Selections
Center for Career Development
CareerConnect- Employer Guidelines for Making Offers of Employment
The recruiting process includes several important decisions for both employers and students. Both parties require time for making decisions as the process moves forward. Employers need time to meet and interview candidates, assess candidates’ skills and organizational fit and students need time to assess how the offer fits with their personal goals and compares to other employment offers.
Job Offer Response Deadline
At the Center for Career Development at the College of Business and Economics, we recognize we have two sets of customers. We give employers access to qualified students, time to make selections and we facilitate scheduling interviews. We also do our best to inform students about their internship or career search and try to insure that the students have the time they need to evaluate their employment options. Therefore we ask our employers to communicate hiring timelines and employment offer decisions within a time frame that gives students the time they need to evaluate those offers. The Center for Career Development recommends EMPLOYERS GIVE STUDENTS AT LEAST FOUR WEEKS FROM THE DATE THE OFFER IS MADE TO MAKE THEIR DECISION.. With offers for summer internship employment made during the late spring, we realize employers may need to ask students to respond quickly. Accordingly, we still recommend giving students adequate time to truly consider the internship offer; The Center for Career Development believes two weeks is appropriate in these situations.
Exploding Offers
WE RECOMMEND THAT EMPLOYERS DO NOT PLACE UNNECESSARY PRESSURE ON STUDENTS TO ACCEPT A JOB OR INTERNSHIP OFFER. Exploding offers, defined as offers that require students to decide within a very short amount of time or face having the offers rescinded, put a great deal of pressure on students to make a decision before they have completed the interviewing process. These recommendations are supported by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Callbacks and Company Visits
The Center for Career Development encourages employers to accommodate student schedules and course loads when scheduling callbacks. Students invited to visit a company should be reimbursed promptly for all expenses. Additionally, the Center for Career Development requests that employers inform our office of position status and callbacks so that we are able to answer students’ questions and provide accurate information.
Cancellation of Recruiting Schedule
The Center for Career Development requests that companies who cancel a recruiting schedule communicate that information directly to the students. We will assist in this process but believe that such communication is more appropriate coming from the company in order to maintain that firm’s credibility in the minds of students and alumni.
Withdrawing an Offer/Acceptance
If a firm must withdraw an offer for any reason, the recruiting contact should notify Bruce Lane, Director of the Career for Career Development, as soon as possible. He can be reached at bruce.lane@mail.wvu.edu or 304-293-6506. The Center for Career Development considers withdrawal an offer to be a serious matter that significantly harms a firm’s credibility in the minds of students and alumni. Therefore, we hope to work with employers to prevent rescinded offers. Similarly, if a student withdraws acceptance of an offer, the firm should notify Bruce Lane immediately so that we can thoroughly assess the situation. The Center for Career Development considers withdrawal of an offer or acceptance without cause to be unethical behavior.
