How to hire an operations internship

How to hire an operations internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step operations internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an operations internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new operations internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an operations internship do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the operations internship you need to hire. Certain operations internship roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect operations internship also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of operations interns and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Operations Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Operations Internship		$12-20
   Summer Analyst	Summer analysts are people who undertake an internship within a banking institution. These professionals perform analyses of detailed financial and corporate information... Show more	$20-49
   Business Development Internship	A business development intern is responsible for supporting the organization's goals and objectives in providing the best services to clients and ensuring a smooth flow of operations with maximum productivity and efficiency. Business development interns observe the operational processes of the department and perform duties under the supervision of a direct manager or tenured staff... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Operations Intern
   • Customer Service
   • Work Ethic
   • Patients
   • Project Management
   • Process Improvement
   • Data Entry
   • Administrative Tasks
   • Strong Analytical
   • HR
   • Data Analysis
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • SQL
   • Salesforce

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage SharePoint database and spreadsheet for coverage opinion bills.
   • Manage the month-end financial statement reporting process, including journal entry preparation, and account reconciliations.
   • Implement request template, CSS, and JavaScript changes to existing site.
   • Process request through an electronic queue for client's website changes using asp, JavaScript, and HTML languages.
   • Develop 3D models & renderings in Revit & Photoshop.
   • Develop scripts in perl to enhance the pre-building and building process of software.

   More operations internship duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your operations internship job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An operations internship salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, operations interns' average salary in louisiana is 35% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level operations interns earn 42% less than senior-level operations interns.
   • Certifications. An operations internship with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an operations internship's salary.

   Average operations internship salary

   $16.04hourly

   $33,357 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level operations internship salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average operations internship salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$41,276	$20
   2	Massachusetts	$38,589	$19
   3	Michigan	$37,739	$18
   4	Wisconsin	$37,611	$18
   5	Pennsylvania	$36,626	$18
   6	Virginia	$35,952	$17
   7	Arizona	$35,241	$17
   8	New York	$35,123	$17
   9	Maryland	$35,033	$17
   10	Nebraska	$34,837	$17
   11	Oregon	$33,797	$16
   12	Colorado	$33,760	$16
   13	Iowa	$33,360	$16
   14	Illinois	$32,488	$16
   15	New Jersey	$31,940	$15
   16	District of Columbia	$31,865	$15
   17	Ohio	$31,395	$15
   18	North Carolina	$31,227	$15
   19	Utah	$31,174	$15
   20	Kansas	$30,979	$15

   Average operations internship salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	HP	$55,014	$26.45	11
   2	Amkor Technology, Inc.	$52,656	$25.32
   3	CBIZ	$48,089	$23.12	3
   4	Oracle	$48,086	$23.12	869
   5	University of California-Berkeley	$47,850	$23.00	1
   6	Arrow Electronics	$46,141	$22.18	1
   7	Triumph Group	$45,931	$22.08
   8	Ball	$45,043	$21.66	2
   9	Wpp Us Holdings Inc	$44,983	$21.63	37
   10	National Renewable Energy Laboratory	$44,664	$21.47	1
   11	Gilead Sciences	$44,524	$21.41	12
   12	Northrop Grumman	$44,360	$21.33	17
   13	Chubb	$43,995	$21.15	8
   14	AssetMark	$43,592	$20.96	2
   15	Democracy Fund	$43,491	$20.91
   16	Johnson Controls	$43,335	$20.83	24
   17	Student Conservation Association	$43,238	$20.79
   18	FNB	$42,776	$20.57
   19	Salt Lake County	$42,451	$20.41
   20	SAP	$42,375	$20.37	15

4. Writing an operations internship job description

   An operations internship job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an operations internship job description:

   Operations internship job description example

   Here at Avis Budget Group we're more than just rentals-although over 70 years of experience and 11,000 locations in 180 countries has taught us a thing or two about that. We're shaping the future of the mobility industry with our innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our globally recognized brands - Avis, Budget, Budget Truck and Zipcar - connect people to more. This means more convenience, more options and more time on the road for our customers. But we also connect our employees to more: opportunities, benefits, support, collaboration and most importantly-power to change the future. Sound your speed? Come join our family.
   
   Are you a natural leader looking for hands-on experience in management? We are looking for motivated and talented university/college students in their junior or senior year to join our airport operations team.
   
   As a management intern, you will spend time learning the business, rotating through various operational areas including Sales, Production and Customer Service. In the role, you will work side by side with associates and managers to drive business results and create positive customer experiences. You'll have the opportunity to develop your management and leadership skills in a fast paced, challenging environment.
   
   Our paid internship program is designed to provide you with a comprehensive learning experience and gain real-world practical business experience that will jumpstart your career after graduation.
   What we are looking for:
   Strong interpersonal skills Excellent communication skills Resiliency Demonstrated attention to detail Ability to manage time Punctuality Ability to problem solve Takes initiative with limited oversight Going into your junior or senior year of college
   
   We offer:
   Competitive pay Flexible scheduling, to work around your school schedule Opportunities for full time employment after graduation
   
   The fine print:
   
   Avis Budget Group is an equal opportunity employer - M/F/Veterans/Disabled.
   
   Avis Budget Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
   
   West Palm Beach
   
   Florida
   
   United States of America

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find operations interns for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any operations interns they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level operations interns with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your operations internship job on Zippia to find and recruit operations internship candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit operations interns, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new operations internship

   Once you've decided on a perfect operations internship candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new operations internship. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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