On-Campus Interviewing

On-Campus Interviews (OCI) is the term used for when employers come to campus to conduct interviews with selected students. It is important to keep in mind that On-Campus Interviews are just one resource to use in your career search. Employers who participate in OCI are primarily large firms with a very structured internship or entry-level full-time program. You will see many finance, consulting, and big technology firms along with some advertising, not-for-profit, and government employers.

You’ll find listings for who is participating in OCI through Handshake. From your homepage, select Jobs. From there, select All Filters and check the Interviewing on Campus box. Interviews occur from late August through mid November for the Fall semester and late January through mid March for the Spring semester. Application deadlines vary based on each employer’s interview date, so check Handshake often!

We encourage you to familiarize yourself with our Negotiating Offers page, which can help you understand more about how to Evaluate An Offer, Negotiate that offer, and our Job Offer Guidelines.

Before using Handshake and signing up for interviews, please review our Handshake User Agreement.

OCI Interview Cancelation/No Show Policy
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The Career Center requires that all students participating in OCI cancel interviews in advance if they cannot keep an interview appointment as scheduled. When you fail to cancel your interviews on time, or no-show for an interview, your actions reflect poorly on you as an individual and on the University as a whole. Not only do you inconvenience the employer, but you may also deprive another student of a valuable interview opportunity. These situations, if unchecked, may also have more serious implications on the University's relationships with employers overall. Therefore, the Career Center treats these incidents very seriously and advises you to take special note of the following Cancellation and No Show Policy requirements: How to Cancel You must cancel interviews no later than 1 business day before the scheduled interview date to avoid a penalty.
- Cancel Online: Login to Handshake. Select Jobs from the top menu, then Applications. Locate your pending interview. Under your initials in the top right corner, click on My Interviews, find the interview you’re looking for, and click on Leave Slot. Note: You will only be able to cancel online before 11:59 pm through the stated Signup End date noted under Timeline on the interview page. The Signup End Date varies by employer and schedule -- typically from 2-4 days before the interview date -- so pay close attention! If you do not see the option to leave your slot, then you've missed the online cancellation deadline and must contact the Recruiting Office directly. If the interview was scheduled with the employer directly, you will need to contact them directly to cancel.
- Contact the Recruiting Office: If you miss the online cancellation deadline, you are expected to contact the Recruiting Office. Call 510-642-0464 and leave a message, or send an email to recruit@berkeley.edu by 11:59 pm, 1 business day before the scheduled interview date. Provide complete details: name, your berkeley.edu email address, company name, date/time of interview, position title. Refer to the Late Cancellations and No Shows section below for penalties and appeal procedures if you are canceling late or fail to show up for your appointments.
- Interview Day Emergencies: In the event of a sudden illness or extreme personal emergency on the interview day, leave a message at 510-642-0464 or email recruit@berkeley.edu
Late Cancellations and No-Shows If you cancel appointments with less than 1 business day's notice (late cancellation) or no-show for an interview, the Career Center will treat these instances seriously and will enforce a system with the following penalties: First Violation No-Show: If you fail to appear for an interview with no prior notice, you will receive a warning email. Second Violation Late Cancellation: If you cancel an interview late with less than 1 business day's notice more than once, you will receive a warning notice. No-Show: If you fail to appear for an interview with no prior notice a second time, your Handshake account will be blocked for 14 days. To reinstate your account, you will also be required to meet with an Associate Director of Counseling. You will not have access to Handshake for any purpose:
- You will not be able to submit resumes, schedule interviews, view your interview schedule, or sign up for counseling appointments.
- Employers will not be able to invite you for interviews or download your applications for jobs you previously applied for.
However, you will be expected to honor all previously arranged interviews during your suspension period. If you are unsure about your interview schedule, email recruit@berkeley.edu to request a copy of your interview schedule. A member of the Recruiting staff will inform you of your suspension. You may appeal your suspension if there were extenuating circumstances (as outlined below). If no appeal is made, the Recruiting staff will automatically deactivate your OCI access for the prescribed time frame. Employers affected by these penalties may be referred to you for an explanation. Appeal Process You may appeal your suspension if you feel that there were extenuating circumstances that resulted in your canceling late or not appearing for your interview. Acceptable excuses might include a car accident, sudden hospitalization, family emergency, etc. - all subject to possible verification. Unacceptable excuses would include last minute preparation for exams or term papers, getting up late, forgetting, not checking your OCI schedule, etc. Follow these appeal procedures:
- Send an email to recruit@berkeley.edu within 48 hours explaining why you canceled late or did not show up for the interview. Include the organization name, schedule number, interview date and time for your missed appointment
- If you have any substantiating documentation (medical excuse, car towing receipt, accident report, etc.), you are encouraged to email that documentation to the Recruiting Office at recruit@berkeley.edu.
Upon receipt of this information, the Associate Director will review your case and advise you of the final decision.

