Employers

Definition of Recruiting Activities

Recruiting activities include but are not limited to: on-campus interviews; career fairs; information sessions and company presentations; campus information tables; and job postings communicated to students through Handshake and e-mail announcements.

Within Handshake, Employer Accounts will NOT BE APPROVED if:

• Legitimacy of the company/organization cannot be verified through an internet search and/or correspondence with other career services professionals exposes negative reviews, "red flags," or reports of unprofessional behavior.
• Contact email is from a personal account (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.) instead of a company, agency or professional domain.
• Contact is a current WCU student
• Contact does not provide a legitimate, public website, if one is available.
• Company address is not complete and accurate and is not a recognized US-based business address.
• Company/organization is an online resource for the purpose of promoting networking and job opportunities, including career information websites and job seeker resources.

Within Handshake, Job/Internship Postings will RECEIVE ADDITIONAL SCREENING and/or will NOT BE APPROVED if:

• Position is non-career related including temporary, part-time, or seasonal opportunities.
• Company profile is significantly changed after initially being approved for job postings.
• The posting is lacking position qualifications, professional email, or application instructions.
• Positions requiring money for training and/or supplies (e.g., the purchase of a demonstration package) do not clearly state in job postings and all written and electronic correspondence the financial obligation to candidates, specific uses of required fees, as well as whether or not a reimbursement policy exists.
• Job seekers/employees are charged non-refundable fees (other than for licensures) by the company or other entity affiliated with the company.
• Position requires candidates to spend money and then receive reimbursement, such as Mystery Shopper positions.
• Position requires candidates to work in a private residence.
• Position requires candidates to recruit other members or sub-distributors.
• The opportunity involves on-campus solicitation including: posting of materials, door to door solicitation, or sale of products or services.
• Flyers, posters, and promotional materials exclude company name and information.
• The position employs students by a private individual with an un-established business and no employment or work-for-hire contract (e.g., babysitting, nanny, caretaker, personal tutor). Parties should contact outside sources, such as QUADJOBS, sitter network sites, your local paper, or craigslist.org.
• For commission-only jobs, the employer fails to fully disclose the precise nature of the work and the structure of their compensation package (salary, hourly, commission, sliding scale pay, or any other pay structure) in their job posting and all correspondence with candidates.
• Upon request, the employer is unable or unwilling to provide written documentation of registration with a Better Business Bureau, IRS, area Chamber of Commerce involvement and/or current annual report.
• Upon request, the employer refuses to provide references from current employees, University alumni, or clients to vouch for their organization.

Paid vs. Unpaid: Organizations that do not intend to provide compensation for internships should review the Fair Labor Standards Act as well as the most current legal rulings related to unpaid internships. The WCU Career Development Center does not screen/review/approve internships on the basis of paid versus unpaid status; we expect employers to be responsible for adhering to appropriate compensation practices for their state, type of organization, etc. For further details, review the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Position Statement on U.S. Internships.

While the university does have a Fund for Unpaid Internships, it should be noted that funding is awarded to students who demonstrate financial need, and not to employers or for a specific internship.  The fund does not guarantee funding for all applicants.  If you are referring students to the fund, please do not guarantee funding, and make sure they review the information here.

Academic Credit: Approval of paid or unpaid internship opportunities for academic credit must be coordinated directly with the appropriate academic department(s). The Career Development Center is not involved in approving internship opportunities for academic credit.