Employer Resources

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 and you have passed the vetting process, you will create a job posting and add Fitchburg State University as one of your 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. 

The aim of every internship at Fitchburg State University is to connect students with meaningful, real-world experience through valuable, applied learning. Depending on the academic program, internships are available to all undergraduate and graduate students either for academic credit or as non-credit experiences, herein referred to as “experience internships.”

Before you recruit a Fitchburg State intern, make sure you have:

• A job description that clearly states your company’s background, goals of the position and required skills
• Hours, salary, start and end dates
• Internship positions should be posted on Handshake

We strongly encourage employers to compensate interns. Interns add significant value to your organization and a paid internship may also create a more competitive applicant pool.

Companies posting unpaid internships must make it clear the position is unpaid and are encouraged to review the NACE position statement on U.S. internships and compensation and the criteria put forth by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

Post an internship on Handshake

The Fitchburg State University Career Services and Advising Center is dedicated to providing an equitable, and inclusive environment where students of all identities are supported in their career development.  We are committed to serving students, recent alumni and employers of all backgrounds. 

We are committed to supporting you in furthering inclusion in your workplace and recruitment process as this creates an environment that benefits both your organization as well as our students. This set of resources was created in response to conversations with employers around the question “How can our organization recruit and retain diverse talent?” We acknowledge that we are continuing to learn alongside you about best practices in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.

Why is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion important to the recruitment process?
U.S. Census Projections indicate that by 2045, the US will have a more racially diverse population where white people will no longer be in the numerical majority.  As the workplace changes over the coming years, you will need to create a workplace that is inclusive and welcoming to your workers.  Not only recruiting, but retaining diverse talent will become increasingly important. Additionally, hiring diverse talent leads to better performance in terms of overall profits and productivity.  

Related Resources:
Reaping The Benefits Of Doing D&I Right: Article from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) on the benefits of investing in diversity and inclusion work

Check out examples of companies being recognized for their diversity and inclusion work:
Forbes: America’s Best Employers For Diversity
Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equity Index

Why is it important to Fitchburg State students?

• A third of our student body are students of color and over 40 percent of our students are first-generation college students.
• We are proud to be recognized for upward social mobility in U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of colleges and universities.
• The state university system is committed to an Equity Agenda to ensure equitable outcomes for all students, including equitable career outcomes
• Students, your potential employees are seeking out employers that embrace and support diversity, equity and inclusion

Diversity Terminology
There are many existing resources on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion terminology and the importance of language in creating an inclusive environment.  Here are a few resources that we find particularly helpful.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Glossary: Comprehensive list of terminology from the University of Washington
70 Inclusive Language Principles That Will Make You A More Successful Recruiter: A resource from Handshake on inclusive language in the recruitment process
Pronouns Matter: Excellent resource from Pronouns.org that gives clear explanations of personal pronouns

Self-Assessment 
Work on diversity, inclusion and belonging begins with self-assessment at the departmental or organizational level These assessment tools allow for organizations to examine their current status and then strategize for how to improve in the future. 

National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 2022
A self-assessment tool that helps you identify goals, set benchmarks and develop an action plan. This is a basic framework that assumes a working knowledge of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. 

D5 DEI Self-Assessment
D5 is an organization dedicated to advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the field of philanthropy.  Their self-assessment is a tool for identifying areas of work that your foundation is already engaged in and opportunities for growth. 

Recruiting and Hiring Best Practices 
The first step to a diverse workforce is recruiting a wide pool of candidates from a variety of backgrounds and identities. Having a robust pool or candidates that hold a variety of identities should be the goal. Please review the following best practices and resources:

Job descriptions and applications

• Write strong job descriptions that encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply to your position.  Review your job posting language for inclusivity, and consider whether some of your education requirements can be substituted for training or work experience equivalencies.
• Be aware of the preference to white-sounding, heteronormative resumes and cover letters. Find ways to avoid name bias in making decisions on who to interview.
• Lack of transparency about hiring salaries contributes to the pay gaps that disadvantage women and people of color. One simple step you can take is to list the salary range in the job description and openly communicate it throughout the application process.

Related resources:

• Indeed for Employers: How to Write a Job Description: Resource from Indeed.com on how to write an effective job description
• Putting interns first at Handshake: 4 Tips for writing inclusive internship job descriptions: Resource from Handshake on internship descriptions, but most of the tips are relevant to full-time job descriptions as well

Recruiting and Hiring

• Set goals for recruitment targets from diverse demographics. Instead of setting your recruitment goals for diversity in general, communicate the value you are seeking by targeting candidates who identify as a person of color, LGBTQA+, female, a person with a disability, veteran, international or other historically marginalized populations. 
• Once you set your specific recruitment goals, utilize identity-based job boards and professional associations to advertise positions. You can find examples of these organizations on our Student Resources page under Affinity Group Employment Resources. 
• Be prepared to student questions about your commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Check out this resource from NACE for examples: Questions Students May Ask To Assess Your Organization’s Commitment To DEI

Related resources:

• Handshake Diversity and Inclusion: The Ultimate Guide for HR and Recruiting: Comprehensive guide from Handshake on infusing DE&I into the hiring process
• How to remove hiring bias from the recruiting process: Another resource from Handshake on being aware of and removing bias from recruitment

Internships 

• Ensure internships are paid.  Unpaid internships provide an unfair advantage to candidates who have the resources to afford an unpaid experience. Students at Fitchburg State University simply cannot afford to do this. Please review NACE’s position statement on Unpaid Internship and the Need for Federal Action for an in-depth look at this issue.

Related resources:

• Best Practices For Internship Programs: Resource from NACE on structuring and hiring for internship programs
• Open The Door: Disparities In Paid Internships: Research article from NACE on disparities in paid internship participation and outcomes

Employee Retention 
In addition to best practices that result in equitable recruitment and hiring practices, it is important to remember that retaining diverse talent is the ultimate goal and deserves focus as well. Spend the time to research best practices in retaining BIPOC employees and put in place practices that ensure an inclusive work environment.  Here are some resources that we find particularly helpful.

• Retaining Diverse Early Talent Not A “Check Box” Activity: Article from NACE on best practices in employee retention
• Inclusive Leadership: 10 Steps To Creating An Inclusive Workplace: Another resource from NACE on creating an inclusive workplace culture that leads to employee retention
• Effective employee resource groups are key to inclusion at work. Here’s how to get them right: Comprehensive article from McKinsey on the purpose and benefits of Employee Resource Groups

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Fitchburg State University 
Learn about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts at Fitchburg State University.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: an overview of the university’s DEI initiatives
Center for Diversity and Inclusiveness: student center focused on creating a diverse and inclusive environment on campus
Equal Opportunity and Title IX
Leading for Change: Fitchburg State's university-level diversity, equity, and inclusion team
University Facts and Figures
Institutional Data

Fall 2024

The following dates will not have on campus recruiting activities during fall semester:

Career Services and Advising hosts career fairs and recruiting events each semester.  Employers who wish to attend a career fair must submit their requests to attend on Handshake. If you have any questions regarding any of our events, please contact Susan Beddes, Associate Director for Internship Coordination and Employer Relations at sbeddes@fitchburgstate.edu or 978.665.3321.

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. 

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.

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.