Business Career ManagementPolicies & Procedures

COMMITMENT TO BUSINESS CAREER MANAGEMENT POLICIES & PROCEDURES

By registering for Handshake, you commit to adhere to the Business Career Management Policies & Procedures listed below. These policies have been designed with the best interests of Business students and alumni in mind and to help you understand what is expected of you. Please observe the highest professional and ethical standards and see yourself as we see you – as an ambassador to the business community, representing Florida International University’s College of Business.

ACCOUNT PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBLITIES

Our face-to-face services are for fully admitted students (BBA, BAcc, MAcc, MBA, and MS) in the College of Business and FIU Business alumni (up to two years post-graduation).

We provide you with self-assessment tools, individual student advising, resume referral, and on-campus interviews for internships and permanent employment opportunities. Our goal is to help you be an active participant in the continuing development, evaluation, and implementation of your personal career plans.

Please note that students and alumni who have or are receiving minors in business are not eligible for our services. These students are eligible to use the services of the FIU Career and Talent Development, located in SASC 305.

It is your responsibility to take care of your account by not sharing your password or access with others and ensuring the accuracy of your profile information. Only documents belonging to you may be uploaded into your account and may not contain fraudulent information. If documents not belonging to you are found in your account, you will lose access to the Business Career Management for the remainder of the semester or 60 days, whichever is greater. A second offense will result in permanent loss of access.

RESUMES

Resume Ethics

When uploading your resume and other documents in Handshake, you are responsible for ensuring that all content is true and accurate, including GPA, degrees earned or in progress, employer information, memberships, awards, etc. It is not appropriate to list degrees on your resume unless you have actually begun taking classes towards its completion; the intent to begin or admittance into a program of study is not sufficient. Students submitting documents that are found to be fraudulent risk losing access to the Business Career Management permanently.

Resume Approval Process – VMock & Handshake

Your resume is a reflection of who you are as a professional. It should be descriptive and well written, with NO grammatical or spelling errors. To help you have the best possible and most impactful resume, the Office of Business Career Management provides access to the VMock Smart Resume Platform (www.vmock.com/fiucms). 

To access the VMock tool, please go to www.vmock.com/fiucms and login using your FIU Credentials.  FIU Business students receive 10 uploads per calendar year in VMock.

All current undergraduate and graduate students at FIU Business must upload their resumes into VMock and meet a minimum score of 65, prior to uploading their resume into Handshake. If a student does not meet the minimum score, they should immediately schedule an appointment with their dedicated career counselor to review the resume.

To ensure quality, resumes uploaded into Handshake database are reviewed and critiqued in the order they are received. This generally takes up to 3 business days, and longer during peak times. You may need to revise and resubmit your resume prior to final approval.

Resumes should be uploaded into Handshake at least 2 weeks prior to any special event, which includes on campus interviews and career fairs. Submitting your resume early allows for necessary revisions and avoids missing any deadlines. It is recommended that masters students have their resume reviewed prior to uploading in Handshake. Please email your respective program career advisor directly to arrange a review.

Although there are a variety of resume styles and formats, our office has specific parameters that we have developed based on years of feedback from the companies who partner with our office. Undergraduate students and alumni please see the Resume Writing Guide on your Handshake homepage for further information.

JOB POSTINGS

When viewing postings in Handshake, please make note of some important differences. Many jobs are posted by employers who are simply looking for qualified candidates to fill an opening with their organization. There are also positions posted by employers who have listed their opportunities with the specific intent of conducting interviews on campus, as discussed below. When applying for such positions, it is important to be mindful of the timeline of events. These dates will only appear for on-campus interview schedules. If it is a regular job posting, you will only see the deadline to apply on the right-hand side.

ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEWS AND ETIQUETTE LUNCHES/DINNER

Initial impressions are important, so arriving early for an interview is critical. Missed appointments can damage long standing relationships with employers who have scheduled their time in order to meet with you.

How to Identify Companies Conducting On-Campus Interviews (OCR)

When viewing job postings, it is very important that you look at the list of dates on the right hand
side of the full job description. Some of these dates include:

• Resume Submission Start: The first day that you may submit your application.
• Resume Submission End: The last date that your application will be accepted. This is set by the employer. BCM is not able to make exceptions for late applications.
• Employer Select Start: Employers begin selecting candidates they are interested in interviewing.
• Employer Select End: Employers must make final candidate selections.
• Preselect Sign-Up Start: Candidates who have been invited to interview will see the status of their pending interviews change to “invited.” Those who have been invited may start signing up for interview times on this date.
• Schedule Close: Interviews will be finalized. After this date no changes may be made to your interview time without violating BCM policy.

It is your responsibility to make note of these dates to ensure that you do not miss out on the opportunity to interview if you are selected. Students and alumni sign up for interview times on a first come, first served basis.

How do Employers Select

Companies identify specific criteria that potential candidates must meet in order to apply for positions posted in Handshake. Exceptions of any kind cannot be made by the Business Career Management staff.

Please confirm that your profile is updated and accurate at all times to ensure that you are able to apply for all job postings that you may be eligible for. If you feel there is an error with a posting, please contact the Business Career Management so that we may verify with the employer.

If Selected for an On-Campus Interview

When selecting an interview time, please ensure that it does not conflict with your other commitments, including class schedules, exams, presentations, etc. Late cancellations for reasons other than emergencies will be considered a no show. The schedule date and available times are determined by the recruiter and Business Career Management cannot accommodate special requests. Selected students who are interested in interviewing but are not able to attend on the interview date may inform the Business Career Management in advance of the conflict. It is at the employer’s discretion to reschedule.

