For Employers and Recruiters
Why hire or admit Butler Bulldogs?
Butler University students and graduates receive an education based in critical thinking and the liberal arts, developing professional skillsets and pursuing experiential learning both in and out of the classroom via internships, rotations, student teaching, service, on-campus jobs, study abroad, and more.
Given their drive, full-time support from staff and faculty, and immediate access to the greater Indianapolis for-profit, nonprofit, education, service, and government sectors, Bulldogs continuously achieve post-graduation success at higher levels than peer schools—no matter their majors—improving the world while securing healthy incomes. Thanks to their success, Butler University was yet again #1 atop Midwest universities in the 2021 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.
Quick Links
Handshake
Our online employment portal, Handshake, is utilized by all small colleges/universities within the state, as well as the entire Indiana University system. After being approved to join Butler's network, you can post internship and job opportunities, as well as events, to students and graduates directly. You're welcome to create a free Handshake account for yourself and, if needed, your employer. You can also submit available internships and jobs via our web form (which we then post to Handshake on your behalf). If you encounter any problems, please email the CaPS office.
Butler BlueWork
Butler University's Old National Bank Center for Business Excellence has built a new platform called BlueWork that connects students and employers for short-term, project-based work opportunities (micro-internships) without the need for employers to hire and supervise an intern or full-time employee. Learn more about Butler BlueWork.
Babysitting, Nannying, and Tutoring
Career and Professional Success (CaPS) no longer accepts postings for babysitting, nannying, or tutoring. If you’re interested in hiring a Butler student for one of those types of positions, we ask that you visit care.com, create a free account, and post your opportunity there. CaPS will be referring interested students to that site.
Policies and Laws
Cancellation, Nondiscrimination, Wages, and More
Please read our Official CaPS Policies for more information about working with Butler. Organizations must also be aware of the following laws and regulations:
- Butler's Employment Non-Discrimination Policy
- the University's Sexual Misconduct Policy
- Indianapolis' Non-Discrimination Law (Sec. 581 of the Municipal Code)
- U.S. Supreme Court Bostock v. Clayton County, GA (2019) decision prohibiting discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity
- the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guidelines for unpaid interns in for-profit companies
Important note: Our office reserves the right to remove or deny access to any organization or refuse to post any position that violates equal opportunity provisions or puts the safety of our students and graduates in danger. In addition, Butler University prohibits postings that are in violation of any local, state, or federal laws and U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
Accessibility
Butler University is committed to ensuring its programs, services, activities, and benefits are accessible on an equitable basis to all qualified individuals with disabilities. Read how to submit disability-related accommodation requests.
Everyone is encouraged to create accessible versions of informational flyers and materials for digital distribution. Read how to create accessible documents in Microsoft Word.
For further reading (including info on imagery and video captioning), please read Butler's Accessibility Standards guide.
How Butler Students Pursue Internships
Here's how an internship for a typical Butler student plays out:
- You post an internship opportunity on Handshake, our online employment portal. You include as much information as you can, including the anticipated number of hours spent on-site by the student, the nature of the work, and to whom they'll report. (Please see the following "How to Create an Internship" dropdown.)
- A Butler student finds it as they're preparing for the next semester or summer term.
- If the student is looking to receive college credit for completing the internship, they take the posting to Butler faculty/staff members to petition that it count for credit in a specific area of study (e.g., "CH" credit for Chemistry, "JR" credit for Journalism, etc.).
- If they're not looking to receive college credit, they might not consult a faculty/staff member at all.
- Regardless, the student goes ahead and applies to the internship either directly in Handshake or by clicking through to your external application site.
- If you offer the position to the student, they're seeking credit, and Butler faculty/staff feel the internship is missing elements, then they and the student will reach out to you to see if the opportunity can be adjusted. (If not, then the student could in theory still complete the internship—they just wouldn't receive college credit along the way.)
- Whether you want to pay student interns is up to you. The compensation rate must be stated clearly in the internship posting. A typical Butler student earns a minimum $12–15 per hour at their internship. You may find it helpful to read the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guidelines for unpaid interns in for-profit companies.
- If the internship is for credit, you should anticipate being contacted during the term by Butler faculty/staff to gauge the educational experience for the student and how they're developing professionally.
- At the end of the term, if the internship is for credit, Butler faculty/staff will determine a grade for the student's transcript, taking into account your opinions and observations.
What to Look for in an Intern
As you think about the qualifications of an ideal intern, consider factors other than GPA, grade level, and total years' experience. Overly strict criteria could cause you to miss out on the perfect applicant. Read IndianaIntern.net's tips on what to look for in an intern.
How to Create an Internship
Internship Guides
IndianaIntern.net has great resources when it comes to building/improving an internship program:
- Read the article "Building a Quality Internship Program."
- Download Indiana Intern.net's free Employer Guide.
Best Practices
- Read an article detailing 15 best practices for internship programs from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
- Read how to provide professional development opportunities to interns.
FLSA Guidelines
You can read the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guidelines for unpaid interns in for-profit companies.
