How to hire a recruiting internship

How to hire a recruiting internship, step by step

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

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

What does a recruiting internship do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The recruiting internship hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A recruiting internship's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, recruiting interns from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of recruiting interns.

   Type of Recruiting Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Recruiting Internship	Human resources specialists recruit, screen, interview, and place workers. They often handle other human resources work, such as those related to employee relations, compensation and benefits, and training... Show more	$12-24
   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:

   • Java
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • Internship Program
   • Human Resources
   • Open Positions
   • PowerPoint
   • Phone Screens
   • Phone Interviews
   • Company Database
   • Source Candidates
   • Career Fairs
   • Reference Checks
   • Applicant Tracking Systems
   • Recruitment Process

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage applicants as they move through the applicant tracking system (PeopleSoft) to HRIS.
   • Lead the recruiting and staffing efforts for a small team of recruiters to acquire top talent for the healthcare industry.
   • Manage external relationships with employment and professional associations to ensure compliance with EEO.
   • Search and contact potential candidates via online social networking such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Monster.com, and Indeed.com.
   • Update candidate information within the company's HRIS system.
   • Help source resumes for entry level openings, utilizing ATS and well as other resources.

   More recruiting internship duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your recruiting internship job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A recruiting internship salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a recruiting internship in Oklahoma may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level recruiting internship usually earns less than a senior-level recruiting internship. Additionally, a recruiting internship with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average recruiting internship salary

   $35,951yearly

   $17.28 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level recruiting internship salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average recruiting internship salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$55,249	$27
   2	California	$49,792	$24
   3	Colorado	$48,218	$23
   4	Oregon	$47,186	$23
   5	Minnesota	$45,454	$22
   6	Illinois	$42,808	$21
   7	Maryland	$41,150	$20
   8	Texas	$39,239	$19
   9	Alabama	$37,165	$18
   10	North Carolina	$37,071	$18
   11	Ohio	$36,947	$18
   12	New Mexico	$36,763	$18
   13	Virginia	$36,739	$18
   14	Georgia	$36,377	$17
   15	Utah	$36,164	$17
   16	Pennsylvania	$36,063	$17
   17	New York	$36,043	$17
   18	Arizona	$35,240	$17
   19	Connecticut	$34,362	$17
   20	Michigan	$34,356	$17

   Average recruiting internship salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Sandia National Labs	$60,051	$28.87	72
   2	McKinsey & Company Inc	$58,799	$28.27	8
   3	Bain & Company	$58,690	$28.22
   4	SAP	$57,727	$27.75	9
   5	Oracle	$50,143	$24.11	372
   6	Transamerica Corporation	$48,278	$23.21
   7	Stantec	$46,851	$22.52	19
   8	Simmons Bank	$44,577	$21.43	4
   9	Accounting Services Limited	$44,400	$21.35
   10	Idaho Central Credit Union	$44,226	$21.26
   11	Oxford Global Resources	$43,226	$20.78
   12	PSEA	$43,166	$20.75	1
   13	Joby Aviation	$42,648	$20.50
   14	University of Iowa Center for Advancement	$42,646	$20.50
   15	Northrop Grumman	$41,610	$20.00	7
   16	IDEA Public Schools	$41,166	$19.79
   17	Pediatric Associates, Inc.	$41,054	$19.74
   18	SpaceX	$40,897	$19.66
   19	Source2	$40,759	$19.60
   20	Management Recruiters International(MRI)	$39,760	$19.12	2

4. Writing a recruiting internship job description

   A recruiting 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 a recruiting internship job description:

   Recruiting internship job description example

   Springs Window Fashions has been part of the window treatments industry since 1939. Headquartered in Middleton WI, we have over 8,000 associates and 18 locations worldwide. Our custom window treatments are available in nearly every major retailer, in thousands of designer showrooms and showcased in large commercial buildings.
   
   Our company is privately owned with products marketed across a broad portfolio of brands including Bali, Graber, SunSetter and Mecho. Our tagline is “the Best Experience Company.” And it's more than just a set of words-it represents the essence of who we are. As North America's premier window covering company, we're committed to creating the Best Experience for our associates and team members, our consumers and end users, and our channel and business partners.
   
   We are bringing new innovations to the market and have a lot to offer consumers who want to improve their home décor. Despite COVID, our company is experiencing high growth as consumers spend more time at home and want to redecorate
   
   Springs Window Fashions is looking for a motivated and hardworking individual to join our Human Resource Team! The Recruiting Internship provides an exciting opportunity to assist the team with project support while providing valuable work experience related to your chosen field of study. We also offer a competitive hourly wage and summer housing stipend to all our interns! Our internship program is known for having in-depth, challenging project work with cross-functional teams, as well as professional development, job shadowing and other growth opportunities.
   Internship Projects and Responsibilities: • Enhance College Recruitment & Outreach Program
   • Update all student-facing portals
   • Research best practices for student engagement on campus and virtually
   • Develop & Document Annual College Recruitment Calendar and Project Timeline • Complete daily recruiting functions including interviewing candidates, create and extend offers, develop new recruiting strategies, etc. Requirements Preferred Qualifications Previous internship experience in relevant function Pursuing a 4-year degree with preferred current standing of Sophomore/Junior level
   HR major preferred Proficient computer skills Microsoft Office Problem-solving and critical thinking skills Strong communication skills (verbal, written and attention to detail) Positive attitude and eagerness to learn Behavioral Competencies Ensures Accountability - Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments Drive Engagement - Creating a climate where people are motivated to do their best to help the organization achieve its objectives Instill Trust - Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity Drive Results - Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances Consumer/Customer Focus - Building strong customer relationships and delivering on customer-centric solutions Critical Thinking - Making Sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems Being Resilient - Rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations Optimize Work Processes - Knowing the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right recruiting internship for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with recruiting interns they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit recruiting interns who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with recruiting internship candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 recruiting internship

   Once you've selected the best recruiting internship candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new recruiting internship. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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How much does it cost to hire a recruiting internship?