Meet Our Talented Students

The Career Planning and Development Center supports students in exploring and defining their personal career goals while developing the career readiness skills and confidence needed to succeed. Our skilled students and alumni come from a variety of disciplines and are prepared to take on professional roles in their respective markets.

If you're a prospective employer looking for talent and have questions about connecting with students, please contact us at:

Two Webster employees working in the Career Planning and Development Center

Recruiting Policies

An employer who registers but does not attend an on-campus recruiting event without communicating their attendance status to the Career Planning and Development Center prior to the start time of the event will be considered a no-show. It is at the discretion of the Career Planning and Development Center to approve registration for future on-campus recruiting events if employers have no-showed at prior events.

If an employer registration fee is not received by six weeks after the event takes place, it is at the discretion of the Career Planning and Development Center to approve or decline registration for future on-campus recruiting events. If employers are delinquent on payments, they will not be approved to attend any future on-campus recruiting events until their previous balance is paid. 

To keep events focused, on-campus recruiting event registrations from external universities/colleges promoting their academic programs, employers promoting opportunities requiring an applicant to pay a fee and employers who do not meet Career Planning and Development Center standards for Handshake posting approval will not be approved.

The Career Planning and Development Center will issue a 50% refund for an employer’s paid on-campus recruiting registration fee if the employer cancels their registration up to three weeks before the scheduled recruiting event. All cancellation requests should be submitted in writing via email to careercn@webster.edu.

The Career Planning and Development Center will determine whether to postpone or cancel a scheduled on-campus recruiting event due to inclement weather. Good faith efforts will be made to communicate event cancellations to relevant constituents via email at least 48 hours prior to the event's start time. Employers are advised to make their own judgment if weather conditions pose an issue or concern if the event has not been canceled. A full refund will be issued if the on-campus recruiting event cannot be rescheduled by the Career Planning and Development Center.

Webster University will only approve job and internship positions based at commercial businesses. Home-based businesses and in-home dependent/childcare positions will not be approved in Handshake or shared with students and alumni via electronic communication.

Webster University defines third-party recruiting as any agency, organization or individual recruiting candidates for seasonal, temporary, part-time or full-time employment on behalf of another organization. This may include employment agencies that list positions for several client organizations and receive payment when a referred candidate is hired, contract recruiters, resume referral firms, commercial job listing and resume collection web sites.

To post positions in Handshake as a third-party recruiter, positions must be internal to the third-party recruiting agency, or clearly disclose the client for which the third-party recruiting agency is recruiting. Approved third-party recruiting agencies in Handshake must review and follow the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Principles for Third-Party Recruiters.

If a third-party recruiting agency is approved to post positions in Handshake at Webster University, and fails to abide by the standards discussed above, Handshake access at Webster University will be permanently revoked for the entire agency.

The persistence of fraudulent companies using generic email addresses has resulted in Webster University to require all employers in Handshake to use an email domain specific to their company. Employers who request Handshake access at Webster University who register with a non-company specific email domain, e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, Hotmail, etc., will be declined.

The Career Planning and Development Center uses these standards to reduce the risk of students interacting with job scams or fraudulent companies. If your business does not meet employer standards for Handshake, the Career Planning and Development Center will not promote your opportunities through other means as a work-around to using Handshake.

Handshake Employer Standards

Handshake periodically updates requirements for employer validation to reduce fraud. Employers may need to provide an ID and their tax identification number as part of the employer validation process.

Handshake requires the following information when the employer page is created:

  1. Company Name (doing business as)
  2. Legal Company Name
  3. Industry
  4. Website
  5. Location
  6. Country
  7. Description
  8. Company size
  9. Government ID

Any company offering existing services provided by Webster University or the Career Planning and Development Center, e.g., resume writing, career coaching or job listings, will be declined Handshake access at Webster University.

Employment opportunities requiring an applicant to pay a fee will not be approved in Handshake at Webster University.

Employers approved to post internships in Handshake at Webster University must review and meet the U.S. Department of Labor Standards for internship compensation. Any internship for academic credit must be coordinated between the student and their academic program.

Employers who cultivate, distribute or promote the use of marijuana, cannabis or other federally illegal drugs will not be approved for Handshake access. Since Webster University receives federal funds and grants, the University complies with federal laws.

