Getting Started Guide
Everything you need to know to post your first internship opportunity
Quick Start
Create Your Organization
Sign up and create your organization profile. Add your name, website, and a brief description of your mission. This takes about 2 minutes.
Write Your First Listing
Describe the project, what the intern will build, and what they'll learn. Include a clear mentorship plan. Takes about 3-5 minutes.
Publish and Share
Your listing goes live immediately. Share it on social media, in relevant communities, and with your network to reach more candidates.
Writing a Great Listing
Title
Be specific about the role and project. Good titles help candidates understand what they'll be doing.
Good: Frontend Developer Intern - React Dashboard Project
Vague: Web Developer Needed
Description
Explain the project context, what the intern will build, and what they'll learn. Focus on outcomes, not just requirements.
Example:
"You'll help build our public API documentation site using Next.js and TypeScript. You'll learn modern React patterns, API design principles, and work with our distributed team. By the end, you'll have shipped features used by thousands of developers and have real open-source contributions in your portfolio."
Mentorship Plan
Be specific about how you'll support the intern. This is crucial for educational internships.
Good examples:
- • Weekly 30-minute async video check-ins to review progress
- • Code review on all pull requests within 48 hours
- • Slack channel for questions (response within 24 hours)
- • Monthly group learning sessions with the team
- • One-on-one feedback sessions every 2 weeks
Deliverables
What will the intern create that they can showcase? Be concrete about portfolio-worthy outputs.
Examples:
- • 3-5 merged pull requests to our open-source repo
- • Technical blog post published on our site
- • Design system documentation with examples
- • Market research report with actionable insights
- • Video tutorial series (3-5 videos)
Tips for Success
- Start with beginner-friendly projects. Your first listing should be accessible to people with limited experience. You'll get more applications and build trust.
- Break large projects into smaller internships. Instead of one 6-month project, create 2-3 shorter opportunities. This is easier to manage and attracts more candidates.
- Respond to applications within 3-5 days. Quick responses show you're serious and help you attract the best candidates before others do.
- Keep time commitments realistic. 5-15 hours per week is ideal for most interns. If you need more, break it into multiple phases.
- Share your listing widely. Post on social media, relevant Slack/Discord communities, and email lists to maximize reach.
What Makes a Good Opportunity
✓ Good Opportunities
- • Clear, achievable project goals
- • Regular mentorship and feedback
- • Portfolio-worthy deliverables
- • Skill development focus
- • Realistic time expectations
- • Well-defined scope
- • Opportunities to learn from team
✗ Avoid These
- • Vague "various tasks" descriptions
- • No mentorship plan
- • Unpaid work disguised as internship
- • Unrealistic scope (full app in 2 weeks)
- • Requiring expensive tools/software
- • No clear learning outcomes
- • Demanding 40+ hours per week
Platform Requirements
All internships on Async Interns must meet these criteria:
- ✓Unpaid: No payment required or offered. This keeps the platform simple and legally accessible worldwide.
- ✓Remote: Work from anywhere with an internet connection.
- ✓Educational: Focus on learning and skill development, not just completing tasks.
- ✓Project-based: Clear deliverables that interns can showcase in their portfolio.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get applications?
Most listings receive their first applications within 3-7 days. Beginner-friendly opportunities and those with clear descriptions tend to attract applications faster.
Do I need to be a registered nonprofit?
No. Open-source projects, side projects, and startups are all welcome. What matters is that you're offering genuine learning opportunities with mentorship.
How many interns should I accept?
Start with 1-2 interns for your first opportunity. Once you've established a good mentorship process, you can scale up.
What if I get too many applications?
You can close applications at any time by marking the listing as filled. Consider adding screening questions to help filter candidates.
How do I verify my organization?
Add your email domain when creating your organization. If your email matches the domain, it helps build trust. Moderators can also manually verify organizations.
Ready to Get Started?
Create your organization and post your first internship opportunity. It takes less than 5 minutes to get started.