Career Services FAQs

Career Services offers workshops to educate and prepare students on how to conduct a job/internship search. Students can find dates and times for various workshops in Handshake (select the Events tab).

All students should complete Career Education Seminars HCC 101, HCC 102, and HCC 200 to ensure a solid understanding of career services, career exploration, and how to conduct an effective job or internship search. Students may also schedule an appointment with a career advisor.

We encourage you to continue exploring internship and job opportunities and building your transferable skills. Think broadly about your career options and consider pursuing multiple career paths. Continue to identify ways to learn new skills and to expand your network of contacts through academic projects, volunteering, part-time work, and paid or unpaid internships.

Yes! The Hameetman Career Center will schedule employer recruiting events throughout the semester, including information sessions, industry spotlights, and alumni panels. Additionally, students will have a chance to meet employers at the Career & Internship Fair on Thursday, February 22, 2024, on the Academic Quad. Check the Events tab on Handshake and the Career Services Instagram (@oxycareers) to learn which employers are recruiting at OXY. 

Handshake is the career exploration and job search platform available to all OXY students and employers. OXY students may access their Handshake account at any time and from anywhere in the world. Students can use Handshake to explore career options, find and apply to jobs and internships, and connect with employers.

All OXY students are automatically given a Handshake account. Follow these steps to activate your account and access all of the resources:

• Visit oxy.joinhandshake.com .
• Sign in with your OXY email and password.
• Get familiar with Handshake: begin with the “Events” and “Career Center” tabs.

Handshake is the Hameetman Career Center’s primary tool for online job/internship searches as it is designed specifically for college students. The Handshake Resource Library can direct you to additional online search tools and platforms. 

If you are interested in an informal/personal job (such as a nanny, dog walker, or personal assistant) visit the Occidental College Switchboard.

The Hameetman Career Center helps students prepare for professional internships, full-time jobs, and other post-graduate opportunities. On-campus student employment is facilitated by the Oxy Human Resources department. Please consult the Oxy HR Student Employment page for information about on-campus employment.

All students can apply for paid jobs posted on the Human Resources Student Employment site. In addition, first-year students who received a work-study financial aid award can apply for jobs through the Hameetman Career Center's First-Year Student Employment Preparation (STEP) program (see below). The STEP Program is available during the fall semester only.

The First-Year Student Employment Preparation (STEP) program provides a limited number of paid job opportunities for first-year students who have received a work-study financial aid award. STEP jobs for first-year students are exclusively offered through the HCC and will not be posted on the Human Resources Student Employment web page or Human Resources Bulletin Board. STEP positions are filled during the fall semester only.

Student Eligibility Requirements for STEP

1. You must be a new, first-year student and have received a Work-Study Financial Aid Award.
2. You must complete two mandatory HCC workshops, including a Resume Writing Workshop and an Interview Preparation Workshop. The dates and times for all HCC workshops can be found in the “Events” tab on Handshake.
3. You must update your resume based on the information you learn in the workshops.
4. We highly encourage students to meet with a career advisor to have their resume and cover letter reviewed before applying.

Applying for a STEP Job

• The STEP hiring process is competitive and obtaining a job is not guaranteed for all students.
• All STEP jobs will be posted on Handshake as they become available. Students must complete both required HCC workshops to gain access to apply for a job.
• Students may apply to as many STEP jobs as desired, but students should apply to the jobs that best fit their qualifications.

If you have questions, please email us at careers@oxy.edu.

For part-time/informal job opportunities such as a tutor, dog walker, or personal assistant, please visit the Occidental College Switchboard .

1. When scheduling the interview, try to request a date/time that allows ample time for you to prepare.
2. Attend an Interview Preparation Workshop. Workshop dates and times are posted on Handshake's “Events” tab.
3. Review the Interview Guide, found within “Career Center Resources” on Handshake.
4. Utilize the online interview preparation platform Big Interview, provided free to OXY students through donor support. Set up an account and use Big Interview to select practice questions and record a practice interview which you can send to a career advisor, faculty, or mentor for feedback.
5. Dress appropriately for the interview. Wear an outfit that is either business casual or business professional (depending on the industry).
6. If you have questions about preparing for an interview, please schedule an appointment with a career advisor.

Extra notes on video interviews:

• You should prepare for a video interview in the same manner in which you would prepare for an in-person interview. Do not assume a video interview is a casual interview; employers use the same criteria to evaluate a candidate’s professionalism whether the interview is in-person or by video.
• Check your video interview set up at least 24 hours before your scheduled interview. This includes a quiet and professional setting, a strong internet connection, and clear audio/video.