Employers are expected to follow appropriate recruiting practices and exhibit professional behavior whether recruiting virtually or in person.

Updated Jan. 22, 2024

Hiring International Talent

 

With students from 50 states and 148 countries, Webster University offers the diversity in recruiting you are seeking. We recognize the important contribution international students and scholars make to the University, surrounding communities and your organization.

If you're interested in hiring international students from Webster University, the Career Services and Development department has put together resources for review when considering bringing on international talent. 

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Why Hire International Talent

International students add value to your organization and provide a competitive edge by:

  • Speaking the language of the countries in which your organization is doing business and looking for growth
  • Providing knowledge of international culture, markets and business practices
  • Contributing a global perspective and specialized skill set
  • Displaying their adaptability and work ethic by adjusting to a new culture

 

Webster University has international students in a variety of academic programs. More popular degree programs for international students include: 

Resources for International Talent Hiring

The Career Planning and Development Center is dedicated to supporting your endeavors to hire international talent. The St. Louis Mosaic Project is a region-wide initiative working to create a more inclusive, globally welcoming workplace. The Mosaic Project can help with a variety of issues, including helping employers understand the value international talent brings to St. Louis, options for hiring international talent and pathways to connect employers with community resources and talent.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) also provides recruitment resources and insightful research and articles that can assist with the hiring process.

Webster student at a career fair.

Understanding Visas

Visas and Residency for International Talent

F-1 Visa Holders

  • The F-1 visa status is a temporary nonimmigrant student visa. F-1 visa holders must obtain work authorization before beginning employment off-campus. (Note: F-2 visa holders are dependents of the F-1 visa holder and are not, under any circumstances, allowed to earn income in the U.S.)
  • For students who complete a designated STEM program, they can potentially extend their OPT work authorization for two years to have a total of three years of employment based on their student visa.

J-1 Visa Holders

  • J-1 student visa status is granted to students who participate in international exchange programs between Webster University and universities in other countries, or whose education in the U.S. is financed directly or indirectly by the U.S. government, the government of the student’s home country, an international organization of which the U.S. is a member, or by another institutional sponsor. J-1s have some work authorization options that must be pre-approved.

Details on how F-1 and J-1 visa holders can obtain authorization to work is detailed in the section that follows. Employers do not incur processing costs for employment authorization of international students while they are on F-1 or J-1 visas.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

  • Students in F-1 and J-1 status are required to be full-time students and may work on-campus up to 20 hours a week or in the practical training options detailed below.

CPT is temporary employment authorization directly related to an F-1 student’s academic program and is granted by International Recruitment and International Services (IRIS). CPT is typically authorized on a part-time basis (up to 20 hours a week) during the school year and can be authorized on a full-time (over 20 hours a week) or part-time basis during vacation periods. CPT gives students the possibility to work off-campus or to work for more than 20 hours a week on campus if certain qualifications are met. There are two types of CPT:

  1. Required for the degree program: In order for training to be considered required, all students in the degree program must be required to complete an internship or practicum in order to receive their degree. A few programs at Webster University have such requirements.
  2. Integral part of an established curriculum: If the internship/work experience is not required, then it must be taken for academic credit. Students will work with their academic advisor to complete the CPT Authorization Form issued by IRIS. Please visit the IRIS website for more information.

The student must receive an offer before securing the employment authorization and is thus unable to provide documentation of authorization at the interview stage. IRIS needs a signed, written offer of employment on the company’s letterhead as part of the CPT application requirements.

The employer and dates for which the student is authorized to work will appear on the student’s Form I-20 (certificate of eligibility). Students cannot begin work before the start date on the Form I-20 or continue working after the end date. CPT authorization may be renewable for additional academic terms if the student continues to be eligible.

Academic Training (AT)

J-1 students may apply for temporary work authorization through AT either prior to or after completion of studies to accept positions within their field of study.

Students seeking or completing bachelor's or master's degrees are eligible for 18 months of AT. Students seeking or completing doctoral degrees are eligible for 36 months of AT. Non-degree (exchange) students are eligible for AT authorizations matching the length of time they have spent studying in the U.S. Example: A one-semester (4-month) exchange student is eligible for up to 4 months of AT.

