Recruiting Policies
The MIT Careers Office adheres to recruiting policies established by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). NACE maintains that serving alcohol should not be part of the recruitment process. Therefore, all recruiting activity (including Information Sessions) having MIT students as participants should be alcohol free. The MIT Careers Office will not advertise any employer's on-campus activities unless the employer can guarantee the event will be alcohol free. For more information, please read our Alcohol Free Recruiting Policy.
Offers To Students
According to the Principles for Professional Conduct established by NACE, "Employers are expected to provide students with a reasonable amount of time to make decisions about accepting an employment offer. (Employers) are also expected to provide students with a reasonable process for making such decisions. In addition, it is improper for employers to impose undue pressure on students regarding acceptance of job offers, including pressure on the student to revoke their acceptance of a job offer from another employer".
The MIT Careers Office firmly believes that allowing students adequate time to make an informed decision whether to accept or decline an offer is in the best interest of both students and employers. Students feel more secure in their choices after they have analyzed all the information available to them, and employers can feel more confident that students have accepted their offer with every intention of honoring their commitment.
Fall Offers for Full-Time positions
Employers extending offers during Fall On-Campus Recruiting for full-time positions must give students until November 15, or a minimum of one month from the date of the offer - whichever is later - to respond to that offer, without pressure to respond on an earlier date.
Off-Season Offers for Full-Time or Internship positions
Employers extending offers during the Winter (December, January or early February, before the start of Spring On-Campus Recruiting) for full-time positions or internships must give students until March 15 or a minimum of two weeks from the date of the offer - whichever is later - to respond to that offer, without pressure to respond on an earlier date.
Full-Time Offers to Summer interns
Employers who extend offers for full-time employment to students who have had a Summer internship with the employer must give that student until November 15 or a minimum of one month from the date of the offer - whichever is later - for offers made in the Summer or Fall. For offers made in the Winter or Spring following the completion of the summer internship, the employer must give the student until March 15 or a minimum of two weeks - whichever is later - without pressure to respond on an earlier date.
Spring Interviews: Summer Internships
Employers conducting interviews during the Spring semester for Summer internships must give students until March 15, or a minimum of two weeks from the date of the offer - whichever is later - to respond to that offer, without pressure to respond on an earlier date.
Spring Interviews: Full-Time Positions
Employers conducting interviews in the Spring semester for full-time positions must give students until March 15 or a minimum of two weeks from the date of the offer - whichever is later - to respond to that offer, without pressure to respond on an earlier date.
Interview Rounds
MIT Careers Office recruiting policies require that students do not cancel or forego scheduled first-round interviews with one employer to attend second-round interviews with another. MIT frowns upon missed appointments. Students doing so can be severely penalized for missed interviews and late cancellations.
The MIT Careers Office realizes that employers have constraints on their ability to accommodate student needs, but we ask employers to support students in upholding prior commitments to academics and other previously scheduled interviews. In order to assure students' ability to comply with our policy, we have established the following guidelines for employers.
Second-round interviews held on-campus on Saturdays or at times not in conflict with other employers' first-round on-campus interviews are strongly encouraged and can be scheduled during peak recruiting periods each semester.
When non-conflicting or Saturday second-round interviews are not feasible options, the following guidelines must be honored. We ask that employers extend invitations for on-campus second-round interviews to students a minimum of 72 hours before the student's second-round interviews are scheduled to be held. Off-campus second-round interviews should be scheduled no sooner than seven days after the student's initial interview.
Students should not be asked, nor be expected, to cancel a first round interview with one employer in order to make a second round interview with another employer. Employers must offer alternative dates, without negative consequences, for a second-round interview if the date originally suggested by the employer interferes with a student's first-round interview on campus, exam or other valid conflict. It should be clearly communicated to students that they will not immediately be eliminated from the pool of second-round candidates should they be unable to meet on the first interview date suggested.
Exploding Offers
No special incentive(s) should be held out to induce early acceptance of an offer, nor should a student be subjected to the terms of an "exploding offer." "Exploding Offers" is a general term used to include a quick response time, reduction in offer package, or any other practice that puts unreasonable pressure on a student (for example, statements such as "If I offer you the position today, will you take it?").
Exploding offers and bonuses put enormous pressure on students to make decisions before they have completed the interviewing process. Most students are not ready to make a final decision before completing all their interviews. Furthermore, students with exploding offers often call other employers in an attempt to arrange early interviews, thus inconveniencing these other firms. Finally, pressure to accept early makes it harder for us to enforce our policies against reneging. Students given sufficient time to gather thorough information related to all available job opportunities are more likely to make good long-term employment decisions and less likely to renege on job acceptances.
Same-Day Callbacks; Recruiting Timelines, Etc.
We encourage employers to describe recruiting timelines and/or procedures in their job descriptions. For example, an employer should notify students in advance if second-round interviews are planned on campus 72 hours after the first interview. An employer should also notify students in advance if the employer plans an evening call-back dinner or other events the same evening as the first interview. This allows students to make arrangements in advance with professors for exams, classes or other commitments. Employers should be aware that many professors will not excuse students from class or exams for recruiting-related activities.
Full Disclosure of Start Date and Basis of Compensation
Start Dates - All offer letters must include a start date. Candidates who interview with employers on campus expect to start work after graduation and by mid-September at the latest. Employers who anticipate start dates later than September 15 must disclose this information to the students in their job descriptions and when scheduling on-campus recruiting dates. Employers who knowingly delay employment start dates beyond the start date specified in the offer letter will not be permitted to recruit on-campus for at least one year.
Basis of Compensation - Employers who compensate employees based solely on commission (i.e. without a base salary as well) must clearly and precisely disclose this information in their job description. Employers who compensate employees based on partial commissions must disclose accurate estimates of expected earnings in their job descriptions. They must also present an accurate base salary/expected first year salary at that time.
Pre-Employment Testing - MITCO prohibits on-campus pre-employment testing of MIT students by employers. Employers may make arrangements for testing facilities at nearby hotels. Exceptions to this policy must be approved, in advance, by the Associate Director of Employer Relations.
Cancellation Policy
Invoiced and fully-paid interview room reservations that are cancelled 30 or more days prior to the interview date will be fully refunded. However, companies that cancel their room reservation less than 30 days prior to the dates of their interviews will be liable for the full reservation fee. This policy realistically reflects the minimum time period required for a company to reserve a room, post a job and recruit students for an On-Campus Recruiting event.
Consequences of Unacceptable Recruiting Practices
Students rely on our relationship with employers to advise them and insulate them from problematic or unethical practices. To do anything other than honor our commitment to our students would show negligence and complete disregard for the well being of our charges.
Note that employers knowingly violating the policies we have set forth above may receive deferred interview dates or be denied access to the recruiting program for the following season. Letters to on-campus student groups will be submitted that name the employer involved and the behavior being acted upon whenever such penalties are imposed.
