On Campus Interviews

Berkeley Career Engagement coordinates on-campus interviews for all undergraduates and most graduate students, except for a few professional programs. For specialized populations, including MBA and Law, refer to this list of recruiting contacts.

Overview

Whether you’re planning for a traditional On Campus Interview (OCI) experience, or just want to secure some small rooms for informal coffee chats for your team, look no further than BCE! We have 15 rooms available (free of charge!), that can hold between 3-6 people – just let us know your needs when requesting space. The calendar typically opens on June 1 o request your dates. Rooms are generally available Tuesdays – Thursdays, 9:00am-4:30pm.

Fall 2025 OCI starts on September 2 and ends on November 13. Spring 2026 OCI starts on January 27 and ends on April 16. View the Academic & Recruiting calendar to help you plan your dates around our planned Career Fairs and Berkeley’s academic schedule. We encourage you to consult with Employer Relations staff to strategize the best dates that will align with your other campus activities. *NOTE: interview schedules must adhere to the hours of 9:00am (first interview start time) – 4:30pm (last interview end time).

OCI Options

Preselect In-person Interviews: This is the most popular option. Use our pre-built schedules and the Handshake tool to allow students who have been selected, to choose their own timeslots.
Room Only in-person interviews: Schedule your own interviews or coffee chats with candidates you have sourced from Handshake, career fairs or your other campus events.
Open Interviews: This is a great option for Coffee Chats. Attach a ‘fake’ job to your schedule and allow any student who meets the criteria to sign up for a slot, first come-first served.
Preselect Virtual Interviews: Use our pre-built schedules and the Handshake tool to allow students to select their own timeslots; you are required to provide an external virtual interview link and notify students.

How OCI Works

Request interview date(s) via Handshake
Your date(s) will be approved within 2 business days (steps 3-6 below apply to preselect only)
Add your job(s) in Handshake and attach them to your interview schedule (optional for room only)
Students apply for jobs during a specified time period
You review candidates and invite them via Handshake
Students sign up via Handshake
Refer to this helpful Handshake article for more information on how to get started

Request an Interview Date

To request on-campus interview dates via Handshake:

Current Users: If you have a Handshake account at our school, you may already have access to request schedules. If not, contact us to have that role assigned.
New Users: Go to the Handshake log in page to create an account. This Handshake article provides step-by-step instructions. Once your account and job have been approved, you will have access to submit an interview request.
Select Request an Interview on the Interviews page and follow the prompts. Review this Handshake article, How to Request an Interview Schedule at a School for assistance.

OCI Employer FAQs

How do I change the application deadline for my jobs?
Only Employer Relations Staff can change the APPLY END date for jobs linked to your interview schedule. The application period opens 60 days before the interview date and closes 17 days before the interview date. If you wish to change the deadline to align with other campus activities, e.g. your information session or a career fair, contact us.
How do I attach multiple jobs to my schedule?
There is no limit to the number of positions you can attach to your schedule, but you can only attach one position at a time. On the interview schedule page, click on the attach a job button. Follow the instructions, save your action, and repeat this process for each job you need to attach. Read this Handshake article, How to Add a Job to an Interview Schedule, for assistance.
Can I interview candidates who did not apply via Handshake?
Yes. If they are current UC Berkeley students or alumni of up to five years, they have access to Handshake. All students and recent graduates will have an existing account. If the APPLY END has passed, you can search for their names in Handshake, add them to the job, and set their status as primary or alternate. Many employers meet students at career fairs, information sessions or other campus events. Read this Handshake article, How to Manually Add an Applicant to an Interview Schedule for assistance.
How do I customize my preselect schedule?
You may select jobs and interview groups to associate with specific slots/rooms, and mark slots as unavailable so that no student can take that slot. From the interview schedule page, select the slots you wish to edit and click on Bulk Edit Slots. A popup window will appear where you can make edits. If you need to change your interview date(s), number of rooms, or the schedule set-up, you must contact us. We will accommodate requests, when possible, but know that we allow Interviews to take place between 9:00am and 4:30pm only.
If I am scheduling my own interviews, where do I send a copy of my schedule?
Send your schedule to ocr@berkeley.edu at least one day prior to the interview date. Please send the schedule in a printable format, preferably Word or Excel, and include the company name, interview date, interviewer name, student name, and interview time. Do not include any candidate personal information such as phone number or email as we will use the schedule for check-in at the reception desk. Note that interviews must be scheduled between 9:00am and 4:30pm only.
Where can I find directions to Berkeley Career Engagement and where do I park?
You'll find directions to Berkeley Career Engagement and parking information in the Travel to Berkeley section of our web site. We are unable to provide parking at our office. You must use City of Berkeley public parking lots, BART, or a ride sharing service.
Where do I check in for interviews?
Interviews occur at Berkeley Career Engagement, 2440 Bancroft Way, 2nd Floor, in Berkeley (between Dana Street and Telegraph Avenue across from Sproul Plaza and the MLK Jr. Student Union). Check in on the 2nd floor in Room 200, main reception, no earlier than 8:30am. Representatives may stay until 5:00pm to wrap up and debrief.
Where do I ship recruiting materials?
Ship materials to be distributed on the interview date to:

Berkeley Career Engagement
Attn: Employer Relations
University of California, Berkeley
2440 Bancroft Way, 2nd Floor, Suite 204
Berkeley, CA 94720-4350

Write your company name, interview date, and "Hold for Interviewers" on all boxes.
Whom do I contact if I'm running late?
Call the Recruiting Receptionist on the interview day at 510-642-6379. If the line is busy, call Employer Relations at 510-642-0464.
Does Berkeley Career Engagement provide lunch?
We do not provide meals, however, we do provide coffee, tea, water, and light snacks. You can work with the Receptionist to have lunch delivered.