Policies and Best Practices

Adapted from National Association for Colleges and Employers (NACE) Principles for Professional Conduct for Career Services & Employment Professionals

Penn State Career Services maintains the following policies in congruence with NACE Principles for Professional Conduct for Career Services & Employment Professionals.

Equal Employment Opportunities

Employers recruiting on campus will be expected to maintain EEO compliance and follow affirmative action principles in recruitment activities. Employers should consider all interested students for employment opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability, and provide reasonable accommodations upon request.

Career Services cannot act as an agent or referral entity for recruiters/employers by recommending or screening for specific candidates. It is Career Services' obligation to:

  1. Notify employing organizations of any selection procedures that appear to have an adverse impact based upon students’ race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
  2. 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.

However, to assist employers in selecting the most qualified candidates from the largest applicant pool possible, Career Services can:

Assist recruiters with accessing certain groups on campus to provide a more inclusive applicant pool.

Help employers identify and outreach to appropriate audiences based on non-discriminatory criteria such as major, academic year, GPA.

Assist employers in promoting their opportunities on campus through various channels, including emails, social media, partnering with faculty and other appropriate offices, bulletin boards, etc.

Provide instructions to employers for posting on Nittany Lion Careers, a job board that is accessible by students of all majors across all Penn State campuses as well as geographically dispersed alumni.

Testing Policies

Those engaged in administering, evaluating, and interpreting assessment tools, tests, and technology used in selection will be trained and qualified to do so. Employment professionals must advise Career Services of any test conducted on campus and eliminate such a test if it violates campus policies. Employment professionals must advise students in a timely fashion of the type and purpose of any test that students will be required to take as part of the recruitment process and to whom the test results will be disclosed. All tests will be reviewed by the employing organization for disparate impact and job-relatedness. Career Services staff choosing to serve as test proctors do so independently of the requesting company and have no responsibility for exam review.

Extending Offers to Candidates

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

Career Services does not have specific restrictions on when offers may be extended. We do ask that employers communicate decisions to candidates within a reasonable time frame and communicate that time frame to the candidates.

Career Services asks that employers provide a reasonable time frame for acceptance of offers extended to candidates. We prefer that candidates are given 15 to 25 business days to make a decision on an offer. Please note that specific academic colleges or programs may have additional guidelines. Therefore, we highly recommend that you consult with the appropriate office. Employers are expected to refrain from using any undue pressure to accept the job offer (including, but not limited to, rescission of offer if not accepted in less than the two-week time frame), 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.

A SPECIAL NOTE CONCERNING JOBS INVOLVING CANNABIS:

Undergraduate and graduate students, whether University personnel or otherwise, are not permitted to receive academic credit for any work, research, or activity in violation of federal law, including work associated with marijuana. However, undergraduate and graduate students, whether University personnel or otherwise, are permitted to receive academic credit for any work, research, or activity associated with hemp.

Third-Party Recruiters

  1. Third-party organizations providing recruiting services for a fee will be required to:
  2. Inform Career Services of the specific Employer(s) they represent and the specific jobs for which they are recruiting, and Career Services will verify the information;
  3. Reveal the company names to students/alumni selected for an interview;
  4. Allow Career Services to add to their job description the following statement: “Applicants, upon being selected for an interview, will be notified of the company name by the third-party recruiter.”

Career Services will request contact information for the organization for which the third party is providing recruiting services if/when there is concern related to a company. Career Services must respect the confidentiality of this information and may not publish it in any manner. Any disclosure of student information outside of the third-party recruiting organization and the company they are representing will be with the prior consent of the student. Third-party recruiters that charge fees to students will not be permitted access to Career Services.

Career Services May Restrict Access to Recruiting Activities if the Following Conditions are Compromised:

  1. Employing organizations will not improperly influence and affect job acceptances. Such practices may include undue time pressure for acceptance of employment offers and encouragement of revocation of another employment offer.
     
  2. Employing organizations will supply accurate information on their organization, employment opportunities, compensation packages, and typical earnings and performance statistics. Employing organizations are responsible for the information supplied and commitments made by their representatives. If unexpected conditions occur that cause 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 (refer to NACE Position Statement on Rescinded and Deferred Employment Offers).
     
  3. Employing organizations will provide Career Services with appropriate permanent contact information and will clearly display the identity of the organization they are representing at all recruitment events and activities.
     
  4. Employing organizations requiring a financial investment on the part of students to participate in an internship or full-time permanent position (e.g., the purchase of a demonstration package or payment for a required training program) will do so only if 1) students have the opportunity to rent necessary equipment/materials; and/or 2) students re fully informed on the amount and specific uses of required fees as well as whether or not a reimbursement policy exists.
     
  5. Employing organizations recruiting students for the purpose of selling their products/services to students, staff, faculty, and others on campus must pursue potential partnerships with student clubs or organizations. Career Services will not become involved in the promotion of such opportunities (refer to Penn State Policy AD27 for further information).
     
  6. Employing organizations are prohibited from serving alcohol as part of the recruitment process. Employers may not have any banners, posters, or other displays featuring any alcohol (or tobacco) logos, images, or products of any kind.
     
  7. Employing organizations will maintain equal employment opportunity (EEO) compliance and follow affirmative action principles in recruiting activities. Appropriate recruiting activities include the following:

a. Recruiting, interviewing, and hiring individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability, and providing reasonable accommodations upon request;

b. Reviewing selection criteria for adverse impact based upon students’ race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability;

c. Avoiding use of inquiries that are considered unacceptable by EEO standards during the recruiting process;

d. Investigating complaints forwarded by Career Services regarding EEO noncompliance and seeking resolution of such complaints.

  1. Employing organizations will maintain the confidentiality of student information, regardless of the source, including personal knowledge, written records/reports, and computer databases. There will be no disclosure of student information to another organization without the prior written consent of the student, unless necessitated by health and/or safety considerations.
     
  2. Employing organizations engaged in administering, evaluating, and interpreting assessment tools, tests, and technology will inform Career Services of these tests and ensure that such tests do not violate campus policies.

Successful Recruiting at Penn State

The Career Services staff is here to help you make your recruiting involvement a success. We can help you with the following:

  • Make the faculty, staff, and student organization connections you need
  • Tell you about the students and the academic programs at our campus
  • Help you understand the complex nature of the University and its offices
  • Advise you about recruiting activities that may work for you
  • Review your advertising plans for clarity, accuracy, and timeliness
  • Offer insight into developing successful information sessions
  • Help you learn about and prepare for the many career fairs and related activities on campus
  • Manage your visit so that you can make the most effective use of your time

Penn State graduates from all campuses have that rare combination of academic excellence and a strong work ethic. Couple this with outstanding career preparation, and you will see why Penn State graduates are the right people with the right skills for the workforce of the 21st century. Working together, we can make your visit a productive one.

Contact Career Services at 814-898-6112 or [email protected] to set up a meeting.