Northwestern School of Communication Employer Guide to ... · date- if employer requests) to Friday September 12th Winter: October 1st to De-cember 19th Spring: December 1st to March

Northwestern School of Communication

Employer Guide to Recruiting

EngagE With UsWe look forward to collaborating with you at the School of Communication for your recruiting needs. By recruiting here, you will be able to connect to stu-dents in a variety of majors (including Communication Studies, Radio Television Film, Theatre, Performance Studies, and Communication Sciences and Disorders). Creating an employer account on SoConnect, our job and internship posting site will allow you to promote your internship, full-time job or freelance opportunity to our students.{ }

Soc Highlights/Quick Facts/Why Northwestern?Our students have a strong work ethic, a global perspective and are eager to activate their academic excellence while gaining professional experience in an internship. Several of our students are active on campus in student organizations, Big 10 Athletics, and student government as well as volunteering off campus in the community.

Some School of Communication students have participated in our unique international seminars and treks including:Global Media and Communications Seminar- London, EnglandIndian Cinema Seminar- Hyderabad, India

We also offer our students career seminars on campus such as Creative Careers in the Business World and Careers in the Entertainment Industry. Students have extensive opportunities for more in-depth career advising through express career advising appointments, lunch and learn workshops, industry panels, career connections (company site visits) and masters classes. In addition, students have access to the career resources of the greater university through our partners in University Career Services (UCS).

Northwestern students have interned throughout the entertainment and communications sectors at places like: Leo Burnett, Digitas, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, CAA, ICM Partners, CONAN, Viacom, NBC Universal, SONY Pictures, Chicago Events Management.

In 2013 – 2014571 students applied for Jobs and Internships through SoConnect

Connecting to our StudentsWhat is SoConnect?SoConnect is the School of Communication’s job and internship database. As SoC employers, you can post opportunities specifically geared for SoC students, including jobs, internships, and practicum, and Freelance opportunities

Accessing SoConnectTo access SoConnect first navigate to:

https://communication-northwestern-csm.symplicity.com/employers/index.php.If you have a Username and Password type it into the Log In screen. If you do not have an account, you can register for one.You can register in two ways:1. By clicking the Register tab you will be prompted to fill out a company information page.2. By clicking the Register and Post Job tab you will also be prompted to create an initial job posting.

The EPICS team will review and approve your registration. Once your profile has been approved you will receive an email with a username and a link to set your password.

Adding PositionsUpon entering your home page, navigate to the Jobs & Internships tab on the top menu bar. Click the Add New button on the next screen page. Enter your job or internship information and click submit.

Once you have submitted, the EPICS office will review and approve the posting. You will get an email from EPICS once the position is viewable to students.

Hint: If you wish to customize your password, log into your account and select the Account tab.

Managing PositionsTo view and edit a position, navigate to the Jobs & Internships tab on the home page. Select the appropriate job title from the list populated at the bottom of the screen. You will be taken

to a position information page where the position can be viewed and edited.

You can extend postings in two ways: one for positions that are currently posted and one for positions that have expired/been archived.

To extend a position that has not yet expired: enter the home page and click the Jobs & In-ternships tab in the top menu bar. Select the job or internship title you wish to extend. Change the expiration date to the correct date, then click submit.

To extend or re-open an expired position: follow the steps above until you reach the Jobs & Internships tab in the top menu bar. Click on the Add New button. Click the Show Archived button. Select the appropriate job from the pull-down menu. Information will pre-populate the fields. Make sure to review, make applicable edits, and change the posting and expiration dates. Click submit.

We post opportunities at Northwestern University on a quarterly basis. Here is a sample timeline for this school year:

Fall: June 23rd (Current date- if employer requests) to Friday September 12th Winter: October 1st to De-cember 19th Spring: December 1st to March 27th Summer: January 1st (when-ever employers start recruit-ing since it varies)/March 15th to June 12th

Hint: Once you have selected an archived position, remember to double-check that the posting information is up to date. Also remember to check the job title and edit as needed.

Internship Program

Internship DesignTo craft an internship posting and experience that are mutually beneficial to the student and your organization, here are some criteria that will help you get started:Students intern with an organization from 8 - 32+ hours a week for 10 weeks (the length of a typical quarter)

We ask you, the employer, to provide Northwestern students with:

1. Substantive work detailed in a clear job description2. Training or orientation3. Regular Supervision4. Evaluation of intern’s performance

Academic Credit for InternshipsStudents are able to obtain credit for an internship and take a course that runs concurrently with the internship. The internship course is available in Los Angeles, Chicagoland, and New York City. Students can receive credit for internships anywhere in the U.S by completing the course work remotely.

