To recruit on West Virginia University’s campus, we expect that all employers abide by WVU’s Values. These principles encompass foundational values that include service, curiosity, respect, accountability, and appreciation. Additionally, we ask that all employers abide by the Principles for Ethical Professional Practice of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). To protect the best interest of our students, employers conducting recruitment activities through Career Services, student associations, or academic departments should do so following all these policies, including the ones outlined below.
If employers are found violating any of these guidelines and/or student complaints are filed regarding an employer, Career Services will investigate these concerns and reserves the right to deny an organization's campus recruiting services pending the investigation results. Exceptions to any of the policies will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis upon request.
Employers that have met our eligibility requirements can recruit on-campus and through our services with the following expectations:
recruiting
Disclosure of Employer Recruitment Activities & Practices
- We ask that employers/recruiters work with the appropriate career center(s) and/or departments on their recruiting and campus activities to ensure an exceptional WVU experience and ensure all guidelines are followed.
- We ask that recruiters be transparent with Career Services about their recruiting activities and the information provided to students. ‘Bait & Switch’ tactics and embellishing opportunities or compensation, for any reason, are not permitted.
- We ask that employers do NOT drop in unannounced classrooms to promote their opportunities or pass around sign-up sheets to capture student contact information. Best practice dictates that unless you or your staff have a personal connection to the faculty member, you don’t cold call/email university staff.
Undue Pressure by Employer
- Recruiting Students – Employers must refrain from putting undue pressure on students to attend recruitment events or to apply for opportunities with the organization. Whereas assertive recruitment is appropriate, aggressive recruitment is not (unsolicited or excessive phone calls, unsolicited emails to students, etc.).
- Pressure To Accept an Offer – Exploding offers (offers that do not afford a candidate the appropriate time to accept or decline) is unacceptable. For example, an offer with a 48-hour window or less would be considered an exploding offer. Employers should refrain from undue pressure on candidates to accept a job offer.
- Employers should not try to persuade students to renege on employment offers from other companies under any circumstances. This would directly breach the recruiter's code of conduct and ethics.
Student Direct Referrals
Career Services staff supports and maintains fair and equitable recruiting practices and is therefore precluded from making direct student referrals or recommendations as outlined in NACE Principles of Professional Practice.
Financial Investment by Student
Employers are prohibited from charging fees to students during the job search or during employment. Career Services will not post positions where the student is required to purchase or rent any type of sales kit or presentation supplies. Exceptions to this policy will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by Career Services.
Unapproved Campus Marketing
All forms of marketing on the WVU campus must be approved by the appropriate Career Services department and/or the student activities office.
Alcohol Connected to On-campus Recruiting
Serving alcoholic beverages at or during a recruiting or corporate event is not allowed. For numerous reasons, including safety, inclusivity, health, etc., we strongly discourage serving alcohol at off-campus recruiting events.
Offers
Extending Offers
We ask that employers convey final hiring decisions to candidates within a reasonable time frame and communicate that time frame to candidates during the interview process.
As a general rule, employers should give students a minimum of two weeks from the date the offer is made to make their decision.
We ask that employers making full-time offers to interns at the conclusion of their internship give students until November 15th, so these students can participate in on-campus recruiting during the fall semester. This will allow students to make informed career decisions and support their acceptance of offers and commitment to employers.
Employers should not try to persuade students to renege on employment offers from other companies under any circumstances. This practice would directly breach our recruiter code of conduct and ethics and may result in restricting access to our career services and students.
Exploding Offers
Exploding offers (offers that do not afford a candidate the appropriate time to accept or decline) are unacceptable. For example, an offer with a 48-hour window would be exploding. Employers should refrain from undue pressure on candidates to accept a job offer. Applying pressure to a student to accept a job offer after a summer internship before the fall recruiting season would also be an example of an exploding offer.
Student Reneges
We encourage students to immediately release offers they do not plan to accept. Additionally, any student reneging on an accepted offer is considered in serious breach of our recruiting policies and a poor reflection on West Virginia University. If this situation occurs, contact Career Services before taking any action. The student will receive immediate attention. Actions that may be taken include revoking the student’s access to career services.
Contracts
If your organization has a required contract that must be signed to be employed with your organization, the student must be allowed to take the contract with them in order to review and seek any needed counsel or advice before signing. They must also be afforded a reasonable amount of time (the general rule is a minimum of two weeks) to consider before making a decision. Career Services also reserves the right to request to review any contracts being used in campus recruiting.
Breaches of Contract
Career Services takes student complaints seriously and will investigate any concerns brought to our attention. Employers found to be violating WVU’s Values, NACE policies, or WVU Campus Recruitment Guidelines, could result in any/all of the following:
- Restricting employer access to career services and students
- Flagging and notation of complaints regarding the employer in Handshake, which is seen by other schools
- Placement of employer on a probationary period and required action plan