Recruiting Guidelines and Expectations for Students

A job or internship posting in Handshake does not reflect the endorsement of the organization or role by Duke University or the Duke University Career Center. It is the responsibility of students to perform due diligence in researching employers when applying for internships/jobs and to thoroughly research the facts and reputation of the organization to which they are applying. Students should be prudent and use common sense and caution when applying for or accepting any position. If you are ever concerned about the validity of an organization or a role, please reach out to us at careeremployer@duke.edu.

Please be aware that organizations and individuals may present themselves as legitimate employers as part of a scam to elicit personal information and defraud their victims. We recommend familiarizing yourself with some of the red flags to consider during your search. Please reach out to our staff if you think you have come across a fraudulent employer.

Prior to beginning your internship and/or full-time job search and engaging with employers, we strongly encourage students to meet with a career advisor. It is expected that you fully research companies, identify the internship/job opportunities of interest, and attend recruiting events to learn more about the industry, organization, and role. Our career advisors can help you prepare for this process. You can find more information about connecting with our career advisors here.

Please also note that it is important (whether you are engaging with Duke alumni or another representative of an organization) to be respectful and timely in your outreach, follow up with employers, and give adequate time for them to respond back to you.

Reneging refers to someone accepting a job or internship offer and then declining the offer later for another opportunity. Once you accept a job or internship offer (verbally or in writing) whether via our recruiting program or in your independent search, you are expected to withdraw completely from all remaining search and interview processes. Reneging is inconsiderate and unprofessional and jeopardizes Duke’s reputation as well as your own in the employment community. Reneging may also negatively impact other students’ opportunities with that company.

When considering offers, take the time you need to think about your options (gather any needed information about the company, role, etc.), thank them for the offer, communicate with the appropriate individuals about your process and other considerations, ask for an offer extension if you need additional time, and make wise decisions that you can commit to. We strongly advise you to meet with a career advisor if you are considering an offer or if you are considering reneging on an offer already accepted. You can contact us at careerstudent@duke.edu if you have questions or you can schedule an appointment via Handshake with a career advisor.

If you happen to renege on an offer, we will follow up to learn more about your decision and provide guidance. Please understand that your decision impacts Duke’s relationship with the organization and your professional reputation.

We recommend that you become familiar with the recruiting guidelines and expectations for employers who are recruiting at Duke.

Interviews No Show

This policy applies to interviews (either virtual or in person) when a student does not appear for a scheduled interview and/or when a student cancels an interview with less than 24-hour notice.

• The student will be contacted by a Career Center staff member to schedule a conversation about the interview cancellation and discuss any next step(s).

Events No Show

Please note that when you sign up to engage with employers at Career Center events and fairs, you are expected to honor your commitment and show up to the scheduled event/fair time.  If you do not show up, it wastes employers’ time, takes the opportunity away from another student, and may negatively impact the company’s future engagement and recruiting with Duke and other Duke students.

It is important to honor the appointments and commitments that you make with employers. If you need to cancel, please do so at least 24 hours in advance (the exceptions would be in the case of an emergency or illness).

Falsifying data such as your GPA, dates of graduation, major/minor, work experience, eligibility to work in the United States or other information is unethical and in violation of the Duke Community Standard. If you falsify documents or misrepresent yourself to any employer, whether via our recruiting program or in your independent job search, the Career Center has the right to rescind your privileges to use our services. You may also be subject to disciplinary action through the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards (OSCCS).

Employers have the right to withdraw an offer or terminate your employment for misrepresentation.

Duke Internship Credit Policy
Direct academic credit cannot be given solely for an internship experience unless required as part of one’s academic program. However, students may seek support from a faculty member within an academic department or program for an independent study course that would include learning derived from the internship.

Independent Study Credit for Internships
Duke encourages and supports internships that entail independent or directed study in which a student collaborates with a faculty member to distill from an internship a certifiable academic experience that qualifies for course credit within the faculty member’s department or program. The faculty member is the sole judge of the work necessary to meet these course requirements. Students will normally find appropriate faculty members for such collaboration within their major department, most often with a faculty member with whom they have already done coursework or a faculty member who has an interest in the topic to be considered. It is also possible to identify and solicit faculty members in non-major fields. The sole criterion is that the faculty member finds the independent study or directed study to be sound academically and that the faculty member is willing to work with the student to achieve the goals of the course they design. This arrangement has been successful for some students.

Required or Recommended Internships
Duke encourages and supports internships that are required or recommended components of disciplinary curricula. Departments and programs establish their own criteria for such internships and the academic credit that may be earned for participation. Recognizing the value of this kind of experience, the university attempts to facilitate student participation in these internships.

Trinity College and Pratt School of Engineering Policies
For complete information on the university policy on internships and credit, please see Trinity Academic Policies & Procedures: Credit for Internships. For general information about Pratt School of Engineering Policies & Procedures, and information about internships (Duke Engineering does not offer credit for internships).

Additional Information
For additional questions and assistance regarding credit for internships, please contact Leigh Ann Muth-Waring, leighann.waring@duke.edu.

We hope you will take advantage of the full range of services we provide at the Career Center, beginning in your first year at Duke all the way through the first year after you graduate. Please read and be aware of the following information and policies regarding our services:

Advising Appointment Cancellation
If you need to cancel a scheduled appointment, please cancel your appointment in Handshake or contact the Career Center via email at careerstudent@duke.edu 24-hours prior to your appointment time or as soon as possible if illness is the cause. When you miss an appointment without contacting the office, a notation is made in your record and repeated no-shows will jeopardize your ability to schedule future appointments.

Tardiness
To minimize disruption for fellow students, if you arrive late, your appointment will be reduced by the number of minutes you arrive late. If you are more than 15-minutes late, you will be recorded as a no-show in your record.

Most information shared in career advising appointments remains confidential. In specific circumstances, the Career Center may be required to break confidentiality to protect you or identified others from harm. Duke Career Center staff protects the privacy and security of student records as governed by FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act). FERPA protects education records but permits communication with parents and university personnel in connection with a health or safety emergency.

The exceptions to maintaining confidentiality include:

• Compliance with the Duke University Student Sexual Misconduct Policy (Title IX) which states that with the exception of these confidential resources (Student Health, Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS), Women’s Center, Clergy who are acting as such in their professional role at Duke and Ombudsperson, all employees (Faculty and Staff) who become aware of conduct that might fall under this policy are expected to notify the Office of Student Conduct with the names of the parties involved and the details of the report.
• Career Center determines there is a clear, imminent threat to your health and/or safety or the health and safety of others.
• Career Center staff may be in contact with and/or may disclose information obtained through appointments with other university personnel who have a legitimate educational interest.

Please contact the Career Center with questions regarding this policy.