Human Resources Internship Experience 2: Interview, Recruit, Onboard, and Participate in HR Functions

PromoterMotor™ changes the world by serving many, diverse nonprofit organizations and for-impact companies at once; with us, you will gain practical experience while making a difference!

• 100% Remote Participate-from-Anywhere Position
• Full-time and Part-time Flexible Participation Options
• Unpaid Internship for Training  
• Project-based Learning based on your interests
• Possible Academic Credit: check with your college about credit and visa requirements before applying
• Apply soon for all start dates: our internships have Rolling Start and End Dates All Year

Due to the volume of applicants, there can sometimes be a backlog that causes delays in our responses or no interview time openings for days to weeks, so read our several internships descriptions thoroughly, decide which if just one position fits you really well, and apply for that one. Please apply for only 1 position at a time, even if you are interested in several, and you can apply at any time of year. See also  http://promotermotor.com/careers/ . If you are invited to interview, we will prefer that you schedule with us about halfway between now and when you might want to begin an internship. You may send us a message with your questions at any time.

Please apply to our positions via Handshake, not through email, if you can. Initially, you don't need to submit your resume or unofficial transcript via Handshake, because if we decide to take the next steps in the application process, we will ask you to supply those materials then. We prefer to have these materials via email so that we may confirm that method of communication between you and our team.

When applying on Handshake, make sure that your GPA is visible to employers. GPA is one of the many factors that we take into account when screening candidates and reviewing applications. We encourage you to show your GPA on Handshake so that employers who consider a student’s GPA will review your application.

If you seek credit, then check with your school's Internship Coordinator BEFORE accepting an offer to determine if this position satisfies the criteria for receiving academic credit.

Project-based Learning: Human Resources interns will learn to become comfortable with the interviewing process starting from interacting with universities, screening candidates, interviewing them, and making recommendations. Interns will also contribute to HR process improvement, such as drafting and improving the internship descriptions, job descriptions, the spreadsheet that we use to track time and tasks, interviewing scripts, and more. As an HR intern, you will also take the opportunity to participate in and improve onboarding meetings, periodic reviews, exit interviews, ideas of your own, and policies about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Interns might also have the opportunity to collaborate with other teams to enhance automation to benefit the operational efficiency within the company. Benefits include being social and building relationships in-house.

Training and Responsibilities May Include But Will Not Be Limited To

Note: This is by no means an exhaustive list but it gives an indication of the many projects taking place. You might focus on some of these to the exclusion of others. Tasks and training will change according to business needs.
 

• Learn a methodology for interviewing work and internship candidates
• Recruit, conduct interviews, and select prospective interns for each department to meet current or anticipated staffing needs
• Evaluate recruitment and selection criteria to ensure conformance to professional statistical, or testing standards, and recommending revisions as needed
• Become familiar and communicate with universities and applicants via different career and internship posting platforms
• Contribute to the improvement of our interview processes, documents, and publications
• Orient the new employees through regular onboarding meetings/procedures, including but not limited to how to set up accounts and manage technology
• Participate in a 100% remote environment alongside peers across the globe
• Navigate diverse workplace with varying time zones and cultural backgrounds while maintaining an inclusive and supportive environment
• Build strong connections with other interns and staff people through networking, peer collaboration, and other weekly meetings while working remotely.
• Attend regular meetings to network and work alongside other teams and departments, preventing isolation and facilitating collaboration
  • This team will sometimes work with the digital media teams (regarding graphics), software engineering teams (regarding coding), marketing teams (regarding messaging), business teams (regarding sales leads),  and technical writing teams.

Note: Think of this internship as an opportunity to apply the skills you’ve gained in the classroom to real world situations, not as an introduction to skills or an alternative to classes. Also, look for us to give you the kind of real-world business context and feedback that professors generally cannot provide, not only about your specific skill area but (perhaps more importantly!) feedback from perspectives outside of your major such as how various other aspects of the business drive needs and decisions for your projects. 

