Recruitment Guidelines for Students

Handshake Guidelines

Student Handshake accounts are tied to information the Career Center receives from the University Registrar.

By registering on Handshake and submitting application materials for opportunities posted on Handshake, students provide the Career Center authorization to release these materials to those selected prospective employers.
Select employers have access to search and message students through the Handshake platform. Students should be thoughtful in their decision to make their profile and documents public to employers on Handshake. Student profiles default to “private”, and will not be made public unless the student chooses to make them available.
Students are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of login information. Students are responsible for all uses of their Handshake account, whether or not authorized by the student. If another person uses a students’ password to access job listings, or to post inappropriate material on the site, the student risks losing Handshake access. Students agree to notify the Career Center immediately of unauthorized use to their Handshake account.

Postings on Handshake

The Career Center offers Handshake as a resource for employers to connect with SCU students and alumni seeking internships, part-time jobs, and full-time positions. We strive to keep fraudulent employers off Handshake, however, we may not catch every one. Therefore, please use your own discretion when applying to a position or interacting with a potential employer, whether it be through Handshake or another platform.

Sexual Harassment and Title IX

The Santa Clara University Career Center adheres to Santa Clara University’s Gender Based Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct Policy.

Equal Opportunity Guidelines

The Career Center requires that employers who engage in any recruiting activities including but not limited to, posting positions, attending career fairs, hosting information sessions, participating in on campus interviewing, or engaging in other specialized programming, must adhere to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) guidelines.

Managing the Job Offer Process

To ensure a fair, transparent, and equitable process for students and employers in an increasingly competitive market, the Career Center provides the following guidelines to facilitate the offer process for students and employers*:

For all offers for summer internships or full time employment, employers should allow a student two weeks from the date of the written offer to accept or decline any offer.
Employers are recommended to be flexible in granting offer extensions on a case-by-case basis if the circumstances warrant it.
All bonuses or other incentives are to remain in full effect for the entire duration of the offer period.
Students will be encouraged to contact employers directly if they have any questions or concerns about their offers, including needing more time to make their decisions.
For assistance in evaluation of offers, we encourage students to review our Job Prep Toolkit, or meet with a Career Development Specialist. While the Career Center cannot provide direction on whether or not to accept an offer, we can provide guidance and tools to support the evaluation process.
Accepting a job offer and continuing to engage in interviews with other employers or accepting an offer and then rescinding your acceptance (also known as reneging) of the offer has serious implications for a student’s reputation, as well as the reputation of Santa Clara University, and can damage relationships with employers for current and/or future students. Students are encouraged to withdraw from any future interviews once they have accepted a job offer. Students who accept an offer and renege will be required to meet with the Director of Employer Relations, as well as write a letter of apology to the employer and hiring manager. Students may have their Handshake access revoked until these steps have been taken.

*Exception: Students and employers participating in the Accounting Recruitment process, please see the Accounting Recruitment Guidelines for policies and expectations

On-Campus Interview Participation

The On-Campus Interview (OCI) program is offered to currently enrolled Santa Clara University students. Students from other schools and universities are not permitted to participate in this program.

The Career Center requires that all students participating in the OCI program cancel interviews in advance if they cannot attend a scheduled interview. Failure to cancel in a timely manner or not appearing for an interview as scheduled not only reflects poorly on the student and on the university, it may take a potential interview opportunity from another student. In addition, these situations may have serious implications on the University’s overall relationship with employers. The Career Center treats these incidents seriously, and advises students to take note of the following guidelines:

Interviews cancelled within 48 hours of the scheduled time will be considered a no-show.
If a student does not show up for a scheduled interview and does not notify the Career Center with an appropriate explanation, the student will be suspended from Handshake until a letter of apology is written to the employer.

Questions or Concerns

If you have had a negative experience with an employer through an on campus recruiting experience (career fair, on campus interview, information session or other Career Career Center-sponsored specialized program), or through an exchange on Handshake, please do not hesitate to let us know. Please email careercenter@scu.edu.

Accommodations

In compliance with ADA/504, if you require accommodations at an appointment or other Career Center-sponsored event, please contact the Career Center at (408)554-4421.