Whether you are looking to hire a full-time or part-time employee or a student intern, we can connect you with well-qualified applicants to meet your needs. We are always interested in speaking with you directly about how to most effectively support your recruitment needs. Please review the guide on Engaging with Fitchburg State Students (PDF) to learn more about opportunities to connect with students.
It is our highest priority to ensure that both students and employers enjoy an equitable and successful recruiting environment and hold both parties to the highest ethical standards. Behavior by any participant found to be illegal or inappropriate will result in an immediate, temporary, or permanent ban from any or all of our services. Additionally, we reserve the right to refuse service if an organization has any unresolved investigations, complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau or the Secretary for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or for any inappropriate or egregious behavior as determined by the CSA and our campus community. These penalties, which include the removal of job postings, can be invoked at any time, with or without explanation. Our guidelines for defining illegal and inappropriate behavior are the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) guidelines, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Principles for Ethical Professional Practice, the policies and guidelines on this page, and, always, common sense. The CSA reserves the right to decline any employer or job posting at our sole discretion with or without explanation. Questions regarding our policies and guidelines can be directed to the Associate Director for Internship Coordination and Employer Relations
All organizations that transact in legal business and in accordance with our Employer Guidelines and Policies are welcome and invited to recruit through the Fitchburg State CSA. We do not restrict employers or industries based on individual student values. Different students have different preferences, values, and opinions. If a particular organization or industry does not align with your values or beliefs, it may align with another group of students. Please be sensitive that this practice allows us to offer the widest array of employment opportunities for all students.
Handshake
If you're looking to hire a Fitchburg State student we use Handshake as our career and internship management system for all students (undergraduate, graduate, and recent alumni). This is one-stop shopping for recruiting our students. Post jobs and internships, register for recruitment events, schedule on-campus and virtual interviews and more. Create your user account and company page today to get started.
Once your profile is complete, add Fitchburg State University as one of your partner schools and we will approve you for future job and internship postings. Once you are established in Handshake, we can easily share your open positions with the most relevant students/alumni through targeted emails and social media posts.
To create your company page or user account, visit app.joinhandshake.com/employer_registrations/new
Handshake Help Center
How to create a user account and company page
How to post a job or internship
How to register for a fair or event
Career Services and Advising sends out a monthly newsletter and maintains an active social media presence. Reach out to the office by email careercenter@fitchburgstate.edu to request that your event or position be highlighted in our digital marketing.
On-Campus Recruiting
Career Services and Advising hosts career fairs each semester both in person and virtually (depending on state health and safety guidelines). See our upcoming events.
Employer information tables may be scheduled by email careercenter@fitchburgstate.edu for appropriate locations on campus in order to share information about your organization and recruit for open positions. Any organization looking to hold an information table on campus must follow information table policy.
Set up interviews with potential candidates on campus or virtually through Handshake. Reach out to us by email careercenter@fitchburgstate.edu to register.
If you are interested in recruiting students in a specific academic department, speaking in front of a class, or connecting with a student affinity group on campus please contact us by email careercenter@fitchburgstate.edu. We will act as liaison if the connection is welcomed by the group and is an appropriate match.
Connect with Students through Career Development
Career Conversations are industry specific panels that occur in-person and/or virtually to provide students with perspective from professionals in a specific area. The main goal is to present some information about the professionals and their fields, as well as create opportunities for students to ask questions and build professional networking relationships. These events are generally between 1-1.5 hours long. Past themes have included, Human Services HR Panel, Diversity of Careers in Criminal Justice, Biology and Chemistry Careers.
Volunteer to serve as a resource for students interested in learning more about a specific career field through informational interviews or as a practice interviewer for mock interviews.
