How to Request an Exception to Open Recruitment for Student Jobs

• Job Posting Template (PDF)
• Instructions for Exception to Hire (PDF)
• Handshake Tips & Tricks (PDF)

Be aware these instructions will be similar to posting open positions but please be aware of differences in red. 

Make sure you have the following information from the Hiring Manager prior to submitting the job
listing. Submitting an Exception will be a two (2) step process. Step 1 create your job posting. Step 2
create and submit a Mach Form of student(s) to be hired. The following information is needed for the
Mach Form prior to submitting the posting in Handshake:

• Justification – How is the department aware of this student’s skills, knowledge and/or
  previous experience? Why does the department want to hire this particular student as
  opposed to listing an open recruitment?\
• Near Relative – Does this student have a near relative on campus? (No; Yes = complete and
  submit Near Relative form.)

• Go to https://ucsd.joinhandshake.com/login
• Enter your username and password
• Select Jobs on left hand side; on next page upper right corner click Create a Job

Complete required fields:

• Job Description (to include but not limited to). Please see Job Posting Template (PDF). 
  • Do not enter student information within the posting, this information will be annotated in the Mach Form. You must submit an Exception to Hire Request Form (Mach Form) to accompany the Exception Job Posting request.
  • Exact Salary 
    • Ex. "Students hired for this position will be paid $17.75 per hour to start". 
    • Note: But be sure to use the custom range option within the "Expected Pay" section later down in the job posting process, and use the minimum and maximum for the student title code you are using for the position - this is in accordance to California's Pay Transparency law
  • Job Description
  • Job Functions
  • Job Location (if applicable)
  • Qualifications
  • Special Conditions of Employment (meals/room; transportation; certificates; CANRA; etc.)
  • Hours Per Week
  • Desired Start Date (if applicable mandatory trainings and/or future start date)
  • Competencies (List EXACTLY 3, plus the 1-sentence definitions found on the UC San Diego Competency webpage)
  • Notices
    • UCSD Student Services Fees requirement
    • Background Check requirement
    • Near Relative statement
    • Equal Opportunity Employer statement
    • Inclusive, Healthy, and Safe Working Environment statement
• AI option - Automatically fill in the rest of this job post using the job description. You’ll get to confirm everything’s correct before posting?
  • SEO advises no since some fields may be filled out incorrectly

• Job Title – Working Title / Payroll Title (Work-Study if applicable)
  • Ex: Lab Assistant (Smith) / STDT 3
• Position Type – Choose “On Campus Student Employment.”
• Work Study Job Box – LEAVE UNCHECKED. If a job requires Work-Study, simply annotate “(Work-Study 20YY-20YY)” at the end of the job title.
  • Ex: Lab Assistant (Smith) / STDT 3 - EXC (Work-Study 2025-2026)

• If “Onsite”, or “Hybrid” option is selected, must use UC San Diego address:
  • 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, United States
• If position is “Remote”, must select the “Remote employees must be based within the US” box

• Schedule
  • Should always be set to “Part-Time”
• Hours Per Week
  • Optional to include
• Employment Duration
  • Should always be set to “Temporary or Seasonal”
  • Then input approximate position start and end dates
    • These do not have to be exact. 

• Expected Pay
  • Select “Custom Range” option
  • Then input the minimum and maximum for the student title code being used for the position
    • $17.75-$23.95 (per hour) for the STDT 3 title code
  • This is in accordance to California's Pay Transparency law
• Additional Comp/Benefits/Perks
  • All optional

• Job Role Type – Select most applicable category (use up to 3 categories)

• Work Authorization – SEO guidance for the Work Authorization field is to first select "Disclose" and then select the first option after that: "This job requires US work authorization". The sub-boxes beneath that option do not need to be checked.
• Skills – Optional
• School Year – Optional; may restrict candidates based on your selection and their profile data.
• Latest Graduation Year – Leave blank; this is used for off-campus employers.
• Major Groups – Optional; may restrict candidates based on your selection and their profile data.
• Minimum GPA – While Handshake indicates that this field is optional, UC San Diego departments cannot require a minimum GPA. Leave blank.

• For on-campus employers posting an on-campus student employment position, the job can only be posted to the school for which you are an on-campus employer. The search bar to select other schools is disabled.
• As a result, the "School" setting should default to UC San Diego
• If it does not, please contact the Student Employment Office for further support and assistance

• Input application open and close dates
  • Jobs will default to a 6-month application window; as a result, update accordingly
  • For EXC's to hire, SEO recommends you use open and close dates that are separated by one day since these jobs will not go live on Handshake, and since Handshake does not allow these dates to be the same. 
    • Ex. June 1st and June 2nd 
• Number of Hires – Expected number of hires for position
  • Note: This field does not appear to students, nor is the department tied/committed to the number listed in this field
• How will candidates submit applications – Handshake vs. external site
  • If using external site (i.e. Google Form, separate website, etc.), the external site must be active and available for SEO to review, and for students to access once the job is approved/published on Handshake
  • Note: Not applicable for EXC's to hire
• Required Documents – SEO advises that departments require at least a resume.
  • If selecting RESUME or COVER LETTER the student must upload their documents at the time of application.  
  • Note: Departments may not request transcripts
  • Other Documents - optional; not listed above (field not visible on print preview only to student when they click “apply”.

• Company Division – This is your department's name.
• Hiring Team Members – Select anyone who needs to receive applicant applications/documentation
  • All applications and documents will be sent to this contact(s) via email. If the incorrect contact is selected, please deselect the contact listed by clicking the "X" to delete. Find the correct contact within your list of contact's or add a new contact if not yet in Handshake. You will only need to add a contact once.  
  • Note: Hiring managers/supervisors do not receive access to Handshake, and as a result, will not be able to review the job, nor the applicants, within Handshake
  • Note: Not applicable for EXC's to hire

• Perform a final review of job posting
• Click “Edit” to update any applicable screens/information
• Click “Post Job” when ready to submit for SEO review

Department HR representatives MUST add a comment to every posting they submit on Handshake indicating the new or duplicate nature of the posting. If the posting is a duplicate, they must also include the duplicated Handshake job number. 

Once the page reloads: Click "Schools" locate the horizontal bars next to the expiration date, click and select "View Details". Enter whether your posting is new or a duplicate job#.

Handshake Comment Guide

Please fill out the Exception to Hire Mach Form. The Mach Form must be submitted in order for an exception to be approved. Exceptions will be made effective the date the Job Posting is submitted to Handshake; retroactive exceptions are not approved.

• Enter the Preparer's first and last name. 
• Enter the Department's Name as listed in Handshake. 
• Enter today's date.
• Input the Preparer's UC San Diego email address.
• Enter the Handshake Job ID number. 

Go to the next page.
Note: If you are hiring 5 or less students, please complete the form fields for each student. If you are submitting an exception for more than 5 hires, upload an excel file with each of the hires' full name, PID, and near relative information.

• Input the Student’s Legal Name
• Enter the Student's PID Number
• Input Near Relative information for each student
• Additional Authorization (i.e. Graduate Coordinator approval to hire student)
• Include a Justification

Please do not send an additional email to Student Employment acknowledging the submission of the Mach
Form. We automatically receive the form once you click “submit”. Your department liaison will reply to you directly via email, with an approval or denial of your Exception to Hire request.

Reminders:

• Mach form must be submitted in order for an exception to be approved.
• Exceptions will be made effective the date the Job Posting is submitted to Handshake; retroactive exceptions are not approved.
• If hiring graduate student(s), the graduate coordinator approval email should be either attached as a PDF to the mach form (recommended method), or forwarded to the SEO email separately.