On-Campus Recruiting
As a UMass Amherst student, you can meet and interact with employers on campus in three ways: visit one of our career fairs, attend an employer information session, or take part in on-campus interviewing.
Career Fairs
Information Sessions
On-Campus Interviews
Career Fairs
Many employers use career fairs to promote their job opportunities and to pre-screen applicants. Most of these fairs consist of booths and tables staffed by recruiters and other representatives from each organization. For students, a fair can be an excellent place to gather information about potential employers, make contacts that could lead to a job, learn more about an employer’s application process and timeline, and discover new options.
UMass Amherst hosts a range of career fairs throughout the year. They include:
- Community Service Learning Fair
- Engineering and Computer Science Job Fair
- Stockbridge School of Agriculture Job Fair
- Campus-Wide Career Fair
- Life Sciences and Environmental Career Fair
- ALANA (African-American, Latino/a, Asian-American, and Native American) Job Fair
- Summer, Co-op, and Internship Opportunities Fair
- Isenberg School of Management (ISOM) Career Fair
- Education Job Fair
Approach every job fair professionally. Bring copies of your resume, prepare to pitch yourself to potential employers, and dress and act appropriately. Download Make Your First Professional Contacts at the Career Fair and Sell Yourself at the Career Fair for tips on making the most of these events.
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Information Sessions
Some employers will arrange information sessions, generally the evening before they conduct on-campus interviews. If you have scheduled an interview with the organization, they will expect you to attend. The information session will help you prepare for the upcoming interview and learn more about the organization. It is also an excellent opportunity to make a good impression right from the start.
For a schedule of information sessions, go to the Events Calendar or check the calendar posted on eRecruiting.
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On-Campus Interviews
You may have opportunities to interview with prospective employers on campus. The companies who come to campus to interview are generally those who:
- Have budgets and staff to travel
- Anticipate multiple openings
- Are seeking entry-level employees
- Have had past success recruiting students at UMass Amherst
On-campus interviews are managed through the UMass Amherst eRecruiting portal. On the site, you will find a list of employers who have scheduled interviews and links to job descriptions and application instructions. (Go to Job Listings for more on eRecruiting.)
Timeline
Employers interview on campus from early October until mid-December, and again from mid-February until the end of April. Many only interview in the fall, so it’s best to start early. If you have gotten a late start and missed some interview opportunities you can work with Career Services to make contact with employers.
Getting Started
Check the “Interview Schedule” on eRecruiting frequently to see which employers will interview on campus. If you are interested in a position, read the description and research the organization through its Web site.
Each listing includes instruction on how to apply for an interview and information about deadlines. This process will include uploading a resume through the eRecruiting site. (Go to Resumes and Cover Letters for tips on preparing these.) Once you have completed the application process, the employer will review your resume for consideration.
Landing an Interview
Check eRecruting frequently and read your email daily. If you are invited to interview, you must accept or decline the opportunity and choose an interview time. If you fail to appear for a scheduled interview you may lose your on-campus interviewing privileges.
Interviewing
Some recruiters arrange information sessions the night before their on-campus interviews (see Information Sessions above). These are often mandatory, so you should plan to attend.
Interviews generally take place at Career Services, but be sure to check on eRecruiting for the exact location. You should approach any on-campus interview with the same professionalism you would an interview at the employer’s headquarters. For extensive tips on how to prepare, dress, and behave, as well as questions to expect and questions to ask, go to Interviewing.
Cancellation and Changes
If you decide to cancel an interview before the deadline, you may remove your resume online. If an employer has invited you to interview, you have the option to decline, but once you have accepted, you should follow through.
If you must cancel an interview, call Career Services at 413-545-2224 as soon as possible. This may allow another student the opportunity to interview in your place and will help us preserve UMass Amherst’s reputation among recruiters. You may be required to speak with a senior staff member before being excused. As a courtesy, you must write an apology to the recruiter and send a copy to us.
In some cases, an employer may cancel their recruiting visit. This may be due to low student response, as it is not cost-efficient for recruiters to come to campus for just a few candidates. Recruiters may also cancel due to restructuring or changes at their company.
Receiving an Offer
Congratulations! Go to Job Offers and Compensations Packages for advice on how to weigh a job offer and how to accept or decline.
Please let us know as soon as you have accepted a position. We want to congratulate you, and we also need to collect employment data for our records and for the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). You can download our Report a Job form and email it back to us at ccnhelp@acad.umass.edu.
Once you have accepted an offer, you should no longer apply for campus interviews.
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