply or express their interest.
• Nurture relationships: Use this opportunity to nurture relationships with potential candidates. Address any questions they may have and continue to highlight the benefits of Micro-Internships.

While information sessions remain a vital part of campus recruitment, Micro-Internships offer a complementary approach that can significantly enhance your efforts. They extend engagement, provide hands-on experience, and allow for deeper interactions with students. As a result, you can identify top talent early, assess their skills, and build a more diverse and dynamic workforce. In today's competitive job market, integrating Micro-Internships into your campus recruitment strategy is a forward-thinking move that can help you stand out as an employer of choice.