Relevant Future Careers include but are not limited to: Recruiter,Trainer, Staffing Agent, Human Development Manager, Human Resources Officer, HR Consultant, Hiring Manager, Candidate and Resume Pre-Screener, Talent Acquisition Specialist 

Relevant Future Careers include but are not limited to: HR Consultant/Manager, Project Development Manager, People Operations Coordinator, Organizational Psychologist, Occupational Psychologist, Onboarding Specialist, Recruiter, Talent Acquisition 

Relevant Majors but are not limited to: Human Resources, Communication, Sociology, Psychology, Business Administration, General Management 
 

Quantitative Resume Accomplishments: After completing this internship, depending on the projects completed, here are the top accomplishments that you might be able to add to your resume:

• Interviewed dozens of candidates to secure current or anticipated staffing needs 
• Onboarded numerous new employees and integrated them with the company and its culture, as well as getting new hire tools and information needed to become a productive member of the team
• Communicated with hundreds of universities to connect with the company and post internship opportunities to their students
• Worked closely and became familiar with a variety of hiring platforms and review sites

Qualitative Resume Accomplishments: After completing this internship, depending on the projects completed, here are the top accomplishments you may be able to add to your resume:

• Learned the best practices for professional interactions between interviewees, peers, universities, and supervisors.
• Interviewed Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to develop internship descriptions and improved the structured interviews scripts 
• Developed excellent written communication skills from drafting and editing email message templates, interview scripts and rubrics, and review response templates
• Participated in and expanded the training procedures that will benefit future interns
• Presented the status and progress of ongoing projects in weekly meetings with supervisors and colleagues for evaluation 

Learning Objectives:

• Proactivity: Take initiative with drive and enthusiasm to carry out projects to conclusion
• Speaking: Talk to others to convey information effectively
• Active Listening: Give full attention to what other people are saying, take time to understand the points being made, ask questions as appropriate
• Reading and writing comprehension: Develop excellent oral and written communication skills in professional documents, especially with creating and improving templates and spreadsheets
• Coordination: Schedule, conduct, and follow-up on processes of new hires 
• Service Orientation: Deepen knowledge of the nonprofit consulting sector
• Telecommuting: Participate remotely in both a team and individually 
• Communication: Make connections with your peers and others through a positive personality and sense of humor
• Critical and Creative Thinking: Challenge your own assumptions and contribute new ideas

Technology Learning Areas: Please review these tutorials before beginning an internship with us.

• Google Suite, especially spreadsheets (Google Sheets) and documents that can be edited collaboratively, such as support.google.com/a/users/answer/9282959 up to and including the Level 3 -- Advanced section
• Good Meet video conferencing software, such as cloudskillsboost.google/course_templates/198
• Meeting recording software, such as obsproject.com/wiki
• Systems for Continual Process Improvement, see also en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continual_improvement_process 

                                                             About PromoterMotor.com 

PromoterMotor is an Advertising Agency and a Division of Bashpole Software, Inc.

Our Mission: Nonprofits need our help to provide disaster relief, prevent suicides, feed the hungry, educate children, rescue animals, protect our environment, and benefit the world. We create and sell technology to help nonprofits gain online visibility and automate marketing functions, namely our upcoming PromoterMotor.com software. It automates what we have done for years by hand: help non profits get and make maximal use of free advertising from Google. Also, we create ads for nonprofits in ways that actively counter misinformation by educating the public. Bashpole is a for-profit company that exclusively serves non-profits as its clients.

Emerging Growth Company: PromoterMotor by Bashpole Software, Inc. has a close yet professional environment with fewer than 10 team members plus many bright interns; our growth in terms of clients and staff is accelerating, which makes this an exciting time to get involved. Check out our internship and contractor positions and testimonials from departments such as Marketing, Digital Media, Business, Software Engineering, Technical Writing, and Human Resources: https://promotermotor.com/careers/

                                                                   About Our Internships 

Apply to One Position, Maximum: Do not apply for more than one internship position at a time. Apply to the one that interests you the most. Then, if you are invited for an interview, you may indicate interest in other positions at that time, and we can discuss which position would be best suited for you.
 

