Summer associate team building NYC

Summer has nearly arrived here in New York City, and with it come thousands of undergraduate, law and business students from around the world, who have descended upon the Big Apple to partake in corporate summer internship programs.

For students who secure a coveted position in a prestigious company’s summer session, it’s an incredible opportunity not only obtain real-world experience at renown law firms, investment banks and other professional institutions, but also to network, and possibly line up a job before graduation. For the companies who host them, it represents a unique opportunity to recruit the best and brightest young talent.

Both summer associates and the companies which hire them are looking for the same thing, which is to create a highly memorable & enjoyable experience which will be mutually beneficial long-term. However, with only 8 weeks or so to make an impact, those in charge of administering summer sessions have to be incredibly judicious in how they utilize their resources, to make every moment count.

Structured team building events have long been an expected part of the summer session itinerary, along with other forms of organized entertainment. However, at what point during the session should these group bonding activities be held?

There are 3 distinct options, each with their own unique benefits:

• 1) Orientation/Session Start – With anywhere from 10-200 diverse summer interns arriving at the firm, it’s important to get everybody familiar and comfortable with each other quickly. A structured team building event right from the start, designed to get people to know each other extremely well in a short period of time, will serve as a great kickoff to the summer ahead.

• 2) Mid-Session – The key to any successful team building event is to create a positive shared experience, and the more tailored you can make it to the specific group, the better. By the midway point in the session, summer associates will have not only gotten to know each other better, but will also have their own unique shared experiences, inside jokes etc. to draw off of.

• 3) Session Wrap – A high-energy team building event can serve as an excellent culminating event for the session, making sure that the summer staff leaves on as high a note as possible – feeling great about their experience with the company and, hopefully, helping ensure they accept that offer letter upon graduation.

Giving careful thought to when you want to hold a structured team building activity for NYC summer associates will help ensure that both the company and the students achieve their goals.