As an HR intern, you’ll have the opportunity to apply your academic curriculum to real-world situations. Daily tasks and projects will range from preparing new hire paperwork, advertising open job positions, sourcing candidates fit for the position, advising employees on safety issues, and more. College students who land a summer HR internship will use the opportunity to get familiar with different types of software commonly used by HR departments - everything from benefits and payroll tools to applicant tracking systems.

 

Typically, there are two career paths that are taken in this field: generalist or specialist. The HR generalist has a wide range of responsibilities such as attracting and retaining employees, training, managing the workforce, and planning ways to meet human resources needs. Generalist roles are usually found in smaller companies or in management roles. HR specialists typically require deep knowledge and complete ownership of a particular HR program, such as employee and labor relations, compensation, benefits, conducting interviews or administering pre-employment tests.