Employers FAQ

When is the recruiting season?

Campus recruiting at the Elliott School begins during the second week of September and runs through the middle of November for the fall semester. Spring recruiting runs from the middle of January until the middle of April.

What do you charge for your services or programs?

There is no charge to participate in most of our programs or services, including the Elliott School Career Connection (ESCC) system, our web-based career management system. However, there are nominal charges associated with the Opportunity Knocks Career and Information Fair.

What is ESCC and how can I promote my organization to Elliott School graduate students?

GSCD utilizes the career management system Elliott School Career Connection (ESCC), an online resource for graduate students, alumni, faculty, and employers. The Elliott School Career Connection software enables students to easily register personal, academic, and work experience information with career development, upload resumes and cover letters, search for jobs, create automatic job search agents, and select interview times, all from a single web application. Employers can log onto the system, post jobs, search student and alumni resumes, and review candidates for interviews. We hope you will take advantage of this wonderful system.

Register on Elliott School Career Connection.

Can we recruit Elliott School graduate alumni through the ESCC system?

Yes! Our alumni have the same access to ESCC as current students. Recruitment for both groups is exactly the same.

Does GSCD have space to perform interviews?

Absolutely! GSCD is located at 1957 E St. NW, on the 6th floor. Our space includes a conference room and two private interview rooms. In addition, we have access to a spacious electronic presentation space. Employers are also able to use our office's business resources (phone, fax, copier, internet) during their time at GSCD.

Can I promote my company or organization to Elliott School graduate students and alumni if I do not have immediate hiring needs?

You are welcome to visit the Elliott School even if you don't have immediate hiring needs. We are happy to arrange an information session in which you may speak about your organization and typical hiring needs. If you are interested in an employer information session, contact Angella Griffin, associate director of employer relations, at (202) 994-3788 or email agriffin@gwu.edu.

Does Graduate Student Career Development host a career fair?

Yes. For the past seven years, GSCD has hosted Opportunity Knocks, a career and information fair dedicated to Elliott School graduate students and alumni. On average, over 70 employers and 300 students and alumni attend Opportunity Knocks. This excellent opportunity to target Elliott School professional students occurs in early February every year. There is a nominal fee to participate. Please contact Graduate Student Career Development to learn more.

Where do Elliott School graduates work?

We conduct extensive employment surveys six months after the end of every academic year. To review the results of the most recent survey or survey results from the last four years, please visit the employment results page.

Can I hire non-US citizens?

Yes! Permanent Residents and students studying on a nonresident visa (F-1) are eligible to work while completing their degree. Although there are specific eligibility requirements involved in hiring students on F-1 visas, please contact GSCD for more information. Also, there are no additional fees or charges to employ students studying on a non-resident visa (F-1).

Is it possible to hire an unpaid intern?

Students are eager to obtain career-related experience, and although pay is helpful, some of them will consider unpaid opportunities. If you wish to post an unpaid internship, please contact us at (202) 994-3788 or email escareer@gwu.edu.

Also, if you are a nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organization or city agency, you may be eligible to participate in the Federal Work-Study Program. The program provides funding for citizens or permanent residents of the United States who have been awarded financial aid funding. If you are interested in participating in the program, please contact The George Washington University Main Career Center at (202) 994-6495 or via email at gwcarctr@gwu.edu.

Is there a minimum salary rate for a paid internship position?

Employers determine the salaries and benefits for their own positions and employees. The rate of pay will vary according to industry type, level of responsibilities, and student preparedness for position. A couple of resources to help determine salary are http://www.salary.com and http://www.salaryexpert.com.

In addition, GSCD has conducted employment surveys of our graduates every year for the past seven years. To view the salary information within our employment survey's please visit the employment results page.

Can a student receive academic credit for an internship (unpaid or paid)?

Although the Elliott School does not currently offer academic credit to graduate students for any internships we do have a zero-credit graduate international internship course for which students can register, at no-cost, if the employer needs students to register for a course in order to participate in an internship.

How do I hire a student for an overseas summer internship?

Many students from the Elliott School intern overseas during the summer for NGOs, businesses, and international organizations. If your organization has staffing needs in an overseas office, we will be happy to advertise these openings to our students. We also have international internship grants for which students can apply.

Can Elliott School students speak another language?

As part of our curriculum, Elliott School graduates must be proficient in at least one other modern foreign language in addition to English.

How can I reach out to professional/student groups at the Elliott School?

Each year there are a number of professional student groups on campus. For a list of some of these groups and links to their webpages, please click here.

Whom can I contact for additional help?

We at GSCD are ready to address any concern you may have and assist you in the most efficient manner possible. Please give us a call at (202) 994-3788 or email escareer@gwu.edu.