Falcon Internship Program
The Falcon Internship Program (FIP) connects Fitchburg State University students with internship opportunities. FIP is available to all undergraduate students who are looking to complete an internship opportunity with or without applying for academic credit. As an internship host site you can expect to:
- Receive guidance on starting an internship at your site
- Work with the CSA to find qualified applicants for your positions
- Receive support during the application/interview process
- Receive continued support and communication from the CSA throughout your internship host experience
Internship hosts in the program are expected to:
- Maintain communication with the CSA throughout the entire process
- Complete one mid-program call/site visit with Career Services and Advising
- Complete a post evaluation of their intern experience
This handbook provides all the information you need regarding Fitchburg State internships.
Inclusive Pathways provides funding for students who have secured an unpaid internship in their field of study. Internships provide valuable experience in putting academic knowledge into context, gaining valuable hands-on skills, and helping students to discern their areas of interest. Students can apply for Inclusive Pathways funding to offset the financial impact of participating in an unpaid internship that can help to further a student’s career development. Internships can be full or part-time. Interested candidates should reach out to Career Services and Advising by email careercenter@fitchburgstate.edu for more information.
Employer Guidelines and Policies
The following policies and guidelines apply to all employers offering part-time or full-time employment and internship opportunities for Fitchburg State students or alumni. Employers, please view the internship handbook before posting your internships.
CSA will approve a job posting, host for on-campus recruiting, information table or career event if:
- The rate of pay is at least minimum wage.
- The employer provides the necessary information needed to post a job vacancy (organization name, products or services provided, compensation information, job description, organization information, etc.). Full disclosure to the CSA and students is required. Third party recruiters must be representing specific employers who have contracted with them, and will disclose to the CSA the names of the represented employers.
- The full-time job requires a college degree. (exceptions to this will be made if the full-time position is a unique opportunity, is geographically accessible to the university students, or is available during seasonal breaks in the academic year.)
- The part-time position is within commuting distance from Fitchburg and/or during seasonal breaks in the academic calendar.
- The position complies with all federal and state affirmative action and equal employment opportunity regulations.
- The employer abides by the Principles for Professional Practice as published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
CSA WILL NOT approve positions nor host for on-campus recruiting, information table or career events if:
- The employment opportunity involves on-campus solicitation, sale, or posting of materials, products or services.
- The employment opportunity entails door-to-door solicitation.
- The student must pay a nonrefundable fee to participate in a work experience or pay any type of fee for training.
- The student is required to purchase or rent any type of sales kit or presentation supplies.
- The position is an entry-level commission-only sales position or part of a multi-level marketing organization.
- The work assignment interferes with or negatively affects the academic progress of the student, or requires or encourages a student to discontinue his or her academic program of study.
- The posting is for an unpaid internship with a for-profit organization that does not comply with The Fair Labor Standards Act Test for an Unpaid Internship
All job postings should go through our career platform Handshake. The CSA staff will investigate all complaints by students about job postings, employers, or work assignments. If the CSA determines that a complaint is justified, the office may choose not to approve further positions for the employer involved.
CSA reserves the right to refuse or rescind approval of any jobs or internships or host on-campus interviewing for any recruiting organization. The CSA and all employers they represent are expected to abide by the "Principles for Ethical Professional Practice" as published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
The University does not discriminate unlawfully on the basis of the following: race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, gender expression, or gender identity, marital or parental status, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, or veteran status.
The University prohibits unlawful harassment of students, employees, and third parties on the basis of any protected characteristic as identified above.
For more information, visit the Office for Equal Opportunity, Diversity and Affirmative Action/Title IX
Note: By registering for any of the University’s recruiting programs and services or posting a job, employers are acknowledging their employment and hiring practices are consistent with Fitchburg State’s prohibition against discrimination and harassment.
Where an employer provides an internship to a Fitchburg State student, the employer also acknowledges and agrees to the following requirements:
As part of the on-boarding and initial training, providing the student with:
- Copy of the employer’s non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies
- Information about how to report discrimination or harassment
- The name and contact information of personnel designated by the employer for reporting workplace harassment
- Information about the prohibition against retaliation.
- Notify Fitchburg State University of allegations of discrimination or harassment involving an Fitchburg State student (either as a complainant or respondent) to allow Fitchburg State to provide appropriate supportive measures or pursue an internal investigation.
