Recruiting and Hiring UNL Interns

UNL Career Services supports employers and students throughout the internship process from development, implementation, and evaluation. Organizations of any type can benefit by our services to access the talent and energy of UNL students.

What is an internship?

An internship is a temporary, pre-professional work experience that allows you, the employer, to acquire support for activities of your organization while allowing a student the opportunity to gain career related skills and/or explore a career field. The majority of an intern’s tasks should involve professional activities, providing the student a solid learning experience.

How do I hire an intern?

Career Services advertises your position, which leads to interested students applying directly to you. You interview those of interest and make the hiring decision. There are several means to advertise your position(s) and organization.

• Through Career Services’ interactive web site, Husker Hire Link, you may advertise your opportunities, search student resumes, and manage on campus interviews.
• Career Services hosts career fairs in the fall and spring terms, providing you an opportunity to meet and recruit hundreds of students in a single day. By participating in special events such as employer panels, you can further increase your organization’s profile on the UNL campus.

Once you make the hiring decision, you follow your own organization’s policies to establish the student's employee file. The vast majority of UNL internships are completed successfully with few problems. Career Services’ staff, however, is available to assist you as needed, should serious problems arise.

How are interns compensated?

While many organizations elect to compensate interns by hourly wage, stipend, tuition grant, or scholarship, some employers offer non-paid internships. You, as the employer, determine the compensation, if any. Many UNL students fund their own education and/or may be in a high demand discipline, either of which may lead a student to consider only paid opportunities. Last year’s intern pay rates are available for review.

How can I help the student earn academic credit?

UNL does not require internships as a graduation requirement. Some academic departments encourage students to receive academic credit for participation in an internship while others do not award credit for an internship. The decision is up to the student and a faculty member. Academic departments may record the credit using Career Services' Academic Credit Contract or their own internal documents. If the student receives academic credit, they also pay related tuition and fees and complete academic work in addition to the work done for the employer.

How many hours a week does an intern work?

Work schedules are varied and tend to be flexible. Typically, students work ten to twenty hours per week, one or more semesters - others working full-time, often during the summer.

Does UNL offer any services to help organizations pay interns?

UNL doesn't have a service to subsidize student intern wages. However, there may be grant-funded entities as a resource for employers. EPSCOR assists organizations enhancing their science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and biomedical research. Other services may exist but we do not have information on any other campus-affiliated service. Career Services provides an Internship Payroll Management service that includes verifying student status, setting up payroll, and issuing bi-weekly paychecks to the student. UNL bills the organization quarterly for total intern earnings plus a ten percent processing fee.