11 ingredients to recruit the best interns and complete your dream team

You've decided to welcome an intern to your company to help you meet a specific need. But an internship doesn't mean zero formalities.

Hiring an intern is a wise solution, whatever the size of your company, especially if you're a very small business or a start-up, as it represents a cost-effective way of reinforcing your teams.

That said, you need to be aware of and respect the legal rules governing employment contracts and the employer's obligations if you are to hire an intern properly... and avoid any penalties!

So how do you go about hiring an intern? Among the various types of employment contract, the internship agreement has its own specific features: the number of hours worked is regulated, the tasks to be entrusted are not just any old tasks... not forgetting the question of the intern's gratuity, and so on. None of this is to be taken lightly!

Rest assured, in this article we take stock of the situation, to help you organize your next internship or work-study recruitment in the best possible way, and to establish a professional relationship that is satisfactory for both parties!

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5 rules to follow when taking on an intern at your company

#1 - Check that the candidate is enrolled in an educational program

First and foremost, it's important to remember that not just anyone can become an intern.

So make sure that the internship is part of a school or university curriculum, with a minimum teaching volume of 200 hours per year.

If the candidate for your internship offer doesn't fall within this framework, you won't be able to recruit him/her (hence the obligation to sign the internship agreement, as we'll explain shortly).

#2 - Draw up the internship agreement properly

Internships are governed by a specific contract known as the " internship agreement ".

This obligatory document seals the tripartite relationship between the trainee, the company and the training establishment. It must be signed by :

• the host company,
• the tutor or training supervisor,
• the student
• his/her school or university,
• and the student's teacher.

The internship agreement sets out the rules and conditions governing the internship. To ensure that it is properly drawn up, please make sure to include the following information:

• the exact title of the course followed by the student,
• the missions and tasks entrusted to him/her,
• the start and end dates of the internship,
• working hours or number of hours per week,
• the hourly rate of remuneration, and the terms of payment,
• benefits granted (contribution to transport costs, company catering, etc.),
• the trainee's social security coverage.

☝️ Important point for your human resources: as an employer, you are required to enter the names of your interns in the single personnel register.

#3 - Determining the internship bonus

Do you have to pay your intern? This will depend on the length of the internship period.

Gratuity is optional up to two months' presence in the company. Otherwise, it must be paid to the trainee if he/she stays for more than 2 months, i.e. more than 44 days at 7 hours a day.

Next, to find out the amount of the bonus, turn to your collective bargaining agreement. If it doesn't specify a particular rate, the minimum hourly rate to be applied is 3.60 euros per hour of presence (i.e. 15% of the hourly social security ceiling ).

The remuneration, to be paid on a monthly basis, corresponds to a cost of 544.40 euros for a 35-hour contract.

☝️ Good to know: if the internship is not continuous, the bonus is still compulsory from the 309th hour of presence in the company.

For further details, the economie.gouv.fr website provides a summary of all the legal and practical information concerning remuneration for internships:

• time of attendance,
• the legal minimum amount,
• payment methods,
• how social security contributions are taken into account.

You can also use the internship bonus simulator, a tool made available to recruiters on the service-public.fr website.

Finally, in addition to remuneration, your intern must be entitled to the same conditions and benefits as your company's employees:

• offers from your Works Council,
• luncheon vouchers
• reimbursement of half of transport costs, etc.

☝️ These rights and benefits are not taken into account when calculating remuneration, and are paid in addition.

#4 - Respect the maximum internship duration

Internships are subject to a maximum duration. For the same student, the maximum is 6 months per teaching year, or 924 hours spread over the year if it is interspersed.

Note also that a waiting period applies to the renewal of an internship in a similar position, except in cases where the internship is interrupted at the intern's initiative. It must be equivalent to one third of the duration of the previous internship.

💡 At the end of the internship, an attestation de stage must be given to your intern, mentioning the dates of the internship and the gratuity received.

#5 - Be aware of prohibited situations

Article L124-7 of the French Education Code lists the situations in which companies may not employ interns.

You may not recruit an intern to :

• replace an employee due to absence, contract suspension or dismissal;
• perform regular tasks corresponding to a permanent position;
• compensate for a temporary increase in the company's activity - a fixed-term (CDD) or temporary (temp) contract should be chosen;
• seasonal employment.

☝️ Failure to comply with these legal provisions can result in penalties. For example, the contract may be reclassified as an employment contract, which entails changes in a number of respects, including remuneration.

