Recruitment and Employer Policies and Guidelines

NACE Principles for Professional Practice

The Twardowski Career Development Center at West Chester University is a member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). In accordance with our commitment to maintaining the standards of this organization, the career center adheres to and expects employment professionals to adhere to principles of college recruiting articulated in the NACE Principles for Ethical Professional Practice.

Disclaimer

The Twardowski Career Development Center at West Chester University serves only as a clearinghouse of information regarding job and internship opportunities. The listing of a position should not be interpreted as an endorsement. Accordingly, West Chester University expressly disclaims any liability in connection with any potential or actual employment which results from any applicant's response to any job posted within Handshake online. The Career Development Center and its staff are not responsible for safety, wages, working conditions or any other aspect of off-campus employment. Students and alumni should personally research openings and agencies prior to entering into any contractual arrangements or exchange of monies in any form.

Non-Discrimination Statement

Affirmative Action - Equal Opportunity Policy:  West Chester University is committed to providing leadership in extending equal opportunities to all individuals. Accordingly, the University will make every effort to provide these rights to all persons regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and veteran status. This policy applies to all members of the University community including students, faculty, staff and administrators. It also applies to all applicants for admission or employment and all participants in university-sponsored activities.

The Career Development Center will:

  1. Notify employing organizations of any selection procedures that appear to have an adverse impact based upon students' race, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and veteran status;
  2. Assist recruiters with accessing groups on campus to provide a more inclusive applicant pool;
  3. Respond to complaints of EEO noncompliance, working to resolve such complaints with the recruiter or employing organization, and, if necessary, referring such complaints to the appropriate campus department or agency. Employment professionals will cooperate with the policies and procedures of the Career Development Center, including certification of EEO compliance as well as compliance with all federal and state employment regulations.

Recruitment Guidelines

Handshake is a free service for employers to post career-related, full-time, internship, and part-time positions that are appropriate for individuals with or working towards a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Students are uploaded into the system nightly and alumni may create accounts to access job postings from employers.

Employers are able to post part-time, seasonal and temporary opportunities not requiring a degree that may be of interest to current West Chester University students via Handshake.

Approval for Registration & Job/Internship Posting through Handshake

Employers who adhere to these guidelines and policies are invited to register and post positions, for free, on Handshake for students and alumni. All required fields must be completed in order for accounts and postings to be approved. Please be aware that due to the high volume of postings we receive, the Career Development Center cannot create, maintain, or edit postings for employers.

Upon account approval, each employer contact will be given default access to Profile, Job Posting and Information Tables. Additional services can be requested by sending an email to recruit@wcupa.edu. If you are a third-party recruiter, please review the section on eligibility for services.

Recruitment Guidelines

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.

Internships

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.

Third-Party Recruiters

Third-Party recruiters are defined as agencies, organizations, or individuals recruiting candidates for temporary, part-time, or full-time employment opportunities other than for their own staffing needs. This includes, but is not limited to, organizations such as employment agencies, search firms, contract recruiters, career development consultants, or on-line job posting or resume referral services. See National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Principles for Professional Practice for further details and definitions.

  • The agency may not have access to the electronic resume search component (Resume Book) of the database.
  • The agency must disclose to the CDC staff the name of the company for which it is recruiting.
  • The agency may not charge applicants.
  • The agency must provide a specific description and all requirements within all job listings, including any position that is “commission only” or sales-based.
  • Third-party recruiters may not participate in on-campus recruiting to conduct hiring on behalf of their clients. If a third-party firm is hiring employees for their own staff, they are eligible to participate.

Foreign-Based Organizations

Employers that are foreign-based firms with no U.S. locations and third-party recruiters who represent foreign-based organizations with no U.S. locations will not be eligible to use Ram Career Network immediately. The employer may send the Recruiting Coordinator a minimum of two letters of reference from either two career services professionals representing accredited U.S. colleges or universities with whom the employer has worked on a professional basis, or a letter of reference from a faculty member or administrator from one of the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities with whom the employer has worked.

Volunteer/Service Learning Opportunities

Organizations seeking to recruit volunteers for service-oriented roles are asked to contact the Center for Civic Engagement & Social Impact at 610-436-3379.

Solicitation on Campus

University students, faculty, staff and individuals not affiliated with the University may not solicit or sell commercial products or services on campus without the prior approval of the Vice President for Student Affairs or designee. This does not include fund-raising events conducted by officially recognized University organizations. However, these organizations must have the approval of the Office of Residence Life and Housing Services in order to solicit the students or sell any product or service in the residence halls or at the South Campus Complexes. The form necessary to receive approval can be obtained in the Office of Residence Life and Housing Services in 202 Lawrence Center. Any approved solicitation or selling in the residence halls is restricted to the main lobbies and should never occur on resident floors. In the residence halls, food and non-alcoholic beverages ordered from local establishments may only be delivered to the main lobby of the hall.

Extending Offers to Candidates

The Career Development Center requires that employers supply accurate information on their organization, employment opportunities, and compensation packages when extending an offer. Employing organizations are responsible for information supplied and commitments made by their representatives.

The Career Development Center does not have specific restrictions on when offers may be extended. The Career Development Center requests that students be allowed sufficient time to carefully consider employment offers to make informed decisions; we ask that employers communicate decisions to candidates within a reasonable time frame and communicate that time frame to the candidates.

We also request that employers inform us of any offers extended that must be withdrawn or significantly changed, as well as to inform us if any of our students renege on an acceptance of a job offer.

Employers are expected to refrain from using any undue pressure to accept the job offer or to renege on an acceptance of another offer. If conditions change and require the employing organization to revoke its commitment, the employing organization will pursue a course of action for the affected candidate that is fair and equitable, including (but not limited to) financial assistance and outplacement services. This is in accordance with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Position Statement on Rescinded and Deferred Employment Offers. This document provides additional recommendations, legal considerations, and ethical considerations for employers.

Rights Reserved

In an effort to better protect West Chester University students and alumni from unethical and/or fraudulent companies/postings, Career Development Center staff reserve the right to research individual companies and postings to determine if the opportunity in question will ultimately be beneficial and meet the needs of West Chester University students/alumni. Creating a registration on Handshake does not guarantee automatic approval and the right to post positions. The Career Development Center reserves the right to deny third-party recruiters access to Handshake, the Career Development Center, or any on-campus recruiting activities if/when concerns about the company have been expressed by colleagues, students, alumni, faculty, or staff.

The Career Development Center at West Chester University reserves the right to investigate complaints by students, staff, or faculty about employers or jobs posted through Handshake. If it is determined that a complaint is justified, the Career Development Center may choose to deny employer services and report the offending organization to appropriate agencies. The Career Development Center also reserves the right to deny any employer in violation of the above guidelines and policies.

The Career Development Center is committed to ensuring that all students and employers are afforded every opportunity to participate in the activities of the center. If, due to a disability, you require accommodation to utilize our services, please contact the office and let us know how we may assist you.