On-Campus Recruiting and Using Handshake

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On-Campus Recruiting (OCR) Program & OCR Tutorial

Employers can begin recruiting May graduates in August. Over 200 employers visit Cornell's campus to meet students at career fairs, employer information sessions, and to conduct interviews for jobs and internships. Generically, industries that tend to recruit heavily in the fall semester include: 

  • Biotechnology/Pharma
  • Consulting
  • Consumer Products
  • Defense
  • Energy and Utilities
  • Finance and Banking
  • Healthcare
  • Transportation

Industries such as Education, Government, and Technology tend to recruit in both fall and spring. 

Job postings that are tied to an interview schedule indicate that the employer will come to campus to interview students as part of Cornell’s OCR program. Some employers participate in OCR, but choose to interview students via phone or video instead of traveling to campus. 

To be eligible to participate in OCR, students must complete an online tutorial which takes about 20 minutes and includes a quiz at the end. Allow two business days after completion for your eligibility status to be updated. You will not be notified of this change, but will see an "ocr eligible" label on your Handshake profile, which means you are able to view and apply for positions attached to interview schedules. 

OCR Student Policies & Employer Offer Deadlines

When you choose to participate in OCR, you also agree to abide by Cornell Career Services' Student Policies. Note: The policies are updated annually. 

Use Handshake to:

  • View the list of registered employers for upcoming career fairs
  • See where and when employers are hosting information sessions on campus
  • View the calendar of career workshops, programs, and events, including Engineering Small Group Sessions, and Alumni Career Conversations 
  • Receive emails about potential opportunities of interest (make sure to update your preferences)

For additional instructions on registering with Cornell Handshake, visit Cornell Career Services.