On-Campus Interviews (OCIs)

About On-Campus Interviews

On-campus interviews (OCIs) can take place on-campus or virtually through Handshake’s platform. Handshake allows you and the employer to track everything from room reservations to applications and interview attendance in Handshake by setting up an interview schedule. 

Setting Up Your Career Office for OCIs

Important: in order for employers to request to interview your students, you need to turn on and configure the Interview Settings for your career office.

1. Turn on interviews: Go to School Settings → Career Centers. Select your career center and select the Edit tab. Check the box ‘Available for interview schedules.’ 

2. Set preferences: Go to School Settings and set your preferences in the four tabs pertaining to interviews - Interview Preferences, Interview Schedule Templates, Interview Schedule Timelines, and Interview Seasons. See Handshake’s setup guide for further guidance.

Reviewing OCI Requests

When an employer requests an OCI through Handshake, they are required to select a career center to work with, so it is important that each career office is regularly reviewing their requests: 

1. Set a regular cadence in your office for checking interview requests

2. Go to only viewing All Career Centers 'Edit this' and select your career center

3. Vet the request. Check the Handshake: Major Group/Job Function/Employer Industry by College document to determine if the opportunity is a fit for your office or another UMN career office. IF:  

• YES: Approve the interview.

• YES FOR YOU AND OTHER OFFICES: Approve the interview, and include other offices by assigning (@ staff’s email address) it to the appropriate individual in the notes section.

• FIT FOR ANOTHER OFFICE: Note: If applicable, assign (@ staff’s email address) the job to the appropriate office in the notes field and specify following up about OCI.

• NOT RELEVANT TO ANY OFFICE: Send the OCI - decline not relevant email template.

Managing OCIs

All staff who will be managing interview schedules should take the Handshake Academy course Managing Interview Schedules.

Once you have approved an interview request, refer to how to Build an Interview Schedule in Handshake and the Guide to Managing On-Campus Interviews with Students. 

See also Handshake’s Help Center section on interview schedules for additional questions.