The University of Alabama Career Center has developed the following guidelines and procedures to ensure that UA students and alumni are treated fairly and are being recruited for viable positions. Employers recruiting at The University of Alabama are expected to abide by and adhere to the employment rules and regulations of the First National Association for Principles for Ethical Professional Practice, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Employer Recruiting Guidelines

Article I. Handshake Use

Handshake is a service utilized at the discretion of The University of Alabama, Career Center. The Career Center reserves the right in its sole discretion to refuse partnership to employers at any time. Employers and students are advised to use caution and encouraged to request reference information as needed to establish qualifications, credentials, and conditions of employment.

Article II. Job Scams

There has been an increase in fraudulent and illegal job scams on college campuses. In an effort to reduce the possibility of fraudulent employers or positions, we review every employer registration and job posting based on the requirements below.

Additionally, please note: Postings for positions that require at the time of application, personal information such as bank and social security numbers, or photos of the applicants are not allowed. Postings for positions that pay in cash, or require a candidate to make a financial investment, or to pay a fee prior to employment, or to recruit other students for a financial incentive, are not allowed.

Article III. Account Registration

The Career Center reserves the right to decline an employer partnership for misrepresented employment opportunities, and the violation of UA policies and procedures, the NACE Principals for Professional Practice, and all federal and state employment laws. If you have any questions regarding our decision to decline your partnership, please contact career@ua.edu

An employer seeking to partner with The University of Alabama in Handshake must abide by the following guidelines:

Section 3.01 Contact information

Employers must provide complete, accurate, and verifiable information. This includes full name and company email. We must be able to connect the registration contact to the company through an internet search.

Section 3.02 Website

Employers must have an active, error-free, functioning website. Websites must be professional and written in the English language. The website must include: Contact information, physical location address, an “about” or “overview” of the organization and clickable/active links (including social media links).

Section 3.03 Email Address

Employers must use an email address that is connected to their business. Employers listing Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo emails will be not be approved. The email address should have the organization name after the “@” sign or include the company name or abbreviation. The contact name should be included in the email address.

Section 3.04 Location

Employers must provide a physical, verifiable address that is not a private home or residence.

Virtual employers may provide a P.O. Box for location purposes. We reserve the right to ask for an additional address for verification.

Section 3.05 Start-ups or small companies

Start-ups will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

Section 3.06 Headquarters

Employers with headquarters out of the US will be vetted extensively and potentially, denied. We will ask additional questions regarding registration and discuss the types of employment opportunities being provided.

Section 3.07 Political Campaigns Employer Registration

Political campaigns must have a physical, verifiable address, such as a campaign headquarters office. Virtual campaign offices will not be approved.

The campaign must also have a functioning website and it must include contact information and a career or employment page (volunteer page does not count).

Section 3.08 Brand Ambassadors/Fee-Based Programs

Employers requiring interns or employees to market/promote or create/develop free or fee-based programs, products, services, events and/or collect student information on the UA campus on behalf of an employer will not be approved. Examples include campus brand ambassadors, student referrals of other students and marketing or sales programs.

Article IV. Job Posting

Organizations wishing to recruit students and alumni at The University of Alabama using Handshake can do so free of charge. Job and internship postings are reviewed and approved/rejected based upon the information contained in the postings. Excessive postings and misleading postings are not allowed. Postings that do not correspond to a company’s actual interviewing, hiring and compensation practices, or postings that misrepresent the identity and affiliation of the employer, are not allowed.

The Career Center reserves the right to deny job postings for not following the guidelines below or due to the position not being the right fit for our student community.

Section 4.01 General

All jobs and internships posted must be career-related and/or professionally oriented. Please note we accept contract, temporary and seasonal positions, but only if they are professionally oriented.

Jobs posted must be for one specific opening, not several openings combined into one posting.

All postings must be for the purpose of the listed employer (not for a personal or other 3rd party organization).

Recruiters must agree to the University’s nondiscrimination and equal opportunity policy.

Section 4.02 Position Type

Employers must select the appropriate position type. The position type must align with the job position and be clearly identified within the description.

