Guidelines to support employers’ recruitment and hiring efforts for Wofford College students.
The Career Center believes that every student should participate in hands-on work experience while they are enrolled to gain insight into a future career field. There are many ways to receive hands-on work experience; internships, externships, volunteering, and shadowing, to name a few.
Though we believe that all work experience is great work experience, not all work experience qualifies as an internship. The Career Center has adopted the NACE definition of an internship, which can be found here. NACE also provides additional guidance and resources surrounding internship creation.
Can interns get course credit for their internship?
The Career Center is able to award up to 4 hours of academic credit through an internship course. Some majors on campus offer major-specific internship courses to assist students with receiving major credit. It is the responsibility of the student to sign up for an internship course if credit is needed and/or wanted.
Should you pay an intern?
To ensure equity, the Career Center encourages all employers to pay student interns. NACE research found that students who take part in paid internships receive more job offers and ultimately garner higher starting salaries than those who participate in unpaid internships (NACE 2022 Student Survey, 2022). However, currently, unpaid internships are legal in certain situations. The Career Center follows the guidelines set by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) on the requirement to pay interns. You can learn more about the Department of Labor guidelines here and NACE’s position statement here.
How many hours should an intern work?
Wofford follows a 4-1-4 academic schedule which includes a four-month Fall semester, a one-month January term (Interim), and a four-month Spring semester. When discussing summer opportunities, we generally refer to the months of June, July, and August. During Fall and Spring semesters, we encourage employers to expect 8 to 10 hours per week from an intern. If students are doing an internship for Interim, then they are required to work full-time, which is a minimum of 30 hours per week. Most internships during the Summer are full-time for 8-10 weeks.
Changes & Cancellation Policy
Changes and/or cancellations for events take time to notify students. We require a 72-hour notice during the workweek to make these changes.
Please contact Dr. Laura Love immediately at lovels@wofford.edu to notify the Career Center of your cancellation.
Change of Recruiter Information
Please contact the Career Center with any updated changes to your company’s primary contact information to ensure communications and information are directed correctly.
Job Posting Policy
Many Wofford students utilize Handshake for finding and applying to job and internship opportunities. We encourage students to keep their profiles up to date and actively engage with the platform to connect with employers, register for events, and explore career paths that align with their interests. To ensure equitable access to all opportunities, employers are encouraged to post all job and/or internship opportunities on Handshake.
To learn how to post an opportunity to Handshake, click here.
Wofford is home to a wide variety of student organizations that represent diverse identities, cultures, and interests. When engaging with these groups during recruitment or outreach, employers are expected to approach all interactions with professionalism, respect, and inclusion & equity. Following ethical recruitment guidelines ensures all opportunities are accessible to students from all backgrounds.
For more information on student organizations, click here.
Non-Discrimination & DEI Initiatives
Employers participating in recruitment are expected to uphold Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) standards and follow affirmative action principles. All students should be considered fairly for employment opportunities, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Accommodations are available and may be provided upon request.
Confidentiality Policy
All materials (resumes, cover letters, transcripts, etc.) are confidential and should only be shared with individuals directly involved in the hiring process within your organization. Please do not forward student emails or materials to anyone outside of your firm or to colleagues not engaged in the recruitment process.
Policy Guidelines
We encourage employers to support students in making thoughtful, informed decisions related to job and internship offers. Providing a minimum of 2 weeks for students to consider offers helps ensure a thorough and thought-out recruitment experience for both students and employers. Flexibility in extending deadlines is appreciated, as our students often have varying prior commitments. We value the collaboration of our employer partners and thank you for continuing to support ethical and student-centered recruiting practices.
Timelines & Pressure
We ask that employers avoid recruitment efforts that place undue pressure on students, such as offers tied to fast-approaching deadlines, diminishing incentives, or limited location preferences. Pressuring students to make immediate decisions or respond to hypothetical offers does not align with our standards for ethical recruiting. We appreciate employer collaboration in fostering thoughtful, respectful recruitment experiences.
Communication
Employers are expected to keep students informed of hiring timelines and provide updates on their status during the hiring process. Timely communication of hiring decisions is expected.
Full Disclosure Policy
Both students and employers are expected to provide complete and accurate information during all stages of the hiring process.
Employers are expected to communicate job responsibilities, compensation details, start dates, work location, and any other conditions related to employment, including but not limited to contracts, background checks, or training requirements. Students must represent themselves honestly in all application materials and interviews.
Rescission of Employment Offers
The Career Center strongly encourages employers to exhaust all available alternatives before rescinding or deferring a job/internship offer. If such action becomes unavoidable, please reach out to our Director of External Relations, Dr. Laura Love, prior to communication with the student(s) at lovels@wofford.edu.
