Summer Fellowship Program
Posting a Position
> Use the Career Services website for details on posting a position; connecting with students; statistics, and other important details.
> Review recruiting policies and guidelines from MBA Career Services.
> Please contact the Social Enterprise Initiative if we can be helpful at any step of the process.
Planning your timing for HBS students:
Students work with organizations in the summer for eight to twelve weeks, typically starting their positions in June. Planning by organizations can start as early as the fall before, to get positions in front of students and possibly plan visits to campus. Students generally interview in early February and make summer employment decisions by March or April.
Please see the MBA Recruiting Policies and Guidelines for specific timing parameters around interviews and offer dates.
Because HBS summer fellowships are awarded to students on a rolling, funds–available basis, organizations may be more successful in hiring a student if they are able to post positions early, make prompt hiring decisions, and have information available for the student's application process. Please note that if funds are still available, the last deadline for students to apply for fellowships is May 4. Organizations posting positions should plan their hiring timeline (application deadline, interviewing, and decision timing) accordingly if they hope for students to qualify for funding.
A few notes as you frame and post your position:
- In addition to the resources offered through Career Service, the Social Enterprise Initiative can help you in thinking about projects of interest to students and in fine tuning your descriptions.
- Most organizations choose "Interview Type" of "Job posting only." If you would like to interview, review the information provided in the section "Schedule Interviews" under "How to Recruit."
- Include in your description the mission and major programs of the organization, as well as the year founded, budget, number of employees, and any past experience with HBS (e.g., hired a student in the past, current board member, an HBS grad).
- Review details on salary for students applying for a summer fellowship.
- The Fellowship attempts to support students at a variety of organizations. Because fellowship awards are limited, funding may be limited if there are multiple applications to the same organization. Each position must be listed through Career Services and organizations hiring more than one student should contact the Social Enterprise Initiative for appropriate framing of projects.
- Project selection is based entirely on student interest; therefore, we cannot guarantee that your specific project will be chosen by a student.
Elements of a successful summer experience
Feedback from students and employers has helped us identify some key elements for a successful experience:
- high level of responsibility with significant chance to explore issues of management in social enterprise
- clear reporting relationship to a skilled professional, with opportunities for one-on-one mentorship
- regular meetings throughout summer, and mid-summer and end of summer feedback sessions
- interaction with other members of staff and key constituencies, including clients, board members, partnering organizations
- a clear understanding between student and employer of the work to be accomplished and the resources necessary to complete the job
- ownership of specific project(s) with deliverables, rather than just shadowing another employee
- financial and time commitment from organization (see "Note on salary" under "Posting a Position")
