Finding Jobs and Internships

The Career Development Center at Fairleigh Dickinson University provides a job search resources for students, alumni, and employers.

CareerShift

Login or sign-up with your FDU email account.

  • CareerShift pulls search results from various different job search engines and compiles them into one results list. (Indeed, Monster, company websites, etc.)
  • Search by job title, company name, keywords, or location.

Career Fairs

FDU students and alumni from any campus are encouraged to attend the career fairs. Businesses and corporations from the metropolitan New Jersey / New York are will have tables with information about jobs at their companies. You need to arrive dressed for success with plenty of copies of your resume. Be prepared to ask questions about the jobs and to talk about your degree and courses.

  • The Metropolitan Campus is host to the fall career fair. in the September / October time frame every year. It is usually held in the gymnasium.
  • The Florham Campus and the College of St Elizabeth join Drew University when they host the spring career fair in Madison.

Career Fair Tips

Career fairs are a great place to meet employers, but you need to do more than show up. Listed below are some tips that will help you impress employers:

  • Prepare. Review the employers on the Career Development website. Spend time getting some background on organizations that interest you, then you can ask focused questions. This impresses representatives because it shows a genuine interest in them.
  • Rest. Your company research should be complete so be sure to get a good night sleep the evening before the fair.
  • Professional dress is key. First impressions are very important.
  • Bring many copies of your resume. Bring enough resumes for the employers you intend to meet, plus twenty more. Make certain there are no errors and use resume paper (24 lb).
  • Allow yourself adequate time. Arrive at the fair at the designated time or within 30 minutes after the start time. Fairs close promptly and you don’t want to miss any opportunities.
  • Prioritize employers. You may have little time to speak to employers because many other students may be interested in the same employers, so budget your time wisely.
  • Have a game plan. Take a few minutes when you arrive to review the location directory of employers. You can locate the employers you’re most interested in and see if any lines are building up, you may want to start there.
  • Explore other options. There may be employers who were added at the last minute explore those tables as well. When you have seen all of the companies you set out to meet, visit the other tables. There may be hidden opportunities. This is also a great networking tool!
  • Introductions. Offer the recruiter a firm handshake and introduce yourself. Be ready to have a 30 second introduction ready about what you are interested in and what you have to offer. Hand your resume to the recruiter. It is also a nice gesture to welcome and thank the representative for coming to FDU.
  • Collect business cards. This serves two purposes: First you can take brief notes on the back of each card (ex., things you want to remember about the company or the representative). Second, you will need the correct information to send a thank you note that acknowledges your appreciation of the employer visiting our campus and providing opportunities to you.
  • Respect employers’ product samples. Some employers bring product samples for students to take. This is not intended to be a shopping spree, take one and thank the employer for the gift. Always check with employers before taking materials from their tables.
  • Mind your Manners. Not only are you representing yourself, you also represent the University. The organizations at the fair are there because of their interest in FDU students. Some representatives may even be alumni. Be courteous to your fellow students waiting to speak with employers by keeping your introduction and questions brief and also respecting the employers’ limits.
  • Be positive. Smile! The time spent with employers is a great learning and networking experience, enjoy it.

Evaluating Fraudulent Jobs and Employers

If your interaction (in person or over the phone) with an employer makes you feel uncomfortable or suspicious, you should follow your intuition. It is extremely important that you proceed with caution as you pursue an employment/internship opportunity.

If you suspect a position is fraudulent, please contact career@fdu.edu immediately to report it. Do not continue communication with the employer. If you believe you have been a victim of fraud resulting from a job listing, please contact the police, as well.

If the incident occurred completely over the Internet, you can file an incident report with the US Department of Justice at www.cybercrime.gov , or by calling the FTC at: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

If you feel uncomfortable about a job opportunity you are exploring, DO NOT click on any links and DO NOT provide any personal information.

Generally, if the posting or email contains any of the following, please proceed with caution and alert Career Development immediately:

