POLICIES AND GUIDELINES

Early Offers: In an accelerated recruiting environment in which students receive a job offer 13 months or more in advance of position start date, the offer should remain open for a reasonable period, commensurate with industry/peer standards. 

Fall Recruiting: Offers should remain open for a minimum of three weeks after the date of the written offer.

Spring Recruiting: Offers made before March 1, 2025, should remain open for a minimum of three weeks after the date of the written offer. After March 1, offers should remain open for a minimum of two weeks after the date of the written offer.

Internship to Full-time Offers: Employment offers made to students who have recently completed an internship with your company should remain open until October 15, 2024, or for three weeks from the date of the written offer, whichever is later.

Full-time Offers: All offers for full-time employment made in the fall semester should remain open until December 1 or a minimum of three weeks after the date of the offer, whichever is later. Full-time offers made in the Spring semester before March 1 should remain open for a minimum of three weeks after the date of the written offer. After March 1, offers should remain open for a minimum of two weeks after the date of the written offer.

Internship Offers: Internship offers should remain open until February 15 or a minimum of three weeks after the date of the written offer, whichever is later. After March 1, offers should remain open for a minimum of two weeks after the date of the written offer. Companies that recruit first year MBA students for internships on an accelerated timeline (i.e., through national and diversity conferences) should allow those internship offers to remain open until February 15 in alignment with our internship recruiting timelines.

Offers - All offers must be in writing. Written offers are defined as electronic or hard copies. The start of the offer timeline is determined by the date on the written offer letter.

Exploding Offers - McCombs Career Management and Corporate Relations prohibits “exploding offers.” We define an exploding offer as one that expires, is rescinded, or results in diminished base salary within a short period of time. This type of offer places undue pressure on a student and, as such, is viewed as inappropriate conduct. We also classify requiring a verbal acceptance to receive a written offer as an “exploding offer.”

Reneges - The McCombs Career Management and Corporate Relations offer guidelines are designed to allow students a sufficient consideration period in order to reasonably explore career opportunities, which reduces risk of renege occurrences and improves retention for employers. Renege occurrences are typically due to early offer deadlines, given the increased amount of time for student exploration and change in circumstances post-acceptance. For employers whose industries operate on an early or fast timeline for filling roles, we suggest leaving the offer response timeline open as long as possible to help mitigate the risk of renege.

Employer Accountability - Employers that misrepresent employment opportunities to students or represent misconduct deemed inappropriate by the school will risk losing access or privileges to CMCR recruiting resources. It is imperative that all individuals meet UT’s expectation that the environment remains focused on respect and provides a space that is free of discrimination and harassment, and the university reserves the right in its sole discretion to refuse access to employers at any time. The University of Texas at Austin cannot indemnify employers from employment liability. 

We strongly discourage any employer from withdrawing offers, altering base compensation, or drastically changing the position timeframe. If you must rescind an offer, shorten the length of an internship, or significantly delay a student's start date, please contact us prior to that action so we can assist you in this difficult situation.

All materials received from our students (letters, resumes, transcripts, via email or hard copy), should be shared only with those persons at your firm involved in the hiring process. Please do not forward emails from students to others inside or outside your organization.

We request that employers notify us once students have accepted an offer.

Student Accountability - All acceptances must be in writing. Acceptances may occur in either electronic or hard copy.

Students sign and are expected to abide by our McCombs Career Management and Corporate Relations Recruiting Agreement, which includes expectations surrounding interview cancellations, no-shows, offer acceptances, and more. If a student accepts an offer of employment and later reneges on the acceptance, please notify us. We recognize the importance of integrity in accepting an offer and want the opportunity to follow up with the candidate. McCombs Career Management and Corporate Relations has provisions to penalize students and remove recruiting privileges when these circumstances arise.

McCombs Career Management and Corporate Relations encourages students to discuss offers and timelines with employers to find a reasonable compromise to potential conflict. If necessary, we are willing to facilitate a meeting to determine a mutually agreeable solution.

Solicitation Policy - Activities that are considered on-campus soliciting are prohibited outside of recruiting designated spaces. Working with student groups, representatives, interns or ambassadors to recruit for your company/organization or to promote your opportunities, products or services to UT Austin students on campus is also prohibited.

Student Ambassador Policy - Job and internship postings with the following requirements are ineligible: Positions requiring or asking employees to market products/services on the UT Austin campus. Examples include campus brand ambassador and similar positions.

UT Austin Policies - Please see UT's Non-Discrimination & Equal Opportunity Policy.

NACE Principles - McCombs Career Management subscribes to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Principles for Professional Practice. These guidelines address the issues of offer timelines, exploding offers and bonuses, as well as other aspects of recruiting within the university environment

• Employers must provide the student intern with the name and email address of their immediate supervisor.
• Employers must allow interns the opportunity to work a minimum of 160 hours in a six-week period to be eligible for course credit.
• The student's internship supervisor must report the following through the system generated survey: start date, end date, and total hours worked.

• Opportunities for students to put their academic learning into practice
• Integrated learning about how specific projects relate to larger business goals
• Greater understanding of business processes
• Increased professional skills
• Enhanced ability to recognize preferences and abilities and match them with appropriate career-related choices.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers provides the following internship definition and criteria:

An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.

Please also see the U.S. Department of Labor website.  

Learn more about the NACE Internship Position Statement. 

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.
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.

• Self-employment
• Work performed in the student's family-owned or family-managed business
• Remote internship employment (e.g. telecommuting, door-to-door sales; students must work in a professional business setting)
• Participation in a political campaign or lobbying effort (working for a seated public representative is eligible)

Decisions regarding whether or not a student will be able to receive academic credit for an internship are made at the academic departmental level, not at the university level. The student is responsible for initiating the application for academic credit with the academic department.