Alumni Employer Engagement

Willamette alumni are well positioned to help their successors on campus, as referral sources, mentors, and sponsors for innovative job shadowing experiences and internships. Here are top ways alumni can engage with students:

Informational Chats – Provide students information about your field of work and/or provide feedback on their resumes/cover letters.

Mock Interviews – Conduct a mock interview with a student who is preparing for an interview in your industry and/or graduate school program. Mock interviews can be held in a variety of ways, in person, by phone or via Google Meet. The Career Center also hosts occasional mock interview days where alumni visit campus and interview for a mock opportunity.

Job Shadows – Are you open to allowing students to shadow you? This helps students gain a better understanding of your company culture and a “day in the life” of an employee. The Career Center can partner to develop and promote an externship, whether it is for a one-on-one visit or to bring a larger group of students to your location.

Recruit Students – Post opportunities to students or help champion recruitment of students to your colleagues in HR by offering to be a referral.

Hiring a Student

Students are actively seeking employment, and there’s nothing better than working with alumni! Our Career Center will provide you with hands-on support throughout the process of recruiting Willamette students. Contact our Director of Employer Engagement for more information and personalized support.

Opportunities Students Look For

Micro-Internships – Provide short-term, paid, professional assignments or a small project that doesn’t qualify for an internship.

Internships – Temporary, paid employment opportunities that provide students with hands-on work experience in a real world setting, gain valuable professional skills, explore potential career paths and receive mentorship from professionals.

Full/Part Time – Hiring entry level roles? Many of our students seek employment while they are still in school to apply their knowledge and continue developing their skillsets.

How To Hire A Student:

1. Does your organization have a designated recruiter? If yes, please provide them with these instructions on How To Recruit In Handshake.
2. If you don’t have a recruiter, please complete this job request form. Once submitted, our Director of Employer Engagement will follow up with you.

What you can expect next:

1. Following the discussion with our Director of Employer engagement, your job opportunity will be posted in our Recruitment System: Handshake.
2. Once the position is posted, we will promote the opportunity to students directly for them to apply and submit a resume.
3. Applications will then be available for review to determine which candidates will move forward for interviews.
4. After interviewing candidates, you can determine which student will receive an offer.
5. Once the offer is accepted, we will close the job in Handshake, and notify the remaining candidates the position has been filled.