In the event that a reasonable accommodation is needed during your application/interview process, please notify the employer orally or in writing. It may take the employer some time to arrange accommodation requests so you should provide as much notice as possible.

The employer may need to discuss your request more fully in order to understand why you need an accommodation. You should respond to the employer's questions as quickly as possible and be sure to explain how a proposed accommodation would enable you to participate fully in all aspects of the application/interview process. The employer may ask you for reasonable documentation explaining why an accommodation is needed.

If you have any additional questions regarding reasonable accommodation requests, please contact the OXY Disability Services Department at accessibility@oxy.edu.

Eligible students may enroll in INT 100 or INT 200 for academic credit. Check the eligibility requirements here.

If you are eligible and have secured a paid or unpaid, remote or on-site internship you can earn academic credit by enrolling in INT 100 or INT 200. An internship job description and offer letter are required.

• Please review the Course Information Sheet and Enrollment Forms.
• Completed forms, internship job description, and offer letter must be submitted to careers@oxy.edu by Wednesday, June 26, 2024.

OXY students must meet the HCC Program Requirements to become eligible for the following donor-funded programs. All programs are subject to funding availability.

• InternLA Summer Internship Program - Donor-funded summer internship opportunity with Los Angeles-based nonprofits; available to eligible sophomores, juniors, and December-graduating seniors
• Cornuelle Fellows Program - Donor-funded summer fellowship opportunity, honoring the legacy of Richard Cornuelle '48; available to eligible sophomores, juniors, and December-graduating seniors
• City of Hope Internship Program - Donor-funded summer internship opportunity, giving students the chance to learn about science by actually doing science work; available to eligible sophomores, juniors, and December-graduating seniors

To become eligible for donor-funded HCC Programs students must complete the HCC Program Requirements listed below. Visit the “Events” tab on Handshake to see upcoming dates.

• Resume Writing Workshop
• Interview Preparation Workshop
• HCC 101: Introduction to Career Services
• HCC 102: Introduction to Career Exploration
• HCC 200: Job & Internship Search Bootcamp

Check your Handshake account to see which requirements you have completed.

• Visit Handshake, click on your initials or avatar in the upper right corner, and select "My Profile." Scroll to the bottom of your profile and review the "Public Labels" section on the left side.
• If you have not yet attended a required seminar you will not see the "Public Labels" section. Check back after you've attended your first workshop.

InternLA is a donor-funded internship program designed to encourage talented Oxy students to gain real-world work experience over the summer with organizations throughout the Los Angeles area. Students selected for an InternLA internship receive a summer program educational stipend. InternLA internships are for 10 weeks starting in late May and ending in early August. Learn more about InternLA .

Sophomores, juniors, and December-graduating seniors who meet the Hameetman Career Center eligibility requirements are eligible to apply for summer 2024 InternLA opportunities.

OXY Alumni have access to Hameetman Career Center resources, including advising appointments, for three (3) years post-graduation. For assistance with interview preparation, reviewing resume/cover letter documents, developing a job search strategy, or any other career-related questions, Alumni should make appointments with a career advisor via Handshake .

The Hameetman Career Center provides advising services to Alumni three (3) years post-graduation as our services are best aligned to support current Oxy students and recent graduates. All Oxy Alumni are encouraged to connect with the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement. Visit the Oxy Switchboard and the Occidental College LinkedIn page to assist with connecting Alumni with one another and additional resources.

There are several opportunities for employer engagement at the Hameetman Career Center. Possibilities include hosting an information session, participating in our annual Career Fair, and more. Please see our Employers page for more information about our recruitment schedule.

In an effort to connect our students with your opportunities, we provide access to a centralized resource called Handshake, where employers can post and students can apply to available listings.

Beyond recruitment, Handshake is also the resource we use to engage with employers for events. These events include career fairs, information sessions, and other events hosted on campus, at an employer's location, or virtually.

To become a part of this community and connect with our students, please follow the simple steps below.

1. Visit https://oxy.joinhandshake.com/register
2. Click on "Employer"
3. Complete the "Sign-up as an Employer" form then click the orange "Sign Up" button
4. On the next page, select your industry and input your alma mater (not required) then press "Next: Employer Guidelines"
5. At this time, you will be asked to confirm that you are not a third-party recruiter.
6. After you confirm that you are not a third party recruiter, press "Submit"
7. In ten minutes or less, check the email inbox of the email you provided. Click the confirmation link.
8. A member of our team will review your submission over the next few business days.
9. Upon approval, you will be able to post opportunities in Handshake .

Personal jobs and opportunities should be posted on the Occidental College Switchboard.