Documenting ROI
Your internship program can't achieve return-on-investment if you don't have a clear road map. Read what aspects of your internship program to document on an ongoing basis to help you clarify what you do, how you do it, and why you do it.
What Butler Faculty are Looking for in an Internship
Below are some examples of information needed by faculty and staff in order to approve an internship for credit.
College of Communication (CCOM)
- The name and address of the company/organization.
- What the student would be doing in the internship.
- What skills would the student need for the internship? Writing? Video editing/shooting? Design?
- If technical skills are necessary, what kinds of software or equipment are already in place at the internship site? Our students are not allowed to use our cameras or any other CCOM owned gear for internships. That equipment is only used for class assignments and projects.
- Approximately how many hours per week would the student be interning?
- Does the internship pay? If so, how much?
- What materials should a student include in an application? Resume' and cover letter sufficient?
- Name and email address of the contact person.
Lacy School of Business (LSB)
- Internships must contain at least 240 on-site hours (Note: due to COVID-19, the minimum for Fall 2020 and Spring 2020 internships has been reduced to 120 on-site hours)
- Students must submit all internships to the CaPS LSB career development team for approval
- Students must have already earned 60 credit hours to complete an internship for credit, including at least 12 LSB credits at the 300 level or above
- Students must have completed the first 300-level course in their major
- Students must complete LSB 401 (3 cr.) or LSB 402 (3 cr.)
- Grades are determined by class assignments and professionalism, which is partly based on employer evaluations
- View our guidelines for public Accounting firms
Connecting with Students and Graduates
Overview
On this webpage, you'll find resources and information to help you build, share, and recruit for opportunities.
For a quick overview of what's possible:
- Download a PDF visual version of our Employer Opportunities flyer.
- Or, download an accessible Microsoft Word version of our Employer Opportunities flyer.
Attend Fairs and Events
Career development fairs and events are vital to connecting you with Butler faculty, staff, and students. In fact, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reports that more than 95 percent of employers and recruiters use career fairs to recruit candidates for internships, co-ops, project-based learning experiences, and jobs.
View our calendar of events for the upcoming year.
Invitations, registration requests, and fees are handled through Handshake.
Staff an Info Table
Every week, we bring employers and recruiters to campus to talk with students face-to-face. One way in which they do so is by staffing an information table outside our student union.
The basics:
- Recruiter info tables occur from 11:00 AM–1:00 PM, Monday through Friday (availability and weather permitting) on the patio outside our campus Starbucks, located at Atherton Union.
- You park in the Sunset Ave. Parking Garage at 4682 Sunset Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46208. See the listing of parking costs. Then please check in at the CaPS front desk in Dugan Hall 102. It is an approximately five-minute walk from the garage to the CaPS front desk.
- Helpful tips:
- Bringing a tablecloth helps you to stand out.
- We encourage you to bring a sign that indicates the type of opportunity you have available and can be easily seen by students. For example: “Part-time Job!” or “Seeking WordPress Intern!"
- We recommend arriving to campus at least 20 minutes early to allow for parking and walking to the CaPS office.
- If you bring food/candy to distribute, it must be individually wrapped (per health code).
- You are welcome to bring swag to hand out!
- In case you’re hungry, you're welcome to grab something to eat in Starbucks, Atherton Union's second-floor cafeteria or basement Plum Market, Residential College's cafeteria, or the Butler Brew cafe in Dugan Hall.
There is no charge to hold an info table.
Please email career@butler.edu with two requested dates for an 11:00 AM–1:00 PM info table that work on your end. We'll alert you to the availability in the system and, if your request is approved, confirm with you a final date/time, and then book the space for you.
Submit One-Page Flyers
If you have a one-page flyer about job, internship, or service opportunities, we can review, stamp, and post up to 16 copies around campus for you. To submit a one-page flyer for consideration, please email a PDF to career@butler.edu. If approved, we’ll print and stamp 16 copies, posting them on designated boards around campus for no longer than one month.
Sponsor Activities, Events, and Groups
If you're interested in sponsorship opportunities on campus—whether financially or in-kind—please email sponsorship questions to Associate Director of Employer Success, Jeremy Walthall.
Help Students and Graduates via Wisr – Bulldogs Connect
If you're a Butler graduates, we invite you to join Bulldogs Connect (powered by Wisr), our online network connecting students and graduates in need of help with graduates who can provide it.
It's simple, yet powerful—and free to all Butler students and graduates.
Coming to Campus
Located on more than 300 acres on the north side of Indianapolis, the nation's 15th-largest city, our university is home to both historic buildings and park-like settings.
Get directions to Butler, view maps of campus, book hotels, and more.
Recruiter Information Breakfasts
Typically held at the beginning of every fall and spring semester, our Recruiter Information Breakfasts provide employers with more details about Butler's campus structure, CaPS' programming, and the student experience.
Invitations are sent to contacts through our database in Handshake, Butler's online employment portal.
Learn dates and times for upcoming Recruiter Information Breakfasts by emailing Associate Director of Employer Success Jeremy Walthall.
Social Media
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