6 best practices for recruiting an intern

Anticipate recruitment

Recruiting an intern is a slightly different process from conventional recruitment, since it depends on the timing of school periods and vacations.

For this reason, be sure to publish the internship advertisement a few months before the desired start date ( ideally around 3 months), so as to reach students at the right time!

Cultivate relationships with schools

Schools and universities are where you'll find your future talent! If you need advice on how to optimize your recruitment, don't hesitate to contact the teaching staff and the Corporate Relations department.

Your links with training establishments (schools, universities, etc.) can guide you in your recruitment process and provide you with invaluable information on :

• who is looking for an internship,
• when and how to communicate with interested parties
• internship search periods (gap years, end-of-study internships), etc.

Distribute your internship offer through the right channels

As with all recruitment, your visibility is essential to attracting talent and finding the best candidate.

When recruiting an intern, you multiply the opportunities by diversifying the channels through which your advert is distributed, and maximize your chances of finding your future talent! Channels to consider include

• websites and job boards specializing in internship offers,
• social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.),
• traditional job boards,
• alumni forums or groups,
• sites dedicated to internship offers and the intranets of schools and universities,
• student events (trade fairs, conferences for future professionals, etc.),
• word-of-mouth, etc.

The possibilities are vast for gathering applications!

💡 Don't forget to write your internship offer as carefully as you would a job advertisement, specifying:

• the content of the assignment,
• the level or diploma required,
• the conditions of the internship (bonus, benefits, location and remote working possibilities, etc.).

Everything you need to make your offer attractive!

Prepare for the interview with your trainee candidate

When recruiting an intern, you'll also need to prepare for the interview.

Before conducting your interview, remember to clarify your needs and expectations to facilitate the selection of your future intern:

• what tasks do you plan to entrust to him/her?
• What skills are expected? (knowledge, know-how and interpersonal skills)
• What level of experience is required?
• How much time is required?

While the process of recruiting an intern differs from a standard recruitment procedure, you can follow the same steps to ensure you find the best possible candidate.

At the interview stage, even if you can't demand the same level of professional experience and skills required of an employee for a position, you can assess other relevant criteria such as :

• knowledge of the company and curiosity,
• motivation,
• adaptability and willingness to learn,
• suitability of training and skills being acquired for the job in hand,
• degree of autonomy.

To do this, adapt your interview grid to include some of the following questions:

• What are his/her favorite subjects in the current training program?
• What subjects are they having difficulty with, and why?
• What other internships or student jobs has he/she done, and what tasks has he/she carried out?
• What have they learned? etc.

Appoint a tutor with care

Don't leave your future intern in a corner! Make sure you appoint a member of your team who is ready to invest his or her time and energy in helping your trainee flourish within your company.

Your colleague will have a key role not only in training the trainee and ensuring that he/she carries out his/her tasks properly, but also in helping him/her to gain autonomy and confidence in carrying out the tasks entrusted to him/her.

In the person of the tutor, you choose someone who will facilitate the trainee's adaptation to the company 's customs and culture. The choice of this person should not be trivial! It's even a good idea to discuss the matter with the prospective tutor, so that he or she sees it as a vote of confidence rather than a burden, and feels fully invested in the task.

Ensure smooth integration

Last but not least, your intern's induction must be well prepared to facilitate his or her integration and contribute to the success of the internship.

As with any other member of your team, make sure you organize the onboarding process, preparing for the arrival of your trainee by :

• announcing their arrival to your colleagues,
• allocating a dedicated workstation,
• providing them with work tools from day one,
• a welcome booklet and all essential information, etc.

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Summing up: the Do's and Don'ts of intern recruitment

To conclude, here's a short checklist of essential points to consider before recruiting your ideal intern:

✅ The Do's:

• make sure the internship is part of a school or university curriculum,
• draw up a proper internship agreement,
• find out how interns are paid,
• respect the 6-month internship duration,
• choose your internship supervisor carefully,
• hand in a certificate at the end of the internship.

❌ The Don'ts:

• using an intern in one of the proscribed situations (replacing an employee, temporary increase in the company's activity, etc.),
• not having clearly defined your needs and the tasks to be entrusted to the intern,
• put the internship offer on the table at the last minute,
• neglect the choice of tutor,
• skipping the crucial integration stage.

All that's left is to wish you every success in your recruitment efforts. Who knows, your intern nugget may well be one of tomorrow's top talents!