The U.S. government allows students to apply for authorization to gain practical work experience to supplement their academic programs. Many employers find this to be a useful opportunity to hire a student with valuable international perspectives.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

OPT is defined as “temporary employment authorization directly related to the field of study.” F-1 students are eligible for up to 12 months of employment authorization under this category. For students whose majors are given the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) designation, employment may be extended for an additional 24 months, if the F-1 visa holder is employed by an E-Verify employer.

OPT is recommended by International Recruitment and Services (IRIS) at Webster University and granted by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The application process can take several months.

Students on OPT will receive an employment authorization document or EAD card. USCIS issues the EAD and it specifies the dates of authorized employment.

Academic Training (AT)

J-1 students are eligible for Academic Training both before and after graduation. See details in “Before Graduation” section above.

Employment Options for Nonimmigrant Visas

Beyond CPT, OPT and AT, there are options for employing international students and alumni.

Temporary Worker (H-1B) Visa

An H-1B visa allows foreign nationals to work in the U.S. in specialty occupations. The H-1B visa category has the following key requirements:

  1. Applicant must have theoretical and practical application of a highly specialized body of knowledge and must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specialized field.
  2. The company is the petitioner of the H-1B and the international candidate is the beneficiary.

The company should consult human resources and legal counsel when considering sponsoring an international candidate for an H-1B visa. The employer makes an H-1B visa petition to the Department of Labor and USCIS. An employer may petition for H-1B status for a maximum of 3 years at a time. An individual can hold H-1B status for up to a maximum of 6 years. It is advised to plan petition applications early as timing of filing is critical due to H-1B visa limits.

Additional temporary nonimmigrant work visa options are outlined by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Depending on the type of role and an individual's background, other visa options may be available.

Lawful permanent residency is a status granted by the U.S. government to citizens of other countries. One option to obtain permanent residency is through an employer-based petition. For example, the employer may document the need for a person’s occupational skills, or the individual must prove international recognition is his or her field. While an employer may sponsor an individual, USCIS makes the final decision. The employer should make no promise or guarantee to the employee.

How to Post a Job with Handshake

At Webster, we use Handshake to make sharing jobs easy. The Hankshake platform allows the Career Planning and Development center to protect students from fraud while connecting them with desireable job opportunities. 

Handshake will require employers to periodically update their verification as a safety measure for students and potential employers. Learn more about using Handshake as an Employer below.

A group of Webster students and staff working together in a classroom.

Create an Employer Account

Visit the Handshake Registration Page and enter your corporate email address and desired password, then Sign Up.

Company profiles are linked to an email domain, so you need to sign up with your work email to connect with the right company. 

Provide your identifying details. This information will not be public to students unless you choose to make your profile public. 

  • First Name 
  • Last Name 
  • Phone Number 
  • Job Title 
  • Country 
  • Types of Candidates You Would Like to Find
  • Alma Mater and Graduation Year: If your Alma Mater is partnered with Handshake, this will create a contact entry for you at your Alma Mater, listed as an Alumni contact. 

The selections made here are used for data purposes and will not affect your ability to recruit students. Do not select which schools you are interested in recruiting from at this step.

Once complete, a popup will load with the Employer Guidelines, Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

If you are not a third-party recruiter, select "No." If you are a third-party recruiter, select "Yes" and review and agree to Hankshake's third-party recruiter policy. 

The next page contains instructions on how to verify your account via the email address you provided. The email should arrive within 10 minutes and will contain a link enabling you to confirm your account. You must click this link before you can proceed with the registration process. 

When the email arrives, click the Confirm Email red button to verify your account. The link is active for only 12 hours. 

After your email is confirmed, you will need to log back into Handshake. (Tip: select Keep Me Logged In.) At this point, you will need to either connect with an existing company profile or create a new company profile, if yours doesn't exist in our system. The determination is based on the email you signed up with. 

If your company already exists in our system, the screen will display a list of company profiles associated with your email domain. If there is more than one, review the details for each profile. Click Request to connect with that company profile. 

If no company pre-populates, you can use the search bar to find your company. 

If your company does not exist, you can click the Create New Company button on the right. 

After accessing the Create New Company form, please fill out the required information. 

  • Company Name (doing business as) 
  • Legal Company Name 
  • Industry 
  • Website 
  • Location (must include street address, city and state) 
  • Country Description 
  • Company 
  • Government ID (choose between photo ID or do not have a government ID) 
  • Various optional fields: (Ex.: Employer Tax ID Number (EIN), Public Email etc.) 

