On-Campus Interviews

What Are On-Campus Interviews?

Each fall and spring semester, employers visit JMU to interview students for full-time and internship positions in University Career Center’s Interview Center. You can search and interview for these positions on Handshake without having to leave campus!

Applying to on-campus interview positions is one of many methods for conducting a job or internship search. Meet with a University Career Center Advisor on the third floor of the Student Success Center to identify additional methods and resources to meet your goals.

Apply to On-Campus Interview Positions

1. Check out the list of on-campus interviews.
2. Select an employer to see their jobs and internships.
3. After selecting a position, you'll see a green "Apply" button, which will give you further instructions.
4. You will need to upload your resume as part of the application process, if it's not already in Handshake.

COVID Guidelines

As the COVID pandemic evolves, we are continually committed to the safety of our students, employer partners, and staff. As such, while we will offer limited on-campus interviewing during the spring 2021 semester, we have put new safety guidelines in place. We have reduced our available interview capacity from 14 individual interview rooms to 1 large conference room for 1:1 interviews with no more than one organization per day, to allow better social distancing during the interview season. We will also be adjusting student check-in and check-out processes to minimize touching of surfaces.

Please be aware that all visiting employers and students will be required to follow the below policies in order to utilize the Interview Center: 

• All individuals must wear a mask at all times while in the Interview Center. This includes during 1:1 interviews.
• Only the employer representatives needed to conduct interviews may visit the Interview Center. We are not allowing greeters in order to limit the number of people present. For companies that have booked the entire Interview Center, up to 2 greeters may attend the interview day. However, greeters cannot stay in the lobby area to network during the interviews; they must have their own interview room to work in during the day.
• We will only allow one student and one interviewer per room.
• There will be no handshakes or other forms of physical contact during your interview day.
• Paper copies of resumes should not be exchanged during the interview day; employers may reach out to students to request an electronic version beforehand instead.
• If for any reason you are uncomfortable with an in-person interview you have scheduled, please reach out to our office or your employer point of contact to request a virtual interview option. We are encouraging all employers to be flexible and allow students to interview in the method that best suits their comfort level.
• Should you begin to feel ill prior to your scheduled interview, develop a fever, or exhibit any other COVID symptoms, please contact our office immediately via phone or email so that we can help you reschedule your interview.

Please reach out to us at handshake@jmu.edu or 540-568-7379 with any questions or concerns about these policies prior to your interview date.

No Show and Late Cancellation Policy

When you sign up for an interview time, you are making a commitment to attend that interview. Late cancellations (not made at least 24 business hours in advance) are not acceptable. If you fail to appear for an interview, or make a last-minute cancellation, you are considered a No Show.*

If you do not show for or cancel your interview late, your Handshake account will be blocked and you will be unable to sign up for interviews on campus. For your account to be unblocked in Handshake, you must email an apology to the employer, while CC’ing handshake@jmu.edu. Two No Show offenses will result in a loss of all on-campus interviewing privileges.

*The No Show and Late Cancellation Policy is not applicable to Room Only schedules, as employer-candidate correspondence is managed outside of Handshake and cannot be tracked and verified justly by our office in the event of a missed interview. However, it is our strong recommendation that the same principles of interviewing etiquette and professionalism are applied. When you sign up for an interview, you are making a commitment to attend that interview.

Interview Etiquette

• You are responsible for remembering the dates and times of your interviews.
• Please report promptly for your interview, preferably 10 minutes early. Check in at the front desk within the Interview Center, then wait in the lobby area until the interviewer greets you for your interview.
• Always bring an extra copy of your resume with you to the interview.
• A thank you letter or email is considered proper etiquette and should be sent after each interview.
• It is unethical to participate in on-campus interviews for the sole purpose of practicing for interviews. In accepting an invitation to interview, you are indicating your serious interest in that organization. Misrepresenting who you are or the qualifications you possess is unethical and may result in termination of employment once it is uncovered.
• Once you have accepted an offer, your search is concluded. At this time, you must notify other employers with whom you may have scheduled interviews to indicate that your status is no longer actively searching. Give careful consideration to your options before making a decision; once you accept a position, you are obligated to take that commitment seriously.

On-Campus Interview Terms

• Preselects: Candidates whom the employer has chosen to interview. 
• Alternates: The employer may choose a list of supplemental candidates who many sign up if there are remaining interview time slots after the Preselects have had first opportunity to sign up. During the signup period, the Preselects have the right to sign up, then the Alternates are allowed to sign up during the latter part of the period.
• Preselect Interview: An interview in which students/alumni meeting the Event Requirements submit their resumes to the employer via Handshake. The employer reviews the resumes and then chooses the candidates they wish to interview.
• Open Interview: An interview in which students can apply and sign up for an interview time slot.

Practice Interviewing

It's a good idea to practice interviewing before the real thing. We have great options for practicing your interview skills:

• Practice Interview Event (PIE) - A one-day event early each semester that offers opportunities to practice interviewing with employers and receive feedback on your interviewing skills half-way through your session. 
• InterviewStream - Practice interviewing with a webcam from the comfort of your own home. InterviewStream provides thousands of pre-recorded questions for you to respond to. After recording your interview, you can watch it again or send to others for feedback.

Questions?

If you have any concerns regarding an employer you may contact JMU’s Employer Services Team at handshake@jmu.edu. Contact us at handshake@jmu.edu.