Section 4.03 Resume Receipt Email Address

Employers must use an email address that is connected to their business. Job postings with Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc, email addresses will be denied. Email addresses must include the company name as well as the recruiter’s name. Exceptions allowed for human resource or recruiting team email addresses.

Section 4.04 Description

Employers must list a minimum of five (5) job duties, responsibilities or tasks. Job postings that fail to list a job description or list very few details will be denied. This information is important in providing candidates with enough information to decide whether or not to apply for the position.

Section 4.05 Location

Employers listing jobs that require students or alumni to work in private or personal residences, apartments, condos, etc. will not be approved. (Examples: caregiver, nanny, in-home tutor, and startup company positions that place students/alumni in residential homes).

Virtual positions will be allowed on a case-by-case basis but students may not visit or work in a personal or private home.

Section 4.07 Commission Only

Employers listing commission only positions will be denied. Postings that include referral bonuses are also not allowed. Stipend-based internships are allowable but must disclose the per-week stipend amount and the hours of work per week.

Section 4.10 Brand Ambassadors/Fee-Based Programs

Positions requiring interns or employees to market/promote or create/develop free or fee-based programs, products, services, events, etc. and/or collect student information on the UA campus on behalf of an employer are ineligible. Examples include campus brand ambassadors and student referrals of other students. Job postings for positions that support or supervise the work of ambassadors are also not allowed. Fee-based programs; examples include fee-based training programs, fee-based placements or positions requiring the purchase of supplies or a training kit are not allowed.

Section 4.11 Internships

Internships should meet the standards of the Department of Labor and NACE Internship Guidelines and Criteria All employers should ensure all Department of Labor Internship Guidelines are met prior to posting the internship.

Unpaid internships are required to be in compliance with the United States Department of Labor.

To ensure that an experience—whether it is a traditional internship/fellowship or one conducted remotely or virtually—is educational, and thus eligible to be considered a legitimate internship by the NACE definition, all the following criteria must be met:

  • The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
  • The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.
  • There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.
  • There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience.
  • There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor.

Section 4.12 Off-campus Part-time Positions

Professional part-time job opportunities must require/prefer at least a Bachelor’s degree.

For a position to be posted as a part-time job for a currently enrolled student, it must meet these requirements:

  • Part-time student employment must be within 40 miles of campus; unless, it is a seasonal summer position.
  • Be part-time – part-time is defined as 20 hours per week during the academic year and up to 40 hours per week in the summer
  • Be paid by the hour
  • Full-time, salary or commission jobs cannot be advertised as student opportunities

Section 4.13 Political Campaigns Job Postings
Political campaigns must follow the following guidelines for posting positions:

  • All position(s) must report to and work at a physical business location such as a campaign headquarter office.
  • All posted position(s) must include the supervisor’s contact information.
  • All job duties must be in line with the student’s declared major of study.
  • Students recruited through Handshake will not be allowed to do door-to-door campaigning (no visiting private homes or residences).

Article V. On-Campus Recruiting

The guidelines for the recruiting process of the Career Center are in the best interests of our students and corporate recruiters. The positive outcome of our recruiting process is enhanced by strict adherence to these guidelines. On-campus interviewing includes: On-campus interview (room only or preselect), Employer Meet & Greets and the promotion of on-campus or off-campus opportunities.

Section 5.01 Promotion of Career Opportunities

For the Career Center to market or promote career opportunities, the organization or company, must have an approved employer account through Handshake. This includes marketing recruitment events and flyers for job postings or opportunities.

Section 5.02 Employer Eligibility

Campus interviews should be directly scheduled and conducted by the recruiting organization’s employees, rather than by third-party representatives; and, employers should be seeking candidates for internships and full-time employment (requiring a degree). The Career Center reserves the right to refuse any direct hiring organization from participation in On-Campus Interviews, especially in cases of misrepresentation or violation of UA, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Principals for Professional Practice, and all federal and state employment laws.

