Recruit at UWL

The Academic Advising Center & Career Services Offices strives to best serve all who utilize our services. Due to COVID-19, our office will not be conducting in person appointments anymore as of March 18, 2020. Instead we will be offering virtual appointments via phone call, email, or video chat Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Please note that due to the constantly evolving circumstances, it may take longer than normal to hear back, and we will be updating our website as things progress. 

Drop-in Peer Advising

If you have a quick academic or career advising question, our Peer Advisors are available to chat Monday-Thursday from 9am-4:30pm and Friday from 9am-1pm through Microsoft Teams:

1. Click https://teams.microsoft.com/l/chat/0/0?users=peeradvisors@uwlax.edu
2. Chat with the Peer Advisors to let them know what kind of help you are looking for

Making Academic Advising Appointments

If you are assigned in our office, you can make your appointment online through Navigate, email your advisor, or email advising@uwlax.edu.

If you are not assigned an Academic Advisor in our office, you can make an appointment by calling us at 608.785.6950.

Making Career Advising Appointments

To make an appointment for career advising, you can do so online through Navigate or by calling us at 608.785.6950.

Last Updated: 9/17/20 2:45 p.m.

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• La Crosse Employers Only:  The Greater La Crosse Area Diversity Council (GLADC)
  • Membership is indicated on your employer profile in Handshake.  Please contact GLADC for more information.
• Employer Policies & Procedures

Employers – Please contact Rebecca Lee, rlee@uwlax.edu, to have your name added to the invitation list for future career events.

 Before you are able to post positions at UWL, you must first create an account on Handshake. Here is a guide for creating an employer account.

Once your account is created, you can begin to connect with universities and post positions. To learn more about posting positions, click here.

• UWL Campus Employers: PLEASE follow the format “UW-La Crosse “Office Name” when creating an account.

What is Handshake? 

Handshake is an online career management system that allows employers to connect with hundreds of other campuses around the country in addition to UW-La Crosse.

Benefits of Using Handshake

• Free for employers
• All UWL students have access
  • Allows them to search for part-time, internship, and full-time positions
• Nearly 75% of career services offices across the country use Handshake
• Ability to post one job to multiple campuses in one system with one login and password

• What type of experience can you offer students?
• Writing a job for today's student

Interested in Community-Based Research or Course Embedded Projects?

Please note: All 2020-21 academic year "on-campus interviews" will be virtual, as we are unable to provide interviewing space. We are optimistic that we will be able to return to in-person interviewing on campus in Fall 2021.

Employers may request an on-campus interview schedule through Handshake. Click on the “Request an Interview” button from the home page. You will be asked a number of questions to help us fulfill your request. After you have completed the form, it will be reviewed by an administrator.

Interviews can be requested for weekdays throughout the academic year; however, we recommend avoiding days leading up to major holidays, during midterms or finals, and during spring break. You can find a list of those dates through the Academic Calendar.

UWL Internship Program Overview for Employers

The UW-La Crosse Internship Program is one of the largest programs in the UW-System and features regional and national opportunities.  All internships (and jobs) are posted through Handshake and available to ALL UWL students. FREE for all employers!

The popularity of the program is due to the flexibility for employers as well as students. Although some internships follow the timeline for academic semesters (fall, spring and summer), others are part-time, year round or for a specified time frame to complete a special project. Employers may request the timeline that best suits their needs and may specify their preference for certain majors. Employers who wish to discuss an idea for an internship may contact one of our Career Services staff members.

Employer Benefits

• Identify potential new employees
• Meet short term and special project needs
• Support the university community and increase your company's visibility on campus
• Reduce your recruitment and training costs through potential retention of interns

Steps for Establishing an Internship and Hiring an Intern

In order for an internship to be advertised to students, employers are required to post in Handshake. When posting internships in Handshake, they can select one of three ways to receive applications:

1. Students can submit their resume through Handshake. This method gives employers the ability to view applicant resumes online or to receive the resumes of all applicants as a bundle that is emailed out following the expiration (deadline) date for the position. Employers can then review applicants and contact them directly to schedule interviews.
2. Students can apply directly to the employer via the employer's own website, email, mail, or other method specified by the employer. Employers can then contact applicants directly to schedule interviews.
3. Employers can schedule on-campus interviews and have students apply and schedule interviews through Handshake. Employers interested in on-campus interviews should contact Rebecca Lee in Career Services at 608.785.8362 for additional information.

Students who accept an internship may have the option to receive academic credit for the experience. If a student chooses to receive credit for an internship. the employer will be required to complete an employer evaluation at the mid-term and at the end of the semester.

Recruiting Timeline

Internships can be posted at any time throughout the year. However, the largest pool of candidates will be available prior to the start of each academic term (preferable 1 semester prior to start date). We encourage you to post your internship as early as possible.

Intern Compensation

The UWL Internship Program works with employers who offer both paid and unpaid internships. However, in some high demand fields, employers will find it necessary to offer paid positions in order to attract candidates. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division has re-examined the criteria for unpaid internships. Employers should consider the following criteria when considering unpaid internships.

Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division Criteria for an Unpaid Internship*.

*The National Association of Colleges and Employers recommends the following standard definition of "internship":

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.

Talent Generator in Wisconsin:  Tap Into the Higher Education Pipeline. Here’s Everything You Need to Know to Establish a Successful Internship Program

Talent Attraction Toolkit:  La Crosse Chamber of Commerce

Student Employer Connection Guide - Greater Dubuque Development Corp & Dubuque Works

Recruitment guidelines and policies

Violation rubrics