A tutor receives an email from the school ten days before the end of the internship, with an evaluation form to complete. Two open fields, a skills grid, and no instructions on the level of detail expected. The temptation to rush is strong, but this document now weighs heavily in the orientation and academic validation of the intern.
The legal and educational implications of the internship evaluation
Since the reform of internships in general and technological second year, the end-of-internship evaluation written by the workplace tutor has become a document used in the school report and for orientation. We no longer talk about a simple general opinion slipped into a file: teachers expect a structured evaluation around identifiable skills.
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In the public sector, certain job descriptions (such as those from the Council of Mandatory Levies) clearly detail the criteria evaluated at the end of the internship: analytical skills, writing quality, autonomy. Aligning your evaluation with these expectations announced from the outset avoids empty formulations.
For PMSMP prescribed by France Travail or a Local Mission, the stakes go further. The end-of-period evaluation has evidentiary value: it certifies that the activity was indeed part of a supervised professional situation, and not undeclared work. Writing a vague text exposes the company to unnecessary legal ambiguity.
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You can find a detailed example of an internship evaluation that illustrates how to articulate observed skills and areas for improvement in a formalized framework.
Writing the internship evaluation based on assigned tasks
Most failed evaluations share the same flaw: they describe a generic profile instead of commenting on the actual work done. One reads “motivated and punctual intern” without knowing what the person has produced. The evaluator or jury gains nothing from it.
A reliable method is to start from each assigned task and evaluate the results obtained. If the intern prepared meeting minutes, specify the quality of synthesis, speed of execution, and ability to prioritize information. If the task involved commercial prospecting, comment on the volume handled, ease of communication over the phone, and rigor in file follow-up.
This breakdown by task naturally produces a structured text. It avoids the trap of listing abstract qualities (“dynamic,” “curious,” “willing”) that inform neither the school nor a future employer.
Formulating areas for improvement without discouraging the intern
The area for improvement often scares the tutor, who fears harming the intern’s path. In practice, a well-formulated area for improvement enhances the credibility of the entire evaluation. A text that is solely laudatory seems complacent.
The most operational formulation is based on an observation followed by a suggestion. For example: “The writing of client emails sometimes lacked conciseness. Working on structuring in three points would improve the clarity of the messages.” One points out an observable fact, proposes a direction, without making a value judgment about the person.
Commented example of an internship tutor’s evaluation
Here is a typical evaluation for an internship lasting four to eight weeks in an administrative department, followed by comments on each block.
- “Marie ensured the daily processing of incoming mail and the updating of the supplier dashboard. Processing deadlines were met from the second week, with very few filing errors.” This first block anchors the evaluation in actual tasks and provides a timeline (skill development from the second week).
- “She demonstrated a real capacity for initiative by proposing a color code to prioritize follow-ups. This suggestion was adopted by the team.” Here, we highlight a concrete contribution from the intern to the functioning of the department, which weighs in an orientation file.
- “A point of caution: the simultaneous management of several urgent requests sometimes led to missed follow-ups. Together, we implemented a reminder system, which improved the situation by the end of the internship.” The area for improvement is contextualized, the co-constructed solution appears, and progress is mentioned.
This evaluation model covers the three expected dimensions: demonstrated technical skills, relational qualities in a team, and identified progress. It can be adapted to any sector by replacing the tasks with those of the position held.
Common mistakes in internship evaluations in companies
Some mistakes occur systematically and weaken the document, sometimes to the detriment of the intern.
The first is the copied-and-pasted evaluation. When a tutor supervises several interns per year, the same phrases appear from one evaluation to another. Jurors spot this recycling, especially in programs where several students go through the same structure.
The second is the complete absence of reference to the tasks listed in the agreement. The jury compares the evaluation to the initial objectives of the internship. If the tutor does not mention any of the planned tasks, the text loses its validation function.
The third is excessive caution. Writing “nothing to report” or “satisfactory internship” as an evaluation does not help anyone. In some professional master’s programs, the evaluation conditions the final grade of the internship module. A text that is too terse can cause the intern to lose points without the tutor being aware of it.
The trap of overly academic vocabulary
Some tutors unconsciously adopt a school report tone: “can do better,” “overall satisfactory,” “efforts needed.” These formulations have no place in a professional evaluation. Clarity is gained by describing what has been done and what could be improved, using the operational vocabulary of the relevant profession.
The internship evaluation remains an exercise in professional communication. It reflects as much the tutor’s ability to supervise as the intern’s skills. Taking twenty minutes to write a precise text, grounded in actual tasks, is the best investment for both parties.