You may also upload your company logo or banner on this form. 

Upon creating a new company profile, a new field will open with your auto-populated company information. Please review the details, then click Save and Continue. 

In the next section, you will be prompted to upload a photo ID. Choose one of the options provided. 

After your ID is submitted, it will be processed. Once processed, you will receive a confirmation message. The submitted company information will then be manually reviewed and validated by the Trust and Safety team. If no safety concerns are found with the account, access with be granted via an email. 

Posting Your Job or Internship

Student working with laptop.

You can post a job or internship that is targeted to Webster students for free. In order to post and have your position approved by Webster, it must meet the following standards: 

Webster University also adheres to NACE Guidelines when approving posted internships. 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. The experience includes supervision by a professional with expertise and educational or professional background in the field of the experience.

 

How to Post Your Job or Internship

Log into Handshake using the email address and password you previously created. 

Click Post a Job from your home dashboard or click on Jobs in the left-hand navigation bar and click Create Job in the top right-hand corner. 

You will next be asked to complete the job form. Make sure to select Webster University as one of the schools you would like to post the position to. You also have an option to use the Preview tab to see what your posting will look like. For additional help posting a job, you may also view this training video: Post a job on Handshake. 

Fill in the basic description in the text field. Be sure to include specific skills you are looking for in a candidate. You do have the option to copy a job description from an existing job. Click the blue hyperlink and follow the steps. 

Position Details

Enter the position title and position type for the posting. 

Tip: You will need to spell out the word instead of using abbreviations, avoid using capitalization and avoid using numbers and special characters. 

Note: Work-Study jobs require specific permission from each university. 

Location Requirements

Enter where the employee is expected to work. 

  • Onsite location (physically located) 
  • Remote (US or globally) 
  • Hybrid 

Note: Webster University Career Planning and Development Center focuses on employment based in the United States for Handshake. 

Time Requirements

Enter the time frame the candidate should be expected to work. 

  • Full-time 
  • Part-time 
  • Permanent 
  • Temporary or Seasonal (include estimated start date and end date) 

Compensation and Benefits

Enter the expected pay and the types of benefits the job offers the candidate. 

  • Expected Pay 
  • Additional Compensation (Optional) 
  • Benefits (Optional) 
  • Perks (Optional) 
  • A Link to View Additional Benefits (Optional) 

Note: The pay can be listed as a range, a custom range, an exact amount, unpaid or you have the option to opt out of expected pay. We encourage employers not to opt out of including pay as that can lessen candidate interest in the posting. 

Categorize Your Job

Enter the job role group that best fits the job listing.

Categorize you job

Candidate Qualifications

Enter the must-have qualifications that you are looking for in a candidate.

  • Work authorization (US authorized citizen, US visa sponsorship, OPT, CPT)
  • School year (can choose more than one)
  • Graduation dates
  • Major groups (can choose more than one)
  • Minimum Grade Point Average

Choose Schools

Enter the school(s) that you would like your job posted to.

  • Post to All Approved
  • Post to Specific Schools

Note: You can search for specific schools by name or location. You also have the ability to save certain schools to a list for use in the future.

Application Process

Enter the application timeline and process that is expected for each job listing.

  • Application Open and Close Dates
  • Number of Hires
  • How Should the Candidates Submit their Application

Note: The application close date defaults to 6 months from the application open date. Webster University will no longer approve job postings that are posted for longer than a 6-month term. This helps to engage students and alumni more if the postings are all more recent. If a job posting is open longer, we ask that you allow the first 6 month posting to expire before posting an additional posting with a new 6-month timeline. Postings can be duplicated.

Hiring Team

Set up your hiring team to keep everyone in informed and manage how they receive updates.

  • Company Division (optional - displays for Premium partners with more than 10,000 employees)
  • Job Owner (Job poster)
  • Hiring Team Members (optional - only available to premium partners and On-Campus employers)

The job owner will have the option to give candidates the opportunity to message them through the job posting by checking the "Feature Box." Messages from candidates will not count against your message limit.

 

The final step is to review the job posting.

After you review the posting, click on the black Post Job button on the top right-hand side of the page. You also have the option to save the posting as a draft to update it later.

One last check

Congratulations! Your job is now live.