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Review Recruiting Guidelines (Students)

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Stanford Career Education (CareerEd) aims to create an environment in which students are educated and supported in order to make employment decisions. CareerEd is here to support and assist our students, particularly with questions or concerns regarding recruitment practices, timelines, or any other questions regarding the policies below. 

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Offer Guidelines

All Stanford University students are encouraged to participate in as many on-campus recruitment opportunities as possible to provide ample information to inform important employment decisions. CareerEd provides employers with information regarding the academic quarterly schedule and guidelines for offer timelines, however, employers may choose to pursue recruitment outside of the academic calendar.  

For all offers extended for summer internships or full-time employment, including return offers, employers should allow no less than two weeks, and preferably more, from the date of the written offer for students to accept or decline. The following guidelines are intended to provide you and employers a fair and transparent framework for managing offers.  

Guidelines

  • All employment offers should be extended in writing including compensation, the role for which the student is being hired, start (and end date for internships) of employment, benefits, and any other pertinent details of employment. 
  • No Exploding Offers (a job offer that is retracted if not accepted in a very short period of time) allowed. 
  • Employers are encouraged to consider the complexity of recruiting and provide support for students to make fully informed decisions with consideration for time extensions on offers where appropriate. We request employers provide you no less than a two-week time frame for reviewing offers.
  • Employers are encouraged to remain flexible in granting offer extensions on a case-by-case basis as circumstances warrant.
  • Students should seek to contact employers directly if they have any questions or concerns about an offer, including needing more time to make decisions. 
  • Students can contact CareerEd for assistance in managing the offer process.
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Exploding Offers

  • Stanford Career Education defines an exploding offer as any offer which does not conform with the offer guidelines listed above.  
  • Students should not be pressured to accept offers “on the spot” or "early.” This means that students should not be given less than two weeks to consider the offer, nor should an offer include incentives which diminish with time, such as tiered or expiring bonuses or reduced options for location preferences. 
  • Employers are expected to refrain from such practices when recruiting at Stanford.  
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Reneging on Accepted Job or Internship Offers

Reneging an offer refers to the action of declining an employment offer following an acceptance of that job or internship offer. In university recruiting, a reneged offer creates several challenges given the advanced planning that goes into hiring for internships and jobs. Two major challenges arise when a student or alumnus reneges on their acceptance. The first is that a reneged offer creates additional and often last-minute work for employers. The second is that when a Stanford student or alumnus makes the individual decision to renege, their decision is often interpreted as an action by a Stanford student or alum; the employer may choose to reduce or discontinue their work with Stanford University due to the impression that Stanford students and alumni cannot be relied on to follow through on their commitments.

Clearly, the decision to refuse an offer after an acceptance of employment is complicated. We invite you to work with our center as you make this decision and as you communicate this decision to employers. Make sure you get all your questions asked before accepting a job offer. Questions could include a hybrid work schedule, office location, company reputation, and benefit package. 

If you need more time to commit to the employer, please thank the employer for the offer, explain your situation or other considerations, and ask for an offer extension. We recommend you to meet with a career coach if you are considering an offer, need more time or need to communicate a reneging on an offer. You can contact AskCareerEd@stanford.edu if you have questions or schedule an appointment with a Stanford Career Education career coach.

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Student No Show and Cancellation Guidelines

On a rare occasion, students may have to cancel a confirmed interview or coffee chat. Students should comply with the following Stanford Career Education recruiting guidelines if they need to reschedule or cancel their confirmed interview: 

Students may cancel via Handshake a minimum of 24 hours prior to their interview or coffee chats (or by noon PT Friday if their interview is scheduled on the following Monday). This will allow the employer enough time to select an alternate candidate to interview in their place.

In addition to canceling the interview or coffee chat on Handshake, students must do the following:

  1. Contact the Stanford Career Education team at recruiting@stanford.edu a minimum of 24 hours prior to their appointment to explain the circumstances so that we can try and make alternative arrangements, if possible.
  2. Write an apology email to the employer’s contact listed on the schedule page, also copying the Stanford Career Education at recruiting@stanford.edu

We recommend this approach to support all Stanford students’ ongoing relationships with recruiters. Following these guidelines will benefit both the individual student by establishing a relationship with the recruiter by preventing any negative experience as well as the entire Stanford community by maintaining a positive relationship and image with the recruiter.

If students would like advice on interview preparation or to conduct a mock interview, please schedule an appointment with a Stanford Career Education career coach.

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Compensation & Fees

  • Cryptocurrency, bitcoin, tokens, fiat, or equity are not acceptable forms of payment.
  • Organizations only offering unpaid, stipend, or volunteer positions must meet the organizational definitions and requirements that allow them to do so legally, and they must clearly state the pay status when posting their opportunities on Handshake.  Students should notify recruiting@stanford.edu if they encounter this.
  • Commission Sales Positions:  If no initial base salary is provided, the form of remuneration should be clearly stated in the employer's job descriptions and at the time of the initial interviews.  
  • Postings that request donations, application fees, or investments cannot be listed on Handshake, and students should notify recruiting@stanford.edu if they encounter this.
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Additional Recruiting Advisement

Diversity and Inclusion

CareerEd works to ensure that all Stanford students are heard, supported, and included in career opportunities on campus. Regardless of a student's combination of identities and experiences, CareerEd helps students have a sense of belonging. CareerEd is committed to diversity and inclusivity in all campus recruiting hiring and employment practices, and in an effort to promote equity, CareerEd helps students of marginalized communities make informed decisions. With an understanding that not all Stanford students have a thorough familiarity of the recruiting processes and hiring practices, the CareerEd Belonging, Access, and Career Equity (BACE) team supports underrepresented students as they navigate these spaces. Connect with the BACE team to learn more about equity and inclusion at Stanford

Student Organizations

Stanford Career Education is the on-campus organization approved to plan and host employer recruiting events. Student organizations cannot host an employer recruiting event without formal approval. Reach out to recruiting@stanford.edu to learn more.

Other Policies

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