Tips and Guidelines for Evaluating Positions

Along with the student provided information, a determination may be made following the NACE guidelines:

1. The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
2. The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.
3. The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.
4. There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.
5. There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience. *** The supervisor or mentor must have more knowledge in the field than student.
6. There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor.
7. There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals and a designated work area.

The student internship position may be denied if the employer criteria below are in question:

1. Employer requirement of significant personal funding by student to either obtain position or acquire training for a position
2. Employer requirement that a student provide personal information such as bank account and social security numbers during the application process
3. The posting is for a “pay to play” type of position, i.e., the applicant provides payment to a company to obtain a position with the guarantee of future income
4. A simple search suggests the email address associated with the posting is not associated with the actual business one site that can help with this is:  www.scam-detector.com/job-scams
5. The employer does not provide a business address but merely provides personal contact information
6. Failure to follow Federal EEO compliance guidelines
7. Use of non-specific email address as contact (i.e., “@hotmail” or “@gmail”)
8. Submission of unclear and/or questionable job duties
9. Offer of no salary unless student recruits others to participate (pyramid)
10. Use of private residence as an office or student work site
11. Receipt of complaints relevant to the program by students, alumni and/or staff

*Information provided in part by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 11.15.2021

Contents by: Shocker Career Accelerator, December 2022