Minimum Education and Experience: Applicants need to be enrolled in a college or graduate program at the beginning of their internship. Previous internship experience is beneficial but not required. You must have completed some classes relevant to your internship prior to beginning and must show examples of what you know during your interview.

Professionalism Expectations: Internships are not like the classroom and operate differently than what students do in school. Our internships are meant to challenge you, not to introduce you to a subject for the first time or to tell you exactly how to do everything. We offer a very hands-on experience in which interns are empowered to take initiative, problem-solve, use resources, creativity, and personal judgment. After receiving instructions, we expect interns to find their own solutions to problems in collaboration with their peers. We also expect interns to speak up throughout an internship. We work closely with nonprofits whose mission is to speak and act in ways that take courage for the greater good, and value members of our team that are able to do the same.

                                                          Frequently Asked Questions:

Why Us? Gain real, professional training with one or more internship experiences at Bashpole Software, Inc. Apply your creativity and drive for project-focused, hands-on learning experiences. In every internship with us, you’ll receive individual guidance and feedback to help you on your path to a professional career. You can participate in our training as an intern or a volunteer, using your time to make a difference. We are all linked, so help us help nonprofits help the world.

Why Participate Remotely? We are creating the workplace of the future. It is akin to what the CEO of the multi-billion dollar company Automattic calls Level 5. As a 100% remote company for many years, we have developed remote internship processes that prioritize and achieve freedom, socialization, organization, and personal wellness. See below about networking and meetings.

What can we offer you? 

1. Real, Hands-on Experience: Rather than the coffee-fetching of a typical internship or the text-book learning of a classroom setting, we provide interns with hands-on experience with real projects. Each intern will have a main project along the lines of the title of the internship position to which they were accepted plus several side projects, which together create a diverse set of learning experiences. Moreover, your training and participation in our research and development can directly help nonprofits around the world to connect with donors, volunteers, constituents, and more.
2. Make a Difference: In participating here, you can help nonprofits help the world on a larger scale than by volunteering for any one nonprofit. Join us in the pursuit of truth, knowledge, and how best to help the world make itself a better place. This allows you to have a larger impact than if you were to volunteer with a single nonprofit or government organization alone. We are developing a first-of-its-kind system to help non-profits gain the publicity that is currently more desperately needed than ever.
3. Teamwork and Mentorship: Bashpole Software, Inc. enables you to work in small teams of typically 1 to 5 interns. You’ll meet regularly with fellow interns on your team. You’ll also meet weekly as a team to gain direct supervision and mentorship from the company’s CEO, senior staff members, and/or more seasoned interns.
4. Network with Peers, Mentors, and More: Bashpole creates networking opportunities by helping you to learn how to effectively communicate with executives. This will allow you to build lasting impressions and have direct interactions with staff members and fellow interns around the United States and the world. Interns often report connecting with more people in our remote internships than they do in physical classrooms of comparable size because of the ways we encourage and facilitate networking meetings.
5. Company Culture: Bashpole believes it’s crucial for interns to feel comfortable speaking up for what they believe in. We value suggestions for improvements on all aspects of our company and voicing opinions about projects in team settings. Additionally, we seek interns with the ability to pursue the career growth that they want and the courage to request the kind of work that they want to do. Bashpole looks for intellectually honest individuals with a spirit of independence and interdependence.
6. Workplace Readiness Training: Employers expect students to understand communication soft skills and corporate culture, however, colleges offer few opportunities for students to learn day-to-day workplace fundamentals for behavior. As a result of this, we’ve developed something unique: our Rules-of-Thumb (RoT’s) training process. The RoT’s’ are the otherwise unwritten rules of professional etiquette straight from hard-learned experiences of industry professionals. We’re developing a book and a training system for explicitly teaching this kind of advice to our employees, interns, and eventually to others which will be valuable for their future career.
7. Portfolio: With approval from management, this internship also offers opportunities for you to add examples to your professional portfolio, which you can later use for future job applications.
8. Academic Credit: If you want work-study or school-credit for the internship, we can almost always provide the kind of oversight your university would require. Some educational institutions require prior approval before the start of an internship. It is your responsibility to check with your institution to be sure you meet all requirements for participation before you interview with us. We do NOT require you to enroll in a class or get credit for your internship; some universities do require this of you, others make it optional, and still others do not allow credit.
9. Letter of Recommendation: If you successfully complete one or more internships, we will sign compelling letters of recommendation for you. Previous interns have used these letters to get into our nation’s top graduate programs and excellent post-graduation careers. We can also serve as a reference for various applications you may pursue.
10. Leadership Opportunities: In addition to encouraging each intern to demonstrate personal leadership within their team of fellow interns, Bashpole also has “Level 3: Management” internships in every department that people can apply to as long as they have participated in at least one prior internship with us. This advanced position gives smart, responsible interns training and practice for leading teams of other interns, while under the supervision of a Bashpole employee.

