Employer Services and Expectations

The SJSU Career Center is committed to connecting employers with talented Spartan students and alumni through fair, equitable, and professional recruiting practices. We ask all employer partners to follow the guidelines below to ensure a positive experience for students while maintaining compliance with university policies and employment laws.

These expectations apply to all employers recruiting through Handshake, participating in Career Center events, or engaging with SJSU students through Career Center programs.

Recruiting Expectations

SJSU welcomes legally operating employers that provide equitable employment opportunities.

Employers recruiting through the Career Center are expected to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, including:

As a public university, SJSU does not endorse or oppose employers based on their mission, products, or services, provided they operate legally and comply with university expectations.

We ask employers to:

  • Provide accurate job descriptions and qualifications.
  • Clearly state compensation and employment terms.
  • Communicate professionally throughout the hiring process.
  • Give students adequate time to evaluate employment offers.
  • Avoid practices that place undue pressure on candidates.

Following NACE best practices, we recommend providing students at least two weeks to respond to written employment offers and avoiding “exploding offers” or other high-pressure recruiting tactics.

Career Center-sponsored recruiting activities should remain alcohol-free to promote an inclusive and professional environment for all students.

Job Posting Guidelines

Employers posting opportunities through Handshake should ensure that positions:

  • Include accurate job responsibilities
  • Clearly identify required qualifications
  • List compensation or explain the compensation structure
  • Meet all applicable wage and labor laws
  • Support the educational and career development goals of SJSU students

Whenever possible, positions should include a salary or hourly wage.

If compensation is commission-only or another alternative structure, it must be clearly disclosed in the posting before students apply.

The Career Center strongly encourages employers to offer paid internships whenever possible.

Unpaid internships must comply with all applicable federal and state labor regulations, including the U.S. Department of Labor’s internship guidance.

Special Recruiting Policies

Third-party recruiters are welcome to recruit at SJSU provided they:

  • Clearly identify themselves as third-party agencies
  • Disclose the client they represent
  • Do not charge applicants fees
  • Protect student information in accordance with FERPA
  • Provide complete position information

Third-party recruiters are not eligible to participate in Resume Books.

The Career Center does not manage employer accounts for private household positions such as tutoring or caregiving. Individuals seeking these services should use third-party employment platforms designed for household hiring such as care.com or Jovie.

Because of ongoing federal legal considerations affecting students, the Career Center does not approve employers or positions directly involved in the development, production, testing, distribution, or sale of recreational or medical cannabis.

The Career Center permits job postings related to the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) process and may include additional information for students regarding the nature and timeline of these opportunities.

The Career Center generally does not promote opportunities that restrict applicants to specific populations unless serving that population is central to the organization’s mission or the opportunity remains open to all qualified students.

Event Registration Policies

Registration Payment

Payment for career fairs, recruiting events, and interview schedules must be received by the published payment deadline, generally two weeks before the event. Failure to submit payment may result in cancellation of the registration.

Event Cancellations

Cancellations should be submitted no later than two weeks before the scheduled event. Late cancellations may result in forfeiture of registration fees.

Career Center Posting Discretion

The Career Center reviews all employer accounts and job postings to help protect the interests of SJSU students and the university community.

We reserve the right to decline or remove postings that:

  • Lack sufficient employer or contact information
  • Misrepresent job duties or compensation
  • Require students to pay fees or purchase products as a condition of employment
  • Operate primarily as independent sales or business opportunity models
  • Do not align with Career Center recruiting standards
  • Otherwise appear inconsistent with student interests or university policies

Each posting is reviewed individually, and the Career Center retains final discretion regarding employer participation.

Questions?

Please contact our Employer Engagement team for questions about employer policies or recruiting at SJSU.