Application Questions
Will the application process change if interviews are held virtually versus in-person?
For employers coordinating interviews through Crimson Careers, the application and interview signup process will be the same. Students must apply through Crimson Careers to be eligible to interview for the position.
Can employers see the saved document titles on Crimson Careers?
Employers cannot “browse” or see any portion of your Crimson Careers profile apart from those specific documents that you actively submit to them. However, once you submit an application, an employer can see the submitted documents, including the document title. Therefore, name your documents carefully. For example, you do not want to send a document called “Consulting Letter” to a nonprofit organization!
How do I attach my GPA or SAT scores?
If an employer requests GPA and/or SAT scores, simply include them in your resume. A separate document is not necessary. See the resume section of our website for some examples. If you are missing some grades on your transcript, whether it is because a professor is late turning in grades or some other reason, you must calculate your GPA omitting the missing grades, even if the professor has told you what the grade will be. See below for more information about your Unofficial Transcript.
Why is the employer asking me to apply on their website in addition to Crimson Careers?
Some employers, whether for legal or tracking purposes, require students ALSO to complete applications through the organization’s website. If an online application is required, the employer’s web address will be given, and you MUST complete BOTH the online application at the company website AND the Crimson Careers application to be considered for a campus interview.
How do I make changes to my Recruiting application?
To make any changes to an existing Recruiting application, you must withdraw your application and resubmit with the corrected and/or new documents. Changing the documents within your document tab on Crimson Careers does not change the documents in your submitted application(s). For this reason, we recommend that you think of your application as something final that you have mailed out. You can withdraw without penalty as long as you have time to resubmit before the deadline, but we caution that you give yourself ample time. Do not withdraw after the deadline unless you are withdrawing your candidacy altogether. You will not be able to reapply at all if you withdraw after the deadline. See “Apply for and schedule recruiting/campus interviews” here for more details.
Is it okay to apply to multiple divisions or multiple positions at one organization?
Yes, you can apply to more than one division or position. However, keep in mind that it is in your best interest to tailor your application materials to each opportunity. That way, you both increase your chances for each position AND demonstrate that you are not just applying indiscriminately. Remember, the job or internship search is not just a numbers game; it is about finding and demonstrating “fit.”
Cover Letter Questions
How do I know if a cover letter is required on Crimson Careers?
When you click the “Apply” button on the right-hand side of a position description, all the required documents appear in the “Apply Box.”
If a cover letter is not required, should I submit one anyway?
Not for Recruiting positions, as the system will not let you submit one. However, if an employer is asking you ALSO to apply through their website, they may ask you to submit a cover letter (or answer application questions) there, even if they do not ask for it on Crimson Careers. For non-Recruiting positions, you should also follow the instructions, but you may add a cover letter if you have a compelling reason why it would add value to your candidacy. Note: For Recruiting positions, all documents listed in the “apply” section are considered required documents.
To whom do I address my cover letter?
Unless there is a separate contact listed somewhere in the body of the position description, you should use the contact information posted on Crimson Careers. You can find the correct contact’s name on the bottom of the position description in Crimson Careers. Make sure that you spell the contact’s name correctly! If you do not find a contact name, “To Whom It May Concern” is sufficient.
What should I say in my cover letter?
Your cover letter is your chance to demonstrate how your skills and interests fit with the specific opportunity, employer, and industry to which you’re applying. It should demonstrate that you have carefully read the position description and can explain how you would contribute in that role. Also see the cover letter section of our website.
How do I get my cover letter reviewed?
MCS drop-in hours are the easiest way to get a cover letter reviewed. Simply bring a copy of your cover letter to our office, Monday through Friday, 1:00-4:00pm. You can come back as often as you need. If you make an appointment with an MCS advisor to review cover letters, plan to have two or three documents with you to fill the 30-minute appointment.
Unofficial Transcript Questions
How do I upload my “Unofficial Transcript” for applications in Crimson Careers?
- There are multiple ways to access your “unofficial transcript.” Most students are familiar with accessing it from my.harvard.edu . Navigate to Student Home > Grades > and then select “View Unofficial Transcript”.
- PRINT to PDF the first page of your “Unofficial Transcript”/Student Record
- Login to Crimson Careers and upload the PDF of your transcript from the “Documents” tab.
- Always preview your documents from the “Documents” tab to make sure they are uploaded properly.
Can I really use my Unofficial Transcript from my.harvard.edu or my Student Record, or do I need to order an official transcript?
Sometimes students are concerned about using their Unofficial Transcript from my.harvard.edu or their Student Record because it is not an “official” transcript, but it is absolutely recommended and expected by employers. Realize that employers are asking for an unofficial transcript, and the moment you open any Registrar’s document and convert it to a .pdf it becomes unofficial. Even though the Student Record does not have the full course titles, the majority of transcripts are reviewed by Harvard alums who understand the course shorthand.
Do I really need to *print* to pdf my Student Record/Unofficial Transcript?
Yes. If you attempt just to save to PDF your Student Record/Unofficial Transcript from the registrar’s website directly, it may still have security encryption that prevents the employer from batch printing the documents after the deadline. The PDF will look fine to you in Crimson Careers, but when the employer tries to print their huge stack of Harvard applications to copy and distribute to reviewers, your transcript will be blank.
What if my transcript has a missing grade because my professor has not finished grading?
Employers are accustomed to seeing the occasional missing grade given the timing of internship hiring and the delay that sometimes occurs when students return from studying abroad. Remember that employers want to see your transcript because they care as much about the courses you’ve taken as the grades you’ve earned, so include the most up-to-date version of your document, even if it is missing grades. Calculate your GPA omitting the courses that do not yet have grades. Feel free to email the recruiter(s) an updated version of your transcript when it is complete.
