From Offer to Day One – Strategies for Keeping Intern Hires Engaged and Committed

In today’s competitive talent market, ensuring your intern hires remain excited and committed after accepting an offer is critical. This panel, moderated by Char Delapena and featuring UR Leaders Anndee Armstrong, Monica Ipong, and Travis Guelig, will dive into the importance of maintaining warm relationships with your intern cohort from the moment they accept an offer until their start date.

Agenda:

• • Strategies for fostering a sense of community among your interns

• • Crafting a pre-boarding experience that builds excitement

• • Implementing proactive measures to minimize reneges. 

• • Open forum questions/topics  from attendees 

Gain actionable insights to build trust, loyalty, and a seamless transition into their internship programs.

Key Takeaways from the OneReq Event and Intern Engagement Strategies Meeting

Intern Engagement & Pre-Boarding Strategies

• Engaging interns between offer acceptance and start date reduces reneges.
• Companies use early engagement, personalized support, and team matching.
• Managers, ERGs, and previous interns help onboard new hires.
• Tailoring events to different education levels improves experience.

Housing & Community Support

• Finding housing is a major challenge for interns, with risks like scams and high costs.
• Ohana offers roommate pairing and city-specific resources (NYC, SF).
• Community-building initiatives improve intern satisfaction.

Internship Personalization & Retention

• AMD sponsors university clubs to create early connections.
• Customizing experiences based on interns’ roles, locations, and education levels fosters belonging.
• Interns value community, location, and affordability in their experiences.

Best Practices for Managing Global Intern Programs

• Private Slack groups help global interns connect.
• Mentorship, feedback, and executive speaker sessions enhance engagement.
• Intern conferences (held in multiple locations) strengthen company culture.

Addressing Intern Reneges

• Common reasons: industry preference, role fit, location, and compensation.
• Personal touchpoints, transparency, and highlighting career growth opportunities help reduce reneges.
• Companies are increasing intern wages to remain competitive.

Communication & Support Strategies

• Regular check-ins, informal calls, and newsletters keep interns engaged.
• Office hours provide a space for informal questions and personal connections.
• Clear expectations and transparency throughout the process improve retention.