What does a typical day look like? There is no typical day, but there is a typical week. 

What does a typical week look like?

• You will work either collaboratively in a team or independently on a project of your choice from a list that we will provide.
• Every week, you will use your “Personal Syllabus” to complete weekly tasks and log your process.
• In weekly team meetings, you will be guided by Bashpole team members who have years of experience and will act as your supervisor. You may ask questions about department supervisors during your interview. In weekly team meetings, you’ll show your syllabus log to your team via a screenshare, as well as show, get feedback on, and take notes for next steps with your project.
• In addition to this, you'll have intern-only meetings throughout the week for collaborating with your peers, reviewing each other's work, and answering each others' questions.
• Every other week, we will have an “All Hands and Rule of Thumb (RoT) Meeting” where all interns will work collaboratively on the Rule of Thumb (RoT) book. The book contains our advice about corporate culture and communications soft skills: these are mostly from lessons that we learned the 'hard way' in the workplace, things that no one taught us in college classes but that most employers expect you to know.

What are the schedule expectations for this internship? 

• We have team and individual meetings every week via Google Meet. We expect you to be generally available for meetings during business hours of US Eastern time.
• Aside from scheduled meetings, you will have your choice for daily start and stop times; you can create a routine that works for you, as long as you make your internship your top priority.
• For internships taken during the fall or spring, participate part-time. For internships during the summer, participate full-time. Internships can be a mix of part and full time.
• Manage your personal schedule such that you fulfill the weekly internship time you agree to.
• Internship begin and end dates are flexible according to your university’s calendar for classes.
   

What is the expected time commitment? 

• We offer both part and full-time internships with rolling start dates. 
• Full-time: strongly preferred in summer and available throughout the year, 40 hours/week (or whatever is the maximum your college allows) lasts for 3 to 4 months.
• Part-time: during school session, 12-20 hours/week (or whatever is the maximum your college allows) for 6 months. 
• You are able to switch from full-time to part-time, or vice versa, as long as the duration adds up to a total of at least 400 hours, with about 480 hours preferred.

When may I get started? If Bashpole then makes you an internship offer, you may start either as soon as you like or later in the year when your schedule permits: we have an orientation/onboarding meeting almost every Thursday for new interns. 

Who is more likely to succeed in this internship position? People with:

• a genuine interest in the nonprofit consulting sector 
• classroom experience relevant to this position
• proactive mindsets that like their voices to be heard
• detailed note-taking habits
• time management skills who are organized and dependable 
• an eagerness to take initiative with their ideas and communicate early and often
   

How does the interview process work? First, if an applicant meets our preliminary qualifications, we send them a message with detailed instructions for setting up an interview that must be followed precisely, or else we will decline the interview. Generally, each applicant has at least one interview during which their aptitude and knowledge are evaluated. If this goes well, the applicant will be given a follow-up task to examine how much they understand about our company and their position. Then, Bashpole may send out an internship offer decision within a few business days.

