4 Questions Managers Should Ask Their Interns to Kick Off the New Semester
The beginning of a new semester is an opportunity to recalibrate and strengthen the manager-intern relationship. Here are four essential questions to ask your intern – and ideas for how you can help them take ownership for their professional development.
1. What went well?
Start by reflecting on the successes of the previous semester's internship. Celebrating wins can set a positive tone for the semester ahead! Acknowledging and validating their strengths can also bolster your intern’s self-confidence.
A good answer might be:
“I got more comfortable meeting new people.”
You can encourage them to delve deeper, so that they can enumerate specifics:
“I learned the skill of networking which will help me in XYZ way in the future.”
“One thing I learned from X person was…”
2. What could have gone better?
This question opens the door to honest feedback and provides insight into potential roadblocks or skill gaps. It also allows you to identify ways to better support their growth and performance in the upcoming term.
A typical answer might be:
“I learned it’s OK to make mistakes, as long as you are open to learning.”
Can they tell you about a time they happened? What was the result?
“One example is… And I set up a system so it didn’t happen again…”
3. What professional skill are you most interested in growing?
Whether they’re looking to develop technical skills, improve communication, or explore leadership skills, this question helps you create a tailored learning experience aligned to their goals.
Interns should come to your meeting prepared to answer this question. They might say:
“I’m interested in growing my public speaking skills.”
Help theme translate this into a SMART goal:
“By the end of the semester, I’d like to be able to present my work at a team meeting. Could we identify a topic that would be relevant for that setting?”
4. What project-specific goals should we set for the semester? What new projects do you want to get involved with in the spring?
Engage your intern in a collaborative discussion about their responsibilities and interests. By this point in the year, they should demonstrate an understanding of the team’s priorities.
An intern might answer this question by connecting it to their goals:
“I’d like to learn more about how new products are developed at the company.”
Encourage them to make specific, actionable requests:
“Could I shadow your meetings with the [X department]? I could listen in and produce a visual representation of how the process works to share with new employees joining the team.”
Moving to Action
From there, help your intern define 2-3 SMART goals for the semester. For example:
Complete an online coding course to develop their mastery of SQL.
Present a project update in a team meeting by mid-semester to develop public speaking and presentation skills.
Optimize an existing process to improve team efficiency by 10% by the end of the term.
By fostering open communication and prioritizing your intern’s growth, you’ll not only enhance their experience but also strengthen the overall performance of your team.