Additionally, the CSA encourages all hiring organizations to commit to the following diversity, equity, and belonging practices when recruiting our students:
- Consciously provide students and alumni with educational opportunities to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion competency.
- Take action to create an increasingly diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce by engaging in continuous organizational self-assessment aimed at overcoming systematic organizational and societal barriers.
- Implement equitable opportunities for historically underrepresented or marginalized individuals and groups to participate in organizational change within your organization despite position or authority.
- Expand opportunities for your organization’s senior leadership to understand the experience of historically underrepresented hires by centering their voices and incorporating their feedback into organizational decision-making.
For an in-person, on-site internship or a hybrid internship with elements of in-person tasks and remote work, you need to adhere to your local, state, or health department COVID-19 guidelines.
For safety and liability concerns, the Fitchburg State CSA will not post house or family job listings where an employee will work out of someone else’s dwelling (house, apartment, condo, etc.) or door-to-door. This includes childcare, tutoring, domestic care, pet care, skilled labor, in-home sales, home-based organizations, etc. Students and community members interested in engaging in these employment categories may consider Care.com, Sittercity.com, Taskrabbit.com and Rover.com.
Fitchburg State University adheres to federal law regarding marijuana. Employers whose primary business is in the cannabis industry are not permitted to post jobs or internships in Handshake, on Fitchburg State social media platforms, or otherwise recruit on campus or virtually.
Massachusetts law, G.L. c. 94G, §2 allows our administration to create rules and prohibit, on our campus, otherwise legal behavior concerning marijuana. Under federal law, marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance having no acceptable medical or recreational use. 21 U.S.C. § 812(c).4 The Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act (DFSCA) requires universities to prohibit marijuana possession, use, or distribution by students, faculty and staff. Colleges and universities that receive financial aid, grants and other federal funding must comply with the DFSCA and its related federal regulations —even in states that have legalized marijuana. Noncompliance could result in our institution losing federal funding. Title 34 CFR Subtitle A, Part 86, § 86.1-86.7, and 86.300-86.304.56.
All organizations participating in any on-campus or virtual recruiting programs through the CSA, including career fairs, must be actively recruiting for (1) full-time, salaried positions or (2) structured internship opportunities that align with our internship policies. Without exception, we expect all organizations to adhere to the U.S. Department of Labor Fair Labor Standards Act when it comes to wages and compensation. Organizations not adhering to these guidelines will not be able to participate in on-campus or virtual recruiting events or post opportunities in Handshake. Positions that are solely based on commission with no base pay are not permitted.
Without written permission from the Associate Director for Internship Coordination and Employer Relations, third-party recruiters are not permitted to participate in any on-campus or virtual recruiting events unless they are recruiting for their organization and not for other clients. Third-party recruiters seeking to post jobs in Handshake may email the Associate Director for Internship Coordination and Employer Relations to inquire.
Multi-level (“pyramid”) organizations are not allowed to participate in any on-campus or virtual recruiting events or post opportunities in Handshake or any other Fitchburg State platform.
This guide provides faculty with information about the ethical and legal implications associated with referring students for internship and employment opportunities.
- Cancellations and Refunds
- All cancellations should be sent to careercenter@fitchburgstate.edu
- Cancellations received 14 business days prior to the event will receive a full refund
- An organization who is a no-show for an event or cancels after the deadline may not be able to attend future events and may also lose recruiting privileges
- Payment
- If an employer has not paid the registration fee 14 business days before the event, we may cancel your registration and give the table to an employer on our waiting list
- Future event registration for an organization with an unpaid balance will not be approved until full payment is received, and access to all other recruiting services will also be denied
Employer information tables may be scheduled through CSA for appropriate locations on campus. Tables may only be placed in areas designated by University policies. Information tables are to attract students to the display, information and your representatives. Organizational representatives are not to approach students moving through the building who do not overtly show interest in the information. Any organization which does not abide by these policies will be asked to cease and desist. Any further violation will result in the cancellation of the current and all future information tables and any other on-campus recruitment activity.