If I apply, what are the odds I’ll be accepted? Bashpole Software posts its internship positions to nearly 1,200 colleges across the USA and receives hundreds of applications for each position for each season of the year. We generally select between 1 and 5 people per position per season (Winter/Spring, Summer, or Fall/Winter). Although our interviews are friendly and conversational, there are a great many factors that we carefully consider before, during, and after each interview. If you are selected for an interview, it is not a guarantee that you will be given an offer. Upon selection for an interview, we will send you a message with everything you need to do to prepare for your interview, and you will be expected to follow all of the instructions completely. You should take some time to prepare for your interview.

Can I participate in more than one position? Not simultaneously; you may only participate in one position at a time. However, we welcome and encourage sequential internships, meaning participating in one team at one time and then another team at another time. 

How will I be supervised, and who will be my supervisor? Each team will report directly to their Department Manager (that will be the title of your supervisor) every week by screensharing a log about their training and accomplishments. (See also “What does a typical week look like?”, above.) Your manager may be assisted by other team members and sometimes by interns who are more senior than you, so treat them all as sources of authority. If you ever have concerns about your peers or supervisors, you can contact people at any level of the organization. We prefer that everyone communicate early and often about their concerns... and their accomplishments!

How often will I work with supervisors compared to other interns? This varies from position to position and changes from the beginning to the end of a typical internship, however, generally: you will meet with your supervisor for at least one, if not several hours a week. You will meet with fellow interns for at least a few hours a week, if not up to about half of the time per week that you spend on your internship. The rest of the time, you will spend working on your own on your projects and training. If you want to spend more (or less) time working directly with other people, just let your supervisor know, and they will sometimes be able to make adjustments. We will encourage you to collaborate with others as often as possible.

What are the challenges to expect? We believe interns grow by dealing with such challenges and working through them; this is how the real world works. This internship is going to take hard work and sometimes will be an imperfect experiment in training. There may be occasional communication at odd hours due to time differences and urgent matters. There will be more intern-intern interaction than with supervisors, and you can expect a mix of training from supervisors and finding and developing training yourself. Tasks may be vague and unclear at times as some assignments will be new. Our organization is run by real people — and while we are not perfect — our intentions are to work hard and be the best we can be. We look for interns that have the humility to admit the same about themselves.
 

What have previous interns said? Check out testimonials from our previous interns on our Careers page: https://bashpolesoftware.com/careers/

There are no costs to participate in our internships of any sort, ever. Our internship is like a class that you get to take for free, and yet even though our internships provide substantial experiential learning, we recognize that sometimes personal financial situations are an obstacle. If this is a concern for you, then check with your career services center and academic advisers about whether your college offers any form of support that helps students take unpaid internships. Some colleges have scholarships, grants, stipends, or options for gaining class credit; some do not; either way, there are never fees nor expenses of any kind related to our internships, and you should be wary of any company that would try to charge you for anything for an internship.

Why is it an unpaid internship? Bashpole is a for-profit company that’s rebranding itself, which explains the start-up-like environment. Due to these circumstances, we currently don’t provide compensation. In lieu of payment, we provide interns with rich learning experiences such as receiving mentorship, the responsibility to create training, strong recommendation letters based on performance, and the opportunity to graduate to advanced management-based experiences. We are also newly offering a monetary bonus program that all of our team members at Bashpole are aware of and eligible for. Bashpole Software, Inc. complies with all US Department of Labor Federal Internship Guidelines per https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm. This position also complies with NACE Criteria for internships per http://www.naceweb.org/about-us/advocacy/position-statements/position-statement-us-internships/#sthash.WbfvUjco.dpuf.

What if I’m an international student? International students are encouraged to apply for any and all internships. Make sure to show your university this internship description and check with them about their requirements. If selected, confirm everything is approved through your university before beginning an internship. Bashpole will provide documentation for the university in the form of an internship offer agreement. 

Non-Discrimination Policy: All nonprofits we serve are required to be compliant with Google’s non-discrimination policies, meaning that Bashpole works with a diverse set of nonprofits such as nonprofits working with crime to mental health issues to combating misinformation. Thus, Bashpole interns are expected to be non-discriminatory themselves and help us serve any nonprofit that fits the eligibility guidelines. See more at bashpolesoftware.com/careers.