Employer Policies

Handshake is a free service for employers to post career-related, full-time, internship, and part-time positions appropriate for individuals with or working towards a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Students are uploaded into the system bimonthly, and alumni may create accounts. Employers can post certain part-time, seasonal, and temporary jobs not requiring a degree that may be of interest to current Winthrop University students.  

Employers who adhere to these guidelines are invited to register and post positions on Handshake. Upon account approval, each employer contact will be given default access to Profile, Job Postings, and Events. Additional services can be requested by sending an e-mail to careerdev@winthrop.edu. If you are a third-party recruiter, please review the section on eligibility for services.  

Terms and Conditions

• The CDI must be able to verify the legitimacy of the organization.  
• Contact e-mail addresses must be from a company, agency, organization, or professional domain; personal accounts from free providers (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.) are not acceptable.  
• A current Winthrop University student may not post jobs and internships.  
• Contact must provide a legitimate, public website, if one is available.  
• Organization address must be a complete and accurate U.S.-based business address; a residential or P.O. Box address will not be accepted unless the opportunity is posted as a virtual internship (see "Virtual Internship Policy").  
• Positions related to in-home care or in-home employment with private individuals will not be accepted (including babysitting, senior companions, housekeeping, yard work, etc.). Positions of this type will only be listed through a licensed and bonded business or agency.  
• Positions requiring students to pay money upfront or fees to be employed will not be accepted. This DOES NOT include professional licensure fees that may need to be covered by the employee (e.g., insurance licensing fees to sell insurance, etc.).  
• Positions must not include on-campus solicitation or sales of goods or services.  
• Positions must not require candidates to recruit other members or sub-distributors. Multi-level or pyramid marketing opportunities will not be accepted.  
• Marijuana/Cannabis Industries: The CDI will not accept positions related to the use or distribution of recreational or medical marijuana.   
• See Third-Party Employers and Commission-Based Jobs for specific guidance.  

Third-party employers are defined as agencies, organizations, or individuals recruiting candidates for temporary, part-time, or full-time employment opportunities other than for their own needs. This includes organizations such as employment agencies, search firms, contract recruiters, career development consultants, or online job posting or resume referral services.   

Approved third-party employers may post positions in Handshake under the following conditions:

• The agency may not charge applicants.  
• The agency must disclose in Handshake the name of the organization and position(s) that is being recruited for; this information will be viewable by CDI staff only (not students or alumni). 
• The agency must provide a detailed description and all requirements within job postings, including compensation or pay structure. A position description must identify “commission only” when applicable.  
• The agency 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.  
• The use of on-campus recruiting space for interviews is only open to Winthrop students and alumni.  Employers may not interview members of the public on campus.  

Third-party organizations recruiting for international positions, or international third-party organizations, will not be allowed to post opportunities in the system.  

The CDI will allow commission-based full-time roles but will not approve commission-based internships or part-time jobs.   

• The employer must fully disclose the precise nature of the work, responsibilities of the role, and skills/qualifications required.  
• The compensation structure (salary, hourly payrate, commission structure, or any other pay structure) must be included in the job posting and all correspondence with candidates. A draw against future earnings does not constitute a salary.   
• If compensation is partially commission-based, the percentage must be included.  
• If no base salary is provided, the form of compensation must be clearly stated in the job description.  

Internships Defined 

An internship is defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) as: “A form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting” (NACE’s Guide to Internships). 

The Center for Career Development and Internships (CDI) adheres to NACE’s belief that an internship should include the following: 

• A learning experience with real-world opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or replace the work that a regular employee would routinely perform. 
• Learning skills and knowledge that are transferable to other employment settings. 
• A defined beginning and end that is mutually agreed upon and consistent with institutional sponsor guidelines and schedules. 
• A position description with clear responsibilities and required/desired qualifications. 
• Clearly defined learning objectives/goals supportive of the student’s academic program goals and institutional requirements. 
• Direct supervision by a professional(s) with relevant expertise and educational and/or professional experience who provides productive feedback, guidance, and the resources and equipment necessary to successfully complete the assignment. 

The CDI will review and approve internship postings according to these standards and expectations.

Internship Postings and Student Referrals 

Internships may be posted on our career management hub Handshake and advertised through approved campus recruiting events. We recommend that internship postings include at minimum the following information, to assist students in making informed decisions about whether to apply: 

• Title 
• Role description 
• Qualifications 
• Hourly compensation/pay rate 
• Location 
• Estimated start/end date 
• Application timeline/process 

The CDI serves all students by supporting and maintaining fair and equitable recruiting practices and is therefore precluded from making direct student referrals or recommendations as outlined in the NACE Principles of Professional Practices.

Paid vs. Unpaid Internships 

As a best practice, the CDI recommends that employers pay their interns. 

While internships can be unpaid in certain situations, the Department of Labor has a fact sheet that outlines the Primary Beneficiary Test (PBT) for determining whether interns are legally considered “employees” that must be paid at least the minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA; Fact Sheet #71). Not-for-profit organizations and government agencies are exempt from this regulation. 

Employers with wage-based positions should comply with minimum wage rates set forth by the FLSA. Cryptocurrency, bitcoin, tokens, fiat, or equity are not acceptable forms of payment. 

Postings for commission-based internships will not be approved. 

Virtual Internships 

We recommend that organizations follow NACE’s Best Practices for Virtual Internships when offering virtual internships. Additionally: 

• Regular communication between the intern and supervisor, including weekly meetings, is expected. Any in-person meeting must occur at the company location (non-residential address) or in a public setting. 
• A virtual space for managing projects must be available to the intern. This could be in the form of Google Workspace or another cloud computing software. The student should not have to save their work on a personal computer.
  