Section 5.03 On-campus Interview Timeline

  1. On-campus interviews (room only): Requests must be submitted four (4) weeks in advance
  2. On-campus interviews (preselect): Requests must be submitted four (4) weeks in advance

Section 5.04 Meet & Greet Timeline

  1. Employer Meet & Greets: Requests must be submitted four (4) weeks in advance.
  2. In order to promote Meet & Greet, we ask that all employers create their own flyer. Our team will send out the flyer via email to all eligible students.

Section 5.05 Communication
Communication is crucial for the entire process to run smoothly. We ask the following:

  1. Employer to Career Center Team: Employers are expected to notify the Career Center of any cancellations or changes to their interview schedules so students and alumni can be notified in a timely manner. We ask for 2 business day notice of any changes.
  2. Employer to Student: It is important that both the employer and student keep an open line of communication throughout the interview, offer, and evaluation processes. All companies should establish and maintain, a four (4) week window of communication with candidates throughout the process. All candidates not selected for further consideration should also receive notification of their final status once the selection process has been concluded.

Section 5.07 Interview Eligibility

Only current students and alumni of The University of Alabama may be interviewed in our facility.

Section 5.08 Inclement Weather and Closings

The Career Center reserves the right to close our office due to inclement weather and safety for students, alumni, staff, and employers. The Employer Relations team will work with students and employers to identify potential rescheduling options. Employers will be expected to contact their applicants directly about interview cancellations and alternative interview options.

Article VII. Third-Party Recruiting Policy

The Career Center welcomes third-party recruiter postings that adhere to the policies below.
Third-party recruiters (e.g., employment agencies):

  • Only recruit for their own organization’s internal hiring needs. Third-Party Agencies/Recruiters are not to provide candidate information to any party without the candidate’s informed written consent.
  • Provide complete job descriptions, clearly indicating that the position is for the third-party recruiting company. Must gain permission from the student before sharing contact information, etc. with client company.
  • Not use Candidate Information obtained for a specific job opening, for any subsequent job openings or for soliciting Employer Clients, except where specifically agreed to in writing by the Candidate.
  • Not charge any fee to the Candidate.

Article VIII. Non-Discrimination Policy

The University of Alabama is an equal opportunity, affirmative action educator, and employer. By registering to conduct on-campus interviews, I agree that my company is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy that no citizen of the united states or any other person within the jurisdiction thereof shall, on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), age, disability, veteran status, religion, national origin or sexual orientation, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination in employment or under any educational program or activity of the university. In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, interviews must be made available to all interested students who are authorized to work full-time in the United States for other than practical training purposes, regardless of their citizenship. If United States citizenship is required by your company, please indicate this requirement in the job description for any position for which you are recruiting.

The Career Center makes its interviewing facilities and position-listing services available to employers who do not unlawfully discriminate in the selection of candidates on the basis of national origin, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. Any employer who makes use of University facilities or services must agree to abide by this policy and, if interviewing students, to talk in good faith with students who have been selected for an interview and to refrain from questioning students regarding the above-protected classifications.

Article IX. Student and Employer Guidelines

Section 10.01 Student

  • Use appropriate channels to express concerns or issues with employers. Students are encouraged to email career@ua.edu or call (205) 348-5848 to share any issues, challenges or incidents involving off-campus or on-campus employers.
  • Maintain appropriate communication and professionalism before and during an interview.
  • Remain committed to signed job offers and do not back out of job offers (also called “renege”) from off-campus or on-campus employers.
  • Follow expectations set by employers regarding employment expectations or policies.

Section 10.02 Employer

  • Use appropriate channels to express concerns or issues with students or alumni. Employers are encouraged to email career@ua.edu or (205) 348-5848 to share any issues, challenges or incidents involving students or alumni.
  • Conduct interviews with professionalism and only ask questions that are job-related or relevant to your company’s policies.
  • Provide students with appropriate time to make an informed decision about their job offer. We do not encourage or support “exploding offers” or providing students with unrealistic time frames for making decisions.
  • Maintain a safe and professionally-oriented environment for students and alumni.
  • Please consult our Recruiting Guidelines and Best Practices for further information.