Who doesn’t love their interns? They’re the spreadsheet savants, deck-making champions, and hundred-and-ten-percenters that make our companies more productive than ever during those summer months. And for the last three years, thousands of companies have taken a single day in July to show them that we truly care.
That’s National Intern Day.
Started by WayUp in 2017, National Intern Day is a holiday dedicated to recognizing the hard work of interns across the country. Last year, thousands of companies across America came together to celebrate. They’ve also entered both their interns and their internship programs into consideration for WayUp’s prestigious Top 100 Internship Programs List and WayUp Intern 100 List.
This year, National Intern Day is on July 30, 2020.
National Intern Day is 100 percent free to participate in.
Here are a few ways you can do just that.
What better way to participate in National Intern Day than to dedicate a full day to celebrating them? Over the years, we’ve seen employers celebrate their interns through a wide range of activities.
A few of our favorites include:
Why Is Celebrating Your Interns So Important?
As Maya Angelou said, “At the end of the day people won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” While the day-to-day memories of your program may fade, National Intern Day is a great way to give your interns a long-lasting, positive impression of your company.
Employee appreciation is, after all, one of the key traits of any successful company.
Thousands of companies celebrate each year and it’d be a shame for you—or your interns—to experience FOMO.
If your interns aren’t feeling valued it could lead to a negative internship experience. And unfortunately, that doesn’t live in a vacuum or disappear after the program is over. They tell their friends, family members, fellow students, and professors, and they share their perspective on social media and sites like Glassdoor. This is how companies begin to lose out on qualified candidates, according to Forbes. Providing a positive experience, assigning meaningful work, and showing your appreciation are just a few simple ways you can ensure your company’s talent pool won’t dry up.
So, don’t miss out on providing your interns with a summer they won’t forget. Don’t be afraid to get creative and involve your interns in the planning–they’ll love it.
Apart from honoring your interns, you can nominate your company to be for one of the most prestigious awards for internship programs, WayUp’s Top 100 Internship Programs List. If selected, you’ll join an exclusive group of employers and earn bragging rights–making your program more attractive to future interns.
So, How can you nominate your program? Sign up here to get notified when the official nomination form is live. Once live, you’re able to submit your internship program for consideration up until National Intern Day on July 30, 2020!
Why does this matter? Getting placed on this list is kind of a big deal.
Over the years, the list generated media coverage from sites like CNBC, Forbes, and Yahoo! Finance. It’s also referenced by countless college students when they’re looking for roles.
What a great way to help attract top talent to your intern program and share what makes your program special.
How Is The List Selected?
The Top 100 Internship Programs List is determined by a panel of industry experts that look for programs that standout in the following areas:
The panel reviews every nomination with the company name removed, allowing internship programs of all sizes and from the biggest companies to the smallest companies to have an unbiased opportunity to join the ranks.
For the past two years, National Intern Day has garnered billions of social media impressions and been the number one worldwide trending topic on Twitter. When you join the movement, you have a chance to showcase your employer brand to millions of potential applicants and consumers.
Remember that social media is a great (and free!) way to attract qualified candidates. Millennials and Gen Z frequently follow companies on social media and routinely research potential employers via social networks. A great way to showcase your company culture is to share how you celebrate National Intern Day.
We encourage you to use this as an opportunity to create authentic and original content featuring your interns!
Some great examples of authentic, intern-based content for National Intern Day:
Don’t wait until July to plan a special day for your interns, start today!
If you’d like to learn more about National Intern Day and how to participate, checkout our FAQs. Have any questions? Feel free to reach out to us at nationalinternday@wayup.com.
Happy celebrating!
