Job Offer Guidelines

People interacting at a career fair, with a representative at a table displaying materials.

Job Offer Guidelines

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln recognizes the recruiting process involves important decisions for students and employers. We encourage both to use fair and reasonable practices when in the job and internship search and appreciate employers who extend opportunities to students. To support those employers’ needs and to provide students adequate time to evaluate and respond to job and internship offers, we request employers consider these guidelines.

Best Practices

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) notes: “Experience shows the best employment decisions for both students and employers are those that are made without pressure and with the greatest amount of information. Students given sufficient time to attend career fairs, participate in on-campus interviews or complete the interviewing in which they are currently engaged are more likely to make good long-term employment decisions and may be less likely to renege on job acceptances” (NACE position on Setting Reasonable Deadlines for Job Offers).

Best Practices

We Expect Students to:

  • Request any reasonable accommodations promptly.
  • Immediately release offers they do not plan to accept to allow the employer the opportunity to consider another student for the position.
  • Not accept an offer for employment while continuing to pursue other opportunities.
  • Not renege on a previously accepted job offer.
     

We Expect Employers to:

  • Demonstrate flexibility in working with students to consider reasonable requests.
  • Communicate hiring timelines clearly.
  • Not place undue pressure on students to make offer decisions.
  • Uphold job offers.
     

Offer Timelines For Hiring Students At Nebraska

Summer Internships to Full-Time

A full-time offer after a summer internship should remain open a minimum of three weeks from the written offer date, or until November 1, whichever comes later.

Accounting Summer Leadership Program to Internship*

An offer for a spring or summer internship for the following year after a summer leadership program should remain open a minimum of three weeks from the date of the written offer, or until November 1, whichever comes later.

*Guideline specific to Nebraska College of Business

Fall Recruiting

An offer for internships or full-time positions during the fall recruiting season should remain open a minimum of three weeks from the date of the written offer, or until November 1, whichever comes later.

Spring Recruiting

Offers during spring recruiting season should remain open a minimum of two weeks from the written offer date.

Spring Accounting Internship to Full-Time* 

A full-time offer for May of the following year after a spring internship (15 months in advance) should remain open a minimum of three weeks from date of the written offer, or until August 15, whichever comes later.

*Guideline specific to Nebraska College of Business