strengthening the internship performance review for slideshare

Cristina Gilstrap, Ph.D.Cristina Gilstrap, Ph.D.Regina K. Waters, Ph.D.Regina K. Waters, Ph.D.

Drury UniversityDrury University

January 5, 2011January 5, 2011

Strengthening the Strengthening the Internship Performance Internship Performance

Review: Communication Review: Communication Strategies to Enhance the Strategies to Enhance the

Effectiveness of Internship Effectiveness of Internship EvaluationsEvaluations

Conducted 24 phone interviews with Conducted 24 phone interviews with internship supervisorsinternship supervisors

Length of interviews:Length of interviews:Range = 7:52 - 41:37Range = 7:52 - 41:37 M = 21:31M = 21:31

Audio taped, transcribed, and codedAudio taped, transcribed, and coded

MethodologyMethodology

20 – Female20 – Female 4 – Males4 – Males

States Represented:States Represented:MissouriMissouri OklahomaOklahomaTexasTexas South DakotaSouth Dakota

Industries Represented:Industries Represented:Financial Services Financial Services Utility Utility BankingBanking RecreationRecreationFood Production Food Production MediaMedia

Nonprofit Nonprofit LawLawPublishingPublishing Medical HealthMedical Health

Interview ParticipantsInterview Participants

Time in Position: Time in Position: Range = 1.5 – 21.5 years M = 5.7 Range = 1.5 – 21.5 years M = 5.7

yearsyears

Time Supervising Interns: Time Supervising Interns: Range = 1 - 25 years Range = 1 - 25 years M = 5.2 M = 5.2 yearsyears

Interns Supervised Each Year:Interns Supervised Each Year: Range = 1 – 15 interns Range = 1 – 15 interns M = 2.7 M = 2.7 interns interns

Interview ParticipantsInterview Participants

Findings:Findings:Evaluation ProcessEvaluation Process

Provide written job description at Provide written job description at beginning of the internship:beginning of the internship:

13 – Yes13 – Yes 9 – No9 – No 2 – Not Sure2 – Not Sure

Discuss performance expectations with Discuss performance expectations with intern at beginning of internship:intern at beginning of internship:

23 – Yes23 – Yes 1 – No1 – No

Ask interns to rate own job performance:Ask interns to rate own job performance: 6 – Yes6 – Yes 16 – No16 – No 2 – Not sure2 – Not sure

Provide oral feedback to intern Provide oral feedback to intern throughoutthroughout experience experience

Provide University with written Provide University with written feedback at feedback at end-of-semesterend-of-semester

Students may or may not be given this Students may or may not be given this documentdocument

Smaller number provide University Smaller number provide University with written midterm evaluationwith written midterm evaluation

Findings:Findings:Evaluation ProcessEvaluation Process

Findings: What’s Important Findings: What’s Important When Evaluating Intern’s When Evaluating Intern’s

Performance?Performance?TraitsTraits

Professionalism Professionalism (prepared, punctual, (prepared, punctual, mature)mature)

Take initiative (self-Take initiative (self-starter, curious)starter, curious)

Good communicatorGood communicator Attitude/willingness Attitude/willingness

to learn & growto learn & grow Ability to learnAbility to learn

BehaviorsBehaviors Use skills, Use skills,

demonstrate demonstrate competencycompetency

Attention to Attention to detail/accuracydetail/accuracy

Respond to directionsRespond to directions Timeliness/punctualityTimeliness/punctuality

ResultsResults Get job done, Get job done,

complete defined complete defined tasks, meet goalstasks, meet goals

Types of Appraisal Types of Appraisal SystemsSystems

Trait-basedTrait-based– Communication AbilityCommunication Ability Very Low Low Average High Very HighVery Low Low Average High Very High

Behavior-basedBehavior-based– Greets clients in a pleasant and friendly manner.Greets clients in a pleasant and friendly manner.Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Almost AlwaysNever Rarely Sometimes Frequently Almost Always

Results-basedResults-based– Number of calls resulting in client reservations: Number of calls resulting in client reservations:

(Fisher, Schoenfeldt, & Shaw, 2003)(Fisher, Schoenfeldt, & Shaw, 2003)

Findings: Resources Used Findings: Resources Used to Evaluate Internsto Evaluate Interns

SelfSelf– Evaluation of work & interactions with internEvaluation of work & interactions with intern– Observation of interactions with othersObservation of interactions with others

Other staff/leadersOther staff/leaders

Clients, customersClients, customers

Findings: Challenges of Findings: Challenges of Providing Intern FeedbackProviding Intern Feedback

Too little time Too little time

Not all students receptive to Not all students receptive to constructive criticismconstructive criticism

Forms/toolsForms/tools (not standardized, lack of written evaluation tools)(not standardized, lack of written evaluation tools)

Findings: Missing From Findings: Missing From Current Evaluation ProcessCurrent Evaluation Process

StructureStructure (written expectations & objectives, standard (written expectations & objectives, standard

evaluation form, documenting progress) evaluation form, documenting progress)

ResourcesResources (time and people)(time and people)

Many satisfied with current proceduresMany satisfied with current procedures

Findings: University’s Role Findings: University’s Role in Gathering and Using in Gathering and Using

FeedbackFeedback

What do you think happens when you What do you think happens when you submit written evaluations to the submit written evaluations to the University?University?

– Hope or assume Hope or assume it is read by advisor, faculty, it is read by advisor, faculty, intern placement coordinators, and studentsintern placement coordinators, and students

– Don’t know what happensDon’t know what happens– Don’t know if student ever sees the Don’t know if student ever sees the

documentdocument

Findings: University’s Role Findings: University’s Role in Gathering and Using in Gathering and Using

FeedbackFeedback To what extent do universities value To what extent do universities value

the written feedback you provide?the written feedback you provide?– Not sure; don’t know if it is valuedNot sure; don’t know if it is valued– No, they don’t value itNo, they don’t value it– Value it or wouldn’t ask for it – right?Value it or wouldn’t ask for it – right?