Students will intern with an organization from 8 - 32+ hours a week for 10 weeks (the length of a typical quarter). Students are eligible to receive one academic credit for each 8 hours of work per week. Four credits is the normal course load for one quarter.

Students attend class one evening during the week. Students are evaluated based on course work that they complete for the internship. An evaluation from both the student and internship employer also contributes to their grade.

It is possible for students to start an internship before a quarter starts. To receive credit, it is imperative that they are interning while for the duration of the internship class. For example, if the quarter runs from September 23rd-December 12th and the student is interning from August 15th- December 16th, then this situation would qualify.

We do have a deadline for applications materials at the start of each quarter so that applications can be processed and reviewed effectively

Onboarding your internBegin your intern’s experience by creating a welcoming environment from day one. Establish clear guidelines for expectations, lines of communication and company culture. Develop a clear timeline for their program and set designated meeting times to check-in on progress and establish next steps. Allow the opportunity for your intern to meet other leaders and peers in the organization and learn how all parts of the business work together. Please remember that the EPICS team at Northwestern University is here to help at all stages of the internship process.

Freelance OpportunitiesEmployers can recruit School of Communication students for freelance opportunities where these conditions are met:1. The opportunity must be paid.2. NU students cannot be asked to rent/utilize Northwestern resources/materials for the freelance job, ex- renting a Northwestern video camera for company film shoot purposes.

Paid vs. UnpaidWe strongly encourage that students are compensated for their work in some capacity. If not through an hourly wage, consider a stipend or a travel reimbursement or other perks as a possibility. Unpaid internships must adhere to the Department of Labor guidelines for unpaid internships seen here:http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.pdf

We have always had very positive experiences with Northwestern students and always welcome them at Lifeline —Lifeline Theatre

I have now had two interns from Northwestern and both have been terrific and professional. I would love to have more here! —Screen Media

Working with the EPICS office was a breeze. I interact with many programs and this one is great! —New Chapter Entertainment

The intern program is one of the most rewarding parts of my business. Making a difference for Liam meant the world to me… and doing the same for other Northwestern students would be a dream. —Barry Katz Entertainment

A true pleasure to have had Kathy as an intern. Kathy will go far in whatever career she chooses. Loved that the paperwork to get an intern started with Northwestern was all digital and the evaluation process is also online. —Make it Happen Productions

Evaluating your internand experience:Most importantly, make time for your review ofthe internship program and your intern to ensure continued success for all involved. At the close of the internship, the EPICS office will send you paperwork to complete online to share feedback.

Campus Brand BuildingIn addition to posting your internship, full-time job and freelance opportunities with us, here are some ways you can keep your brand engaged on campus and connect to Northwestern talent throughout the school year:

Industry Panels:These on-campus events are a great way to help students explore careers in your industry and learn some of the nuances to the work that your company might deliver. It is especially helpful when a client of yours is brought along to tell the story of how you helped meet their needs.

Employer Roundtable:This is a unique career education and talent identification opportunity that the School of Communication will be hosting for the first time in Winter 2015. We will have opportunities to coach students in topics like resumes, interviewing, building a professional brand, career paths and how to be a competitive candidate as well as a chance to promote your organization and any opportunities you may have.

Career Connections:This is an excellent opportunity to host a group of 10-15 students for a morning or afternoon visit to your offices, typically in the 2-3 hour time frame. During this visit, students are not only given a tour of the organization and introduced to staff, but offered perspective on how different departments within the organization work together to deliver to clients and what different career paths are like within the organization. Connecting with current interns and any Northwestern alumni can be especially enlightening. Previous career connections have included trips to Intersport, Chicago Blackhawks, White House Post and Optimus.

Career and Internship Fair:Every Spring, Northwestern University Co-hosts a career and internship fair with Medill School of Journalism. The 2014 career fair drew over 300 student attendees and 56 employers. This year’s career fair will be held on Wednesday, April 8th, 2015.

Be a guest speaker in an internship class or seminar:As mentioned previously, there are several courses in the School of Communication taught by EPICS that might be a good fit for you to share your expertise with students.

Company Info Session:We can host you on campus for an evening event where students can here about your organization, your people and opportunities. Tell your story about client successes and describe in depth the career paths available with your organization.

For more information, please contact EPICS at [email protected] or 847-467-7020