March 9, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.

 It wasn’t all that long ago that Claire Herbst was an intern – giving her an ideal perspective to connect with other college students looking for opportunities.

“Through my two internships, I was able to create great relationships with co-workers and managers, and it was so valuable for networking,” said Herbst, a 2021 USD grad.

After earning her bachelor’s degree in accounting, with minors in legal studies and business, Herbst landed her first job as an accountant in the banking industry.

“But, like many new grads, I realized maybe my degree wouldn’t be my final career path,” she said. “So my mom, whose career is in human resources, influenced me to look at opportunities there and a role that would allow me to be active in the community and engaged in the Sioux Falls community.”

It led her to the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, where she began as a talent recruitment coordinator in September 2022.

We sat down with her to learn more about the role and how she’s helping connect students with internships.

What does your role involve?

Since 2019, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation has built a collegiate network nationally of 330-plus colleges and universities to help businesses source and find collegiate talent. My primary focus is to tap into the collegiate pool and connect them with the businesses with internship opportunities.

What kinds of resources does INTERN Sioux Falls offer for employers?

The Sioux Falls Development Foundation offers many ways to connect businesses and college students, including Talent Thursdays, Talent Tours, Talent Talks, Talent Draft Day and during sporting events like the Summit League basketball tournaments, which draw thousands of people into the Sioux Falls community, including those looking for employment.

For the INTERN Sioux Falls program, we offer employers a digital playbook online at siouxfallsdevelopment.com/intern-sioux-falls with resources for building a successful internship program.

How are you connecting with students digitally through the Handshake network?

The Sioux Falls Development Foundation uses Handshake, the largest collegiate association, to connect with over 3 million students nationally to meet the employment needs of our community.

We have a community profile on Handshake sharing Talent Thursday’s digital content highlighting individual career journeys and employment opportunities within the Sioux Falls region. I also created a blog called “Internship Info” to advise early career persons.

Handshake provides an excellent opportunity for me to network and engage with students about living and working in Sioux Falls. I post descriptions of internships there and link to a career page where students can apply. I can see how many students engage with us, allowing me to personally message them and ensure they apply successfully.

What should businesses know about filling their internships? Is it too late, or are students still looking for summer?

I definitely think students are looking right now. Often, spots are filled by January, but in many cases, businesses set a March deadline. If you still need to fill opportunities for summer, there are still chances to connect. And often, that leads to year-round internships. Many students will continue part-time during the school year if it’s a positive experience during the summer.

For information about INTERN Sioux Falls, please contact Claire Herbst at [email protected].