To what extent do students value To what extent do students value feedback?feedback?– Majority think students appreciate/value itMajority think students appreciate/value it– In few cases, some students just don’t careIn few cases, some students just don’t care

Findings: Extent PreparesFindings: Extent PreparesStudents for Students for

Professional ReviewsProfessional Reviews

YesYes (especially if tied to H.R. processes)(especially if tied to H.R. processes)

It’s a starting pointIt’s a starting point

It depends on the organizationIt depends on the organization

Findings: How Universities Findings: How Universities Can Help Intern Can Help Intern

SupervisorsSupervisors Clarify the University’s expectations:Clarify the University’s expectations:

– Provide evaluation forms in advanceProvide evaluation forms in advance– Stay in touch throughout internshipStay in touch throughout internship– Visit the site to learn what organization needsVisit the site to learn what organization needs– Provide more guidance on how to evaluate Provide more guidance on how to evaluate

internsinterns

Screen candidates:Screen candidates:– Only send the best or provide better matchOnly send the best or provide better match

Better prepare students for work Better prepare students for work place:place:– Career training (dress, punctuality, etiquette)Career training (dress, punctuality, etiquette)

Findings: How Findings: How Organization Can Help Organization Can Help

Intern SupervisorIntern Supervisor Nothing:Nothing:

– Like flexibilityLike flexibility– Organization has been making changes (typically Organization has been making changes (typically

more structure)more structure) Provide more structure:Provide more structure:

– Develop clear job descriptions; expectations for Develop clear job descriptions; expectations for the internthe intern

– Agree upon projects with clear beginning and endAgree upon projects with clear beginning and end Provide more resources:Provide more resources:

– Space for intern, pay the intern, time to superviseSpace for intern, pay the intern, time to supervise

Study Insights & Study Insights & RecommendationsRecommendations

1. 1. Insight:Insight: Supervisors provide written reports (summative) Supervisors provide written reports (summative) to Universities, but there’s not clear feedback to Universities, but there’s not clear feedback loop regarding the use/value of that feedbackloop regarding the use/value of that feedback

Recommendations for Universities: Recommendations for Universities: a. Communicate process to supervisors: a. Communicate process to supervisors:

who gets the evaluation, how and if the who gets the evaluation, how and if the

evaluation informs student’s grade/creditevaluation informs student’s grade/creditb. Convey appreciation of supervisor’s workb. Convey appreciation of supervisor’s work

2. 2. Insight: Insight: Supervisors often unclear of expectationsSupervisors often unclear of expectations

Recommendation for Universities: Recommendation for Universities: a. Provide copy of final evaluation at beginning a. Provide copy of final evaluation at beginning of internshipof internship

b. Re-evaluate how interns and supervisors are b. Re-evaluate how interns and supervisors are crafting and communicating content of learning crafting and communicating content of learning contractscontracts


3. 3. Insight:Insight: Minimal use of exit interviews that invite self- Minimal use of exit interviews that invite self-

evaluation and formal dialogue with supervisor evaluation and formal dialogue with supervisor

Recommendation for Organizations: Recommendation for Organizations: a. When possible, model intern evaluations after a. When possible, model intern evaluations after H.R. evaluation process/provide supervisor H.R. evaluation process/provide supervisor trainingtraining

Recommendations for Universities:Recommendations for Universities:b. Provide form(s) and suggestions for student b. Provide form(s) and suggestions for student evaluation evaluation

c. Emphasize importance of oral summative c. Emphasize importance of oral summative review (supervisor & intern)review (supervisor & intern)


4. 4. Insight: Insight: Supervisors place heavy emphasis on intern’s traits (who the Supervisors place heavy emphasis on intern’s traits (who the

person is)person is)

Recommendation for Organizations:Recommendation for Organizations: a. Focus on behavior assessments to support intern’s a. Focus on behavior assessments to support intern’s developmental growth (emphasize HOW work is done, developmental growth (emphasize HOW work is done, not WHO the person is) not WHO the person is)

Recommendations for Universities:Recommendations for Universities:b. Request feedback from supervisor regarding b. Request feedback from supervisor regarding effectiveness of forms (open-ended, question types) effectiveness of forms (open-ended, question types)

c. Revise existing evaluation forms to better reflect c. Revise existing evaluation forms to better reflect behavior- or results- based measurements behavior- or results- based measurements


5. 5. Insight:Insight: Multiple stakeholders contribute to assessment of an Multiple stakeholders contribute to assessment of an intern’s performanceintern’s performance

Recommendation for Organizations: Recommendation for Organizations: a. Continue to promote staff input in evaluation a. Continue to promote staff input in evaluation process (driven by clear understanding of process (driven by clear understanding of intern’s duties) intern’s duties)

Recommendation for Universities:Recommendation for Universities:b. Educate students on factors that contribute b. Educate students on factors that contribute to to judgments of their performancejudgments of their performance


6. 6. Insight: Insight: Challenge is time, not discomfort with the act of Challenge is time, not discomfort with the act of providing direct, constructive feedbackproviding direct, constructive feedback

Recommendation for Supervisors: Recommendation for Supervisors: a. Communicate to interns your personal style a. Communicate to interns your personal style

of of delivering constructive feedback earlydelivering constructive feedback early

Recommendation for Universities:Recommendation for Universities:b. Educate students how to effectively receive b. Educate students how to effectively receive constructive feedback (verbally and constructive feedback (verbally and nonverbally)nonverbally)


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