Interviews
Interviews are an important part of hiring students and recent graduates for internships, co-ops, and entry-level jobs. Depending upon their individual needs and circumstances, employers may choose to interview on campus or remotely for either in-person or virtual roles.
On-Campus Interviews
Penn State can help employers schedule interviews at the University Park campus for positions posted in Nittany Lion Careers. For other campuses, contact the relevant campus' career office.
Interview Basics
- Interview seasons typically run from late September to early December and late January to April
- A standard interview day is 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with two 15-minute breaks and a one–hour lunch break
- Typical capacity:
- 30-minute interviews: 13 slots
- 45-minute interviews: 9 slots
- 60-minute interviews: 6 slots
- 90-minute interviews: 4 slots
- Typical capacity:
- Most interviews take place at the Bank of America Career Services Center
Employers should bring any supplies they need (paper, pens/pencils, notepads, etc.) and plan to finish their last interview each day by 5:00 p.m.
Scheduling Interviews
To request interview space in Nittany Lion Careers:
- Log in and go to the On-Campus Recruiting (OCR) tab
- Select Request a Schedule
- Choose the semester and OCR interview model:
- Preselect: invited candidates only
- Preselect to Alternate: invited candidates plus alternates
- Complete the required fields and submit the request
Posting Job Descriptions
After your interview request is approved:
- Log in to Nittany Lion Careers to review the schedule
- Attach one or more job postings to finalize it
Your job posting must be detailed and attached to the schedule before it is approved and visible to students.
Managing Interviews
Once the schedule is approved:
- Students can submit résumés
- Trigger dates—which let you know the deadline for students to submit their résumés and your deadline to select those students you would like to invite for interview—are adjusted
- You can view your job description(s), note the trigger dates, and view submitted résumés—as well as cover letters and transcripts if you selected these options—in real time
- After the deadline, mark candidates as:
- Invited (first choice to interview)
- Alternate (second choice)
- Not Invited
Be sure to invite enough students to fill all interview slots and identify at least four alternates. Please note that our staff cannot recommend or select specific students for employers to interview.
Invited students will be notified through Nittany Lion Careers. You should track your interview schedule as it fills. If you need to make changes to your interview schedule, please contact the Recruiting Manager prior to designating your invited students if possible, as it's much easier to adjust a schedule before students have signed up.
On-campus interview spaces are always in high demand. If you fail to show up for your scheduled interviews, if you leave campus prior to finishing scheduled interviews, or if you cancel interviews at the last minute without a valid reason, you may be prohibited from using on-campus recruiting services and/or facilities in the future.
Phone or Virtual Interviews
Employers conducting phone or virtual interviews can coordinate directly with candidates via email.
Be sure to clearly provide:
- Interview date and time
- Interview format
- Platform link, if virtual
- Clarity on whether the interview is for screening or final selection