  • Offers to pay a large amount of money for very little work or Offers you a job without ever meeting or interacting with you
  • Requests personal information from you such as your Social Security Number, bank account numbers, credit card information, copies of your passport/license/or other personal documents
  • Requests you to transfer or wire money from one account to another or payment by wire service, Money Order, or courier
  • Offers a large payment in exchange for the use of your bank account, often for depositing checks or transferring money
  • Offers to send you a check before you do any work or sends you a large check unexpectedly
  • Watch for anonymity. If it is difficult to find an address, actual contact, company name, etc., proceed with caution. Fraud postings are illegal, so scammers will try to keep themselves well-hidden
  • While there are legitimate opportunities for individuals to work from home, be sure to research the position (Envelope Stuffers, Home-based Assembly Jobs, and Online Surveys) in advance of applying
  • A contact email address that is not a primary domain. For example, an employer called “Balston Realty” with a Gmail address
  • The posting includes many spelling and grammatical errors
  • You are asked to provide a photo of yourself
  • Look at the company’s website. Does it have an index that tells you what the site is about or does it contain information only about the job you are interested in? Scammers often create quick, basic web pages that seem legitimate at first glance.
  • The employer contacts you by phone; however there is no way to call them back. The number is not available
  • The employer says that they do not have an office set-up in your area, and will need you to help them get it up and running (these postings often include a request for your banking information, supposedly to help the employer make transactions)
  • Google the employer’s phone number, fax number and/or email address. If it does not appear connected to an actual business organization, this is a red flag
  • When you Google the company name and the word “scam” (i.e., Acme Company scam), the results show several scam reports concerning this company
  • Monster.com lists descriptive words in job postings that are tip-offs to fraud. Their list includes “package-forwarding,” “money transfers,” “wiring funds,” “eBay,” and “PayPal”

Additional Resources for Fraudulent Online Postings/Job Hunting/Job Scams

Once you have started in the position, if you have any concerns about the legitimacy of the company or believe the work environment to be unsafe, contact Career Development if it’s an academic internship. For paid positions, the New Jersey Department of Labor and the US Department of Labor should be contacted.

(Source: Stevens Institute of Technology)

Internship policies and procedures

Internships at Fairleigh Dickinson University integrate classroom learning, faculty support, and supervised employment in an area relevant to a student’s educational and career goals.

Eligibility

  • 30 Credits completed. Transfer students must complete 1 semester at FDU.
  • Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and 2.33 major GPA (with the exception of communication studies which requires all majors to complete a 3-credit internship).
  • Internship opportunities must be pre-approved by the department chairperson (or other designated party*) to ensure credit / GPA eligibility and that an adequate connection exists between the student’s major and work the student will do onsite.
  • Students completing an internship within the same organization as a previous semester will only be awarded credit if the student provides up-front evidence that they are interning in a different office under a different supervisor.
  • Students are not eligible to receive credit for the same internship in multiple academic areas. For example, a student cannot register an internship for psychology and sociology credits at the same time.

Registration

  • Internship registration must take place prior to the completion of any field hours/work hours at the internship site.
  • Students cannot register for internships “after the fact.”
  • The Independent Study deadline will also be considered the Internship registration deadline (typically this falls at the end of the third week of the semester).
  • Registration requests made after this deadline will not be granted by Career Development.
  • Students who wish to complete their field hours during the summer may register for the internship during the subsequent fall semester with faculty approval.
  • No other enrollment configurations are permitted (for example, working field hours in the summer and registering for the internship the following spring).
  • Prior to visiting Career Development, students need to have a faculty member (chairperson or designated party) approve:
    • the internship opportunity (the nature of the work to be completed is appropriate) and
    • registration eligibility (what will the student workload be, how will the internship impact degree audit, etc.).
  • The faculty member approval process includes completion / signing of required Experiential Learning Plan.
  • The internship site employer will be vetted by Career Development to ensure a satisfactory opportunity.
  • Communication Studies, Criminology, Hospitality and Sports Administration majors must contact the Department directly regarding the registration process and approval of potential internship sites.

Registration and Internship Process

  • Students must first meet with and have a faculty member (chairperson or designated party) approve the Internship opportunity and registration eligibility prior to visiting Career Development.
  • The faculty member approval process includes completion / signing of required Experiential Learning Plan and, if needed, completion/signing of a “change of schedule” form – both documents and an internship job description must be taken to Career Development (see below).
  • Following completion of the experiential learning plan and change of schedule form, students must set up a time to meet with their dedicated career counselor to complete the registration process and receive the final approval to register the internship.
  • During the internship students must have their internship supervisor/s complete a midterm and final evaluation, which must be sent to Career Development and their assigned faculty member by dates outlined on the Career Development website.
  • At completion of the internship, students must turn in a timesheet to Career Development and their assigned faculty member.

Internship Credits

  • Interns are expected to work the following weeks / hours to be awarded credit:
  • Minimum of 8 weeks and the following hours:
    • 45-89 hours: 1 credit
    • 90-149 hours: 2 credits
    • 150-plus hours: 3 credits (This level is required for Communication Studies and Criminology majors.)

International Students and Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

F-1 students may be eligible to complete an internship for credit in their field of study after completion of 48 credits for undergraduates and 18 credits for graduate students. Approval by International Student Services, Career Development, and the academic department is required prior to a student beginning their CPT experience. All students seeking to complete a CPT should work well in advance to ensure timely processing of their internship paperwork. For more detailed information on the CPT process, please visit: