Company FAQ
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Hosting An ELI Internship
These are generally full-time internships working 40 hours/week. Internships with shorter work weeks (minimum 30 hours) should be identified in the job description.
ELI encouragement begins at the interview event. Students who are selected for internships will attend an internship orientation. They will receive tips on how to successfully engage their internship experience. We will also provide them with a network of support and will convene periodic summer gatherings to support and inspire.
No; ELI companies represent various industries, sizes, years of experience, and company cultures, and include other types of organizations such as nonprofits, government, and education institutions. Our partners share in common a (physical) presence in the greater Portland area or Southern Oregon (Jackson and Josephine Counties) and a commitment to developing diverse leadership for our region.
We may have applicants or positions in fields not named in our job groupings (such as architecture, engineering, etc.), but ELI cannot guarantee candidate matches or intern placements for positions that do not fall within our listed categories for the upcoming ELI year.
If a field/role is not listed in our main job groupings, this means to date we have not had a consistent and substantial enough pool of candidates or internship positions in this area in order to include it. We have adopted this strategy as we want to have a reliable pool in the areas we post and recruit within in order to serve both our company partners and interns well.
For a higher likelihood of successful placement, some of our company partners chose to post internships in roles to support their work and operations that may not be as directly related to the organization’s industry, but better align with our job groupings (for example, a human resources intern at a hospital).
Job groupings will change over time in accordance with supply and demand of internships and our ability to reliably fulfill internship matches for a given field/role.
Intern matching & Selection Process
Internship position details are requested as soon as possible but required by February 16 so that we can include them in our Portal, invite candidates to get familiar with your company and internship, and prepare to match for your position. Position profiles will include:
- PDF file with external job description/position summary.
- Description of the project or type of work you’ll assign to the intern.
- Any specific skills, experiences, languages, or certifications successful intern will need (e.g., Java, Python, etc., for IT roles; or Adobe Flash, Illustrator, Corel, etc., for graphic design roles).
- Expected hours per week; nearly all internships are offered as full-time, 40 hours/week positions (minimum 30).
- Hourly wage, keeping in mind that the MOU states the minimum is $18/hour.
- Anticipated internship start and end dates (can indicate flexibility) and length (typically 10–12 weeks).
- Anticipated internship format (in-person, hybrid, remote).
- Any other specific requirements for each internship, such as driver’s license, background check, etc.
We’ll let you know who your finalist candidates are by the first week of April.
Each company, as the intern host, is individually responsible for contacting their final candidates to schedule interviews, make offers, and decline applicants who aren’t accepted. As soon as you select your candidate, you should update the Portal to notify ELI.
All ELI hosting companies handle their own payroll, paying the intern directly. Interns should be considered host company’s employees (W2), not contractors.
ELI partner companies commit to providing a $200 allowance to the intern to help with the costs of commuting to the work site if in-person/on-site or home office costs (such as internet connection) if virtual/remote. Our data shows these costs to be among our Emerging Leaders’ top barriers to participation. The allowance may be provided in various forms, depending on internship format, intern needs, and company offerings.
We’d love feedback on your internship program experience—positive notes, critical observations, suggestions, etc.—at any time. We’ll also ask you to participate in our surveys and invite you to events. Employees of hosting companies are also welcome to join us as a volunteer for a number of opportunities, ranging from the mock interview event to mentoring or acting as a resume coach or guest speaker.
Company Partnership Details
January 12 is the deadline for inclusion in ELI 2023.
The program fee is requested for each intern position posted, as we assume all postings are intended to be filled (placed with an Emerging Leader).
Your company’s $500 per intern contribution helps defray the cost of running the ELI program by contributing to our processes, including: website and application development; staffing and events; candidate recruitment, screening, and support; intern-to-company matching; and intern orientation, training, and professional development costs.
ELI annually reviews the program fee for any needed adjustments, including those related to operational costs, feedback, and program growth and improvement, while centering equity, access, and quality.
This nonrefundable program fee is due at the time of signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Payment methods available are outlined in the MOU. Credit card is preferred in order to expedite the process.
For the sustainability of our program, any program fees paid to date are not refundable or transferable. These contributions support ELI and are an investment in the advancement and retention of diverse talent in our region. More specifically, the program fee supports ELI’s year-round processes including student recruitment, application and resume reviews, candidate identification and internship matching, and support during the company interview process, as well as professional development and learning workshops.
For our program’s sustainability, we are not able to provide discounts, refunds, or credits for any ELI program fee payments received at this time.
The program fee is an essential contribution to support ELI’s operations and is not intended to be a barrier to participation.
It can be seen as one way to help indicate that both parties involved, ELI and company, are set up to fulfill the agreements made in our MOU toward successful internship placements. We see timely submission of the annual program fee as one way company partners demonstrate being prepared and equipped to host the paid internship in the summer. We want to minimize challenges for both company and intern in participating in a quality and mutually beneficial internship that meets ELI standards.
No; while Emerging Leaders is a nonprofit (an initiative of 501(c)(3) organization The Contingent), the program fee is not tax-deductible because it is a payment for services rendered.