Internships for Academic Credit 

Internships can be credit or noncredit bearing. Winthrop’s internship programs give students the opportunity to receive academic credit for their internship experience. To be eligible for credit, students must complete an Internship Learning Agreement with their internship supervisor and register for the appropriate internship course (corequisite) through their academic department/college. 

In general, students must complete 50 contact hours per credit (50 = 1 credit, 100 = 2 credits, 150 = 3 credits); however, the requirements vary by program. See more on internships for academic credit. 

The Center for Career Development and Internships (CDI) requires that employers provide accurate information about their organization, opportunities, and compensation when extending an offer to a student or alum. The CDI requires that students and alumni provide accurate information about their education and experiences.

The CDI coaches students and alumni to conduct an ethical job search; this includes withdrawing from the job/internship search upon accepting an offer. When provided with an offer, individuals are highly encouraged to ask for time to consider the offer. They are also encouraged to communicate with other employers with whom they are actively interviewing. We advise students and alumni to:  

• Refrain from accepting an offer until they are certain they can honor that commitment;  
• Refrain from reneging on an offer already accepted. We request that employers inform us if any of our students renege on an acceptance of a job offer.

The CDI believes it is in the best interests of students and employers to allow enough time for a candidate to make an informed decision about whether to accept or decline an offer.  

• We recommend employers give students at least two weeks to decide once a written offer is extended; we acknowledge that some decision timeframes may be shorter.   
• We ask that employers communicate hiring decisions to candidates within a reasonable timeframe and communicate that timeframe to the candidates.   
• We request that all candidates interviewed receive final communication about the search's conclusion.
  

Exploding Offers  

Exploding offers (i.e., requiring students to decide on a job offer within a specific compressed time frame or else have the offer rescinded) are prohibited. Sign-on bonuses should be honored whenever the student accepts an offer.

Deferring and Rescinding Employment

We request that employers inform us of any offers extended to students that must be withdrawn or significantly changed. Employers needing to rescind or defer employment should carefully review the guidelines and follow the NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) recommendations on Rescinded or Deferred Offers and Principles for Ethical Professional Practice.  

NACE guidelines urge a two-part approach:  

• Commit to high standards in recruiting.   
• Use a reasoned approach to dealing with rescinded and deferred offers.  

NACE recommends that employers who must revoke a commitment do everything possible to consider alternatives that do not require rescinding employment offers. These may include changes in job responsibilities, salary reduction and/or reduced workweeks, changes in job locale, delayed starting dates, and other reasonable options.  

For candidates whose start dates are deferred, employers are urged to:  

• Communicate with candidates as soon as possible.  
• Provide services to aid the candidates in securing other employment.  
• Provide financial assistance if the deferral is longer than three months.  
• Inform the Center for Career Development and Internships (CDI).  
• Stay in communication with candidates and the CDI regarding start dates. We expect all employers to treat candidates in an ethical manner.

The CDI and Winthrop University reserve the right to deny access to Campus Recruitment Programs to any employers who we determine have not conducted their recruiting efforts ethically.

Reserving a table in a student traffic area on campus through the CDI is one of many ways to promote hiring opportunities with your organization. There is no fee for tabling on campus. There are procedures in place to protect students and their safety while pursuing their educational endeavors. Please refer to the policies below for making the most of your visit within Winthrop University guidelines. Any infringement on these policies can result in restrictions on recruiting via the Center for Career Development and Internships.  

IMPORTANT: You must have an approved employer Handshake account to request a table. Tabling hours are Tuesdays/Thursdays from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. during the Fall and Spring semesters. Reservation requests made less than 14 days in advance may not be confirmed. External visitors must agree to Winthrop University space use guidelines.  

1. One 6-foot table with two chairs can be reserved for recruiting for specific job and internship opportunities with your organization, with the CDI as your sponsor. Advance notice of your requests allows ample time to secure space and promote your visit. The CDI will promote the table location and time through Handshake, Daily Student Announcements (e-mail listserv), and social media (Instagram).  
   
2. In fairness to all employers and campus organizations also requesting space, employers may only table twice in one semester. Tables cannot be reserved for the first two weeks of class, due to high activity of on-campus programs and services. Employers cannot recruit on campus during Final Examination weeks. 
   
3. Your organization may only use your table for the recruiting of specific hiring needs. No solicitation for goods or services will be allowed. Those infringing on this policy will be asked to leave campus. Any future recruiting conducted by your organization is at the discretion of the CDI and the University. 
   
4. Please do not “market” your opportunities outside of the confines of your table area. Give-aways and displays to make your area attractive to students are welcome. 
   
5. Any organization promoting opportunities with upfront fees, start-up costs, multi-level or pyramid marketing opportunities, and commission-based compensation are not eligible for on-campus tabling.
   
6. To protect Winthrop University students and alumni from fraudulent and/or unethical hiring practices, the CDI reserves the right to deny an organization’s request to visit campus or post a position. Creating a registration on Handshake does not guarantee automatic approval and the right to table on campus.  

The CDI invites organizations to register for career fairs and recruiting events provided they meet the following basic criteria:

• The organization has or expects to have one or more bona fide internship, co-op, part-time, temporary/seasonal, or full-time opportunities of a professional nature.
• The organization must meet all of the CDI’s employer requirements and must have an approved employer account in Handshake.