Once your Interview is scheduled

Once you have been selected for an interview, please plan ahead by researching the company, position, and preparing several questions for your interviewer. You are required to come dressed in professional business attire. Arrive at least 10 minutes prior to allow time to sign in and complete any necessary documents. Bring extra copies of your resume and transcripts, if required.

When you need to cancel

Cancellations are strongly discouraged, and no shows are completely unacceptable. However, sometimes it may be necessary to cancel an interview.

You can withdraw your interview as long as the sign-up deadline has not passed, which is usually 2 business days prior to your interview. After that time, it is considered a late cancellation. Late cancellations require you to call the office directly at 305.348.7396. Provide us with your name, your phone number, the company name and position title, and your reason for cancelling. Any calls received at or after the scheduled interview time will be considered a no show if the situation is not an emergency. In cases of emergencies, such as the death of a family member, you are still expected to contact the Business Career Management so that we can alert the recruiter that you will not be able to attend the interview.

***It is your responsibility to keep track of each step in the on-campus recruiting process and any Business Career Management event.

Violations

• Failure to attend (no show) a scheduled on-campus interview or an etiquette lunch/dinner may result in an official warning placed in your account records and your account being blocked in Handshake. In order to reinstate your access, a typed apology letter must be written to the employer involved. You will be required to schedule an appointment with your career advisor and bring this letter for critique and approval, along with a stamped envelope.
• If you cancel an on-campus interview after the schedule closes but before the start of your appointment (late cancellation) an official warning will be placed on your account, subjecting you to account restrictions for future violations.
• A second late cancellation or a first missed interview after a previous late cancellation will result in a loss of all the Business Career Management privileges through the end of the semester or 60 days, whichever is greater.
• If you do not attend a scheduled on-campus interview on more than one occasion (which may occur in the same day), your account will be blocked for 1 calendar year.
• Student with repeat offenses and serious violations will be required to schedule an appointment with the Director to discuss their behavior and run the risk of losing their Business Career Management privileges permanently.
• If you have signed up for and reserved a place for the etiquette lunch/dinner and do not attend, you will be responsible for paying the full cost of your attendance. In addition, it is at the discretion of the Business Career Management staff as to whether you will be allowed to attend a future etiquette lunch/dinner.

OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT

Carefully review any offers of employment, as a verbal or written acceptance on your part should be considered a commitment. It is never appropriate to accept a job offer, either verbal or written, and later renege. If you find you are having a difficult time making a decision, please meet with your career advisor for assistance. Once you have accepted a job offer, your job search should come to an end.

We do not condone reneging on employment acceptances. If it is determined that you have reneged on an acceptance, your account will be blocked until you meet with your career advisor to discuss.

WORKSHOPS & INFORMATION SESSIONS

Attending career workshops is a way for students and alumni to help develop skills to manage your career. To see available workshops and which companies are conducting information sessions, sign into Handshake and click on the Events Tab.

For both workshops and information sessions, space is limited, so it is required that you RSVP to save your space. If you RSVP and do not attend, it takes away the opportunity for other students. In order to cancel, you must remove your RSVP in Handshake at least 24 hours before the event begins. If it is a late cancellation (within 24 hours), please contact the office at 305.348.7396.

Company information sessions are a critical part of the research that you need to effectively prepare for your job search. In addition, it enables you to personally meet a representative from the company and ask questions. This is how you learn about career options, company culture and environment, and career trends so that you can make informed decisions. If you have scheduled an interview with an employer, you should always attend their presentation.

Violations

• Failure to attend a workshop or information session without providing cancellation notice at least 24 hours in advance will result in a first offense warning.
• If you repeat the offense, then your rights to sign up for workshops/events will be blocked for the following 30 days.

CAREER COACHING APPOINTMENTS

Scheduling

Appointments are scheduled directly with your assigned career advisor, who is assigned by major and degree level. If you have multiple majors, you will be assigned to the advisor who works with the field you would most like to pursue. If you do not know who your counselor is, please call our office for more information at 305.348.7396.

Timeliness and Cancellation

As with any scheduling commitment, it is expected that you will arrive on time. We understand that occasionally things happen to delay your arrival. Should you be running late for whatever reason, it is your responsibility to contact us prior to the start of your appointment. It will be up to the discretion of your career advisor to see you for the time remaining or to reschedule at their convenience.

It is important that you keep scheduled appointments. Should you need to cancel, we ask that you contact us 24 hours in advance as a courtesy to others who may be in need of assistance. If you do not cancel with appropriate notice you will have the opportunity to reschedule at your advisor’s convenience.

Walk-In Hours

Walk-ins are for brief 15-minute resume critiques and quick questions only. If you need more time with a counselor, please schedule an appointment. Check the announcements section on the homepage of your Handshake account for dates and times or contact the Business Career Management office directly. Scheduled walk-in hours are subject to change.

Please note walk-in hours may not be available during:

• The first two weeks of each semester and finals week
• University holidays and when classes are not in session the day of Career Fair (Fall and Spring)

EXIT SURVEY

All students completing a degree in the College of Business are encouraged to complete the exit survey (FDS or MBACSEA) in Handshake. This information will be compiled and reported to meet the accreditation requirements of the College and various publications that rank business programs nationally.

HOW TO REINSTATE A BLOCKED ACCOUNT

If you find that your account has been blocked, please contact your career advisor in order to determine the nature of the block. In some cases, you may need to schedule an appointment with your career advisor and/or complete certain requirements to regain access.

APPEALS PROCESS

If you have violated one of the Business Career Management policies and procedures and feel that your situation warrants exception, you have the opportunity to file an appeal. In order to begin this process, you will need to submit a detailed written explanation of the circumstances and provide any documentation that may help your case. Once submitted, the Director will make a recommendation on a final course of action.

Policies Revised January 2020