OCI Eligibility
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All students in good standing and eligible alumni are invited to apply for OCI jobs and internships, but alumni should have realistic expectations. Know that most employers who participate in the program focus on graduating seniors for full-time jobs and sophomores or juniors for internships. They usually have a different avenue for alumni to apply, e.g. on their website. Employers set their own job qualifications, or preferences, (major, degree level, graduation date range/school years). Even if you do not meet the stated preferences, you may apply but are less likely to secure an interview.

Preselect v. Open Schedule
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On a preselect schedule, you must submit a resume to be considered for an interview. On an open schedule, if you meet the employer's job qualifications, you can sign up directly for an interview.

How do I update a resume I already submitted for a job?
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Go to the Documents/Edit Document section of Handshake to update your resume. The updated resume will replace what you previously submitted.

I accidentally deleted my resume. Do I need to resubmit to the job?
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Deleting a document will only remove it from the documents section of Handshake. It will not be deleted from any previous submissions.

I don’t meet all df the stated qualifications. Can I still apply for the job?
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The employer screens by major, degree level, GPA, and work authorization. Even if you do not meet all of the qualifications, or preferences, you may still apply and may still be selected for an interview.

Can I still submit a resume after the apply end date has passed?
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It may be possible to submit your application materials directly to the employer if contact information is provided in the job posting. If not, try checking the Events section of Handshake to find out if the employer is attending a career fair or hosting an information session. If the employer wants to interview you, they can easily apply you to the job and add your name to their invite list.

If these options don't result in an interview, you can contact the Recruiting Office at recruit@berkeley.edu after the employer's OCI visit to request the Recruiter's business card information. Send your resume and a cover letter detailing your interest in the company and their positions. Refer to our Prepare for Success resources on tips to strengthen your resume and cover letter.

How do I sign up for an Interview?
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Make sure that your Notification preferences are set so that you receive an email when you are invited to interview. You will also see the invitation listed in your My Interviews section of Handshake. Click on the link to select a slot. If an employer is handling their own schedule, they will contact you directly.

I was invited to interview, but I missed the signups. Can I still interview?
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You must contact the Recruiting Office at 510-642-0464 or recruit@berkeley.edu to check for openings. You may have lost your slot to an alternate candidate.

I've been invited more than once on the same schedule. How do I sign up for the second interview?
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Handshake only allows you to sign up once on a schedule. If you have been invited more than once on a schedule, contact the Recruiting Office at 510-642-0464 or recruit@berkeley.edu and we will sign you up.

What do I do if I'm selected as an alternate candidate?
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Employers may select you as an alternate for some interviews (in other words, you are on a waiting list). In this case, your status on the My Interviews page will show as Alternate. As an alternate, you can try to sign up for an interview during the online alternate sign-up period, but only if there are still interview slots available.

How do I change my interview time or cancel my interview?
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Go to My Interviews and click on the interview title. To change your time, click the leave slot button next to your name, find another time, and click the take slot button. To cancel an interview, click the leave slot button. If the deadline has passed, you'll need to contact the Recruiting Office at 510-642-0464 or recruit@berkeley.edu.

How do I swap interview slots if there are no openings available?
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When a student submits a swap request, an email is sent to the person holding the slot. Student information is always kept anonymous. If the student receiving the request accepts, they will be asked to choose from the available slots plus the slot of the student requesting the swap.

Once they choose a new slot, the swap is executed. Other swap requests by the student requesting the swap are canceled and the students are put into their new slots.

How soon can I expect to hear from the employer about my interview status?
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Employers are not required to contact those candidates who didn't make the cut. Generally, however, you'll be notified within 1-2 weeks after your interview, or according to the timeframe identified by the employer. It is appropriate to email the Interviewer after this time to check on your status. Include your resume and ask for a specific time when you will be notified for a 2nd round interview.

If I get a job offer, how long do I have to make a decision?
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Review our detailed Job Offer Guidelines for more information. If you are accepting an offer, you should immediately withdraw from the interviewing process with other employers.

Questions about OCI? Contact us at (510) 642-0464 or by email: recruit@berkeley.edu.