The Center for Career and Leadership Development aligns employer eligibility guidelines in accordance with the Principles for Ethical Professional Practice outlined by the National Association of College and Employers (NACE). All employers are expected to be familiar with these principles, including equitable access and compliance with local, state, and federal laws.
Handshake & Minimum Requirements
Employers are required to register in Handshake and request a connection with Old Dominion University prior to beginning recruitment activities with the Center for Career and Leadership Development. To maintain the integrity of opportunities presented to our students and alumni, Handshake employer profiles must meet the criteria listed below.
A full, verifiable U.S. business address must be provided, including street address, city, state, and ZIP code.
Submissions with only city and state will not be approved.
A professional, general company email address is required (e.g., info@company.com, careers@company.org).
Personal email domains such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail are not accepted.
A working, public-facing U.S. phone number that can be verified online must be listed.
All staff members associated with the employer account must use email addresses with the company’s domain (e.g., jane@company.com).
No free email services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo) will be accepted for staff contacts.
Employers must provide a comprehensive, publicly accessible website that verifies key details listed in the Handshake profile. Sites that only include a basic contact form, prompt app downloads, or lack company/service details will not be accepted. Social media pages in lieu of a website are not sufficient.
Company Logo
While not required, we highly recommend uploading a company logo to help build brand recognition and trust among students.
Please contact the employer relations team at employers@odu.edu if you have any questions about the above requirements.
Third-Party Recruiters
All staff affiliated with a third-party recruiting organization must identify as such in Handshake and accept Handshake’s third-party agreement prior to the organization receiving approval. Any third-party recruiter that is recruiting employees for their organization is still responsible for agreeing to the guidelines to receive approval and access to ODU’s Handshake platform.
Not Approved Industries
Positions in the adult entertainment industry, including escort services and presentation modeling, as well as any activities involving the use of illegal drugs, will not be accepted.
No Buy-Ins or Fee-For-Service
Employers will not be accepted if applicants must pay or purchase access for opportunities or a position that requires a potential employee to provide funds to a supervisor or other company representative for services.
No Solicitation
Employers must not solicit or sell their products or services during the course of recruiting. This includes solicitation at recruiting events and via Handshake.
Center for Career & Leadership Development Commitment to Ethical Partnerships
The Center for Career and Leadership Development strives to provide open access and meaningful connections between students, alumni, and employers. However, we reserve the right to deny or discontinue partnerships and access to students and the campus community if a partner fails to adhere to University policies or violates federal, state, or local laws, including by engaging in discrimination or harassment, or permitting unsafe working conditions. Old Dominion University values the unique and diverse perspectives of individuals and communities locally and globally and is committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex, political affiliation, marital status, veteran status, family medical and genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or disability, and may deny or remove access to organizations that do not align with these standards or the mission of the University or the Center for Career and Leadership Development. Note:
For Old Dominion University’s non-discrimination statement please click here.
Equitable Access to Opportunity Statement
Old Dominion University’s Center for Career and Leadership Development (CCLD) works hard to ensure equitable access to employment opportunities and experiential learning for all students from the employers with whom we work with for campus recruiting. We request that employers post these opportunities on Handshake to ensure all ODU students and alumni have access. The Center for Career and Leadership Development does not share contact information for individual students with recruiting organizations. As a best practice, we advise that ODU faculty and staff not share contact information for individual students or recommend specific students for employment opportunities. Alternatively, we encourage faculty and staff to provide recommendations or serve as references for students. CCLD is happy to work with any organization desiring to recruit ODU students to ensure they have the broadest access to the diverse talent of the Monarch Nation.