The ILR Office of Career Services is committed to the success of employers and students throughout the recruitment process. We have outlined the best practices below to help employers most successfully engage with ILR students and maintain positive branding on campus. Angela Shurtleff, Employer Connections Specialist, is available at ilrcareerrecruiting@cornell.edu to assist employers through the process of recruiting ILR students.

Write Effective Job Postings on Handshake

When posting open positions on Handshake, recruiters should include information that will help students determine if they are a good fit for the position and if the organization is a good fit for them. The more transparent employers are, the more likely they are to get a strong applicant pool. Successful position postings include:

  • Clear expectations for positions
  • Roles and responsibilities
  • Number of hours per week expected
  • Wage (if offered)
  • Outline of training offered
  • Professional development opportunities
  • What you are looking for in an employee
  • Class year (flexibility with class year will yield better results since many ILR students have fantastic experience regardless of their class years)
  • Experience level
  • Skills (technical and soft)
  • Qualifications

Once the job postings have been submitted on Handshake, notify Angela Shurtleff. The job postings will only be visible to students once they have been attached to the related interview schedules. It is recommended the postings be uploaded soon after confirmation since students frequently check Handshake postings to gauge fall recruitment activity. Learn more about effectively scheduling on-campus and virtual interviews.

Recruitment Events and Activities Best Practices

Engaging meaningfully with students is an important part of the recruitment process, and the most successful Info Sessions, Office Hours, events and activities go beyond simply informing students of organization culture and open positions.  

  • Discuss possible career paths within the organization.  
  • Anticipate questions from a student audience (what will they learn, how does the organization support professional development, what is the path from an internship to a full-time offer, etc.).
  • Provide ample opportunities for questions and networking.
  • Give students clear expectations (number of interview rounds, timelines, etc.) surrounding the recruitment process.li>
  • Keep engagement interactive and interesting. Consider:
    • Using breakout rooms for students to connect with employees/alumni
    • Using virtual polling
    • Sharing personal stories from employees
    • Keeping things informal and conversational
    • Providing pre-meeting prompts for students to come prepared to discuss

Effectively Monitor Applications and Host Interviews

To ensure a seamless recruiting process and positively represent your brand to seeking students, regularly monitor position résumé submissions in Handshake and update candidate status. 

Email students to let them know they are invited to interview and remind them of any scheduled presentations or information sessions, or any forms they may need to complete prior to their interviews.

Monitor schedule sign-ups in Handshake and connect with Angela Shurtleff if the schedule is not as expected.

Maintain Regular Communication with Candidates

Notify students regarding decisions and next steps in a timely manner. Students rely on the established response dates to make good decisions while considering their options. Employers who adhere to well-established and short timelines impress upon the student that they are truly interested in their candidacy.

Consider establishing a contact person for consistency in communication and developing a personalized relationship with students.

Maintaining regular communication with candidates can help the students stay engaged with the organization’s brand throughout the recruiting process. Students may be engaging with a large number of employers and fielding multiple offers, and employers need to communicate consistently in order to attract the most sought-after talent. Check in with them, schedule virtual opportunities for them to connect with alumni or other employees and remind them of the employer’s interest to keep them engaged.

Engage with Student Groups and Organizations

ILR students are actively involved in many clubs and organizations, many of which offer students meaningful professional development opportunities through employer engagement. OCS encourages student groups to partner with employers and seeks to ensure a positive experience by requiring employers to contact ilrcareerrecruiting@cornell.edu before reaching out to student groups to request partnership on events. If contacted by a student group to participate in, or host, an event, employers must contact ilrcareerrecruiting@cornell.edu to ensure there are no conflicts in recruitment scheduling.