What if my transcript has an ABS (Harvard’s version of an incomplete) because I had to postpone a final?
In these cases, we instruct students to calculate their GPA without this course and indicate something resembling the following on their resume: “(omits one ABS course pending make-up exam in February).” All employers are emailed in advance notifying them that they might see resumes with this indication. Plan to email the recruiter(s) an updated version of your transcript when it is complete.
What if I want to make a note about something, like a missing grade, on my transcript?
Do not make any notes or alterations to your Student Record or transcript. Altering your Harvard transcript could be construed as misrepresenting your Harvard record, which is an Ad Board offense. If absolutely necessary, you can make a note on the second page of your resume or cover letter, but make it extremely brief. Alternatively, email the recruiter at one of your preferred employers and ask for their advice.
Interview Questions
Why am I still listed as “Pending” next to my Recruiting application in Crimson Careers?
There are a few possible reasons for this:
- The employer has not yet made any interview decisions in Crimson Careers.
Employers are instructed to follow a particular timeline for entering their interview decisions. It is possible that if you are still listed as pending in Crimson Careers, this is because the deadline for employer selections has not yet occurred, the employer is still deciding. If you are invited to interview, you will receive an email letting you know when the invited sign-up window will begin, when the alternate sign-up window will begin, as well as when the window will close to sign up for interviews. - The employer has missed their decision deadline.
Just like anyone, employers sometimes struggle to complete tasks on time. It is possible that if you are still listed as pending after the sign-up period has begun, this is because the employer is late to select candidates to interview. - The employer has not yet made a decision about your candidacy.
Employers sometimes take longer to make a decision about a particular student. In these cases, the student sometimes ends up as an “alternate,” but for whatever reason, the employer is still evaluating you. Similarly, when entering their decisions in Crimson Careers, employers usually enter first their “invited” candidates, then their “alternate” candidates, and finally their “not invited” candidates. Thus, there is sometimes a delay before students learn that they are an alternate or not invited. - The employer has failed to indicate that students are “not invited.”
Despite our frequent reminders, some employers neglect this step in the process. If the “Signups Start” date has passed and it is less than one week before the interview date, it is fair to assume that you are not invited. However, we do as much as we can to ensure that employers indicate their decision for all applicants.
I have been “invited” to interview, but I cannot sign-up for an interview time. Why is that?
There are a few possible reasons for this:
- The “Signups Start” date has not yet occurred.
If you are invited to interview, you will receive an email letting you know the signups start date. Regardless of when an employer makes a decision prior to this date, students still cannot signup for an interview time until 12:00am on the signup start date. For example, if the Signups Start = “Sept 24, 2023,” then invited students can start signing up for interview times at 12:00am on Sept 24, 2023 (i.e. midnight Sept 23/Sept 24). - The “Signups End” date has passed.
If you are invited to interview, you will receive an email letting you know when the schedule will close, after which students can no longer sign up for an interview slot. Typically, signups end at 11:59pm two calendar days prior to the interview date (i.e., if the Interview Date = “Oct 1, 2023,” the signups end at 11:59pm on Sep 29, 2023). The Recruiting Program Team suggests that students signup for an interview time as soon as possible to avoid running up against the signups end date. Email recruiting@fas.harvard.edu to see if there are any interview times available, but please note there may not be. - The “Alternate Signup” period has begun.
Alternates can begin to signup for available interview times at 12:00am three calendar days prior to the interview date (i.e., if the Interview Date = “Oct 1, 2023,” the alternates’ signup start is at 12:00am on Sept 28, 2023 – which is midnight Sept 27/Sept 28). Thus, if you attempt to signup for an interview time after the alternate signup has begun, you may find that no times are available. The Recruiting Program Team suggests that students signup for an interview time as soon as possible to avoid running up against the alternate signup period. Email recruiting@fas.harvard.edu to see if there are any interview times available, but please note there may not be. - The employer has oversubscribed their interview schedule.
On a very rare occasion, an employer may accidentally select more candidates to interview than they have allotted time. Thus, if you are the last to signup for an interview time, you may find that no times are available. If you feel like this is the case given the various signup timelines indicated above, email recruiting@fas.harvard.edu as soon as possible. We will work with the employer to ensure you have an interview.
How do I change my interview time?
- If there are open times still available, students are able to reschedule interview times through Crimson Careers up until the schedule “freezes” at 9:00am one day before the interview date. Navigate to the “interviews” tab in Crimson Careers, then the “scheduled interviews” sub-tab, then click the “Reschedule” button on the right-hand side of your interview list to review and select from remaining times. If all of the interview times are taken, contact the MCS Recruiting Program Office at recruiting@fas.harvard.edu and we will email you a list of students on your interview schedule. You can contact those students to see if someone is willing to “swap” times with you. To finalize the swap, you and the other student must BOTH email the Campus Interview Program Office, and we will then make the change on Crimson Careers.
Offer Questions
What is the salary range for Recruiting Program positions?
The organizations that participate in the MCS Recruiting Program range from nonprofits to retailers to financial services firms. Thus, there is a wide range of possibilities in terms of compensation. We recommend several resources for benchmarking salaries and other benefits in the Negotiate an Offer section of our website. For junior internships (between junior and senior academic years), many employers in finance and consulting will pay the equivalent of their full starting salary, prorated for the length of the internship. Note that this is not universal, and does not usually apply to students prior to junior year.
I’ve received an offer from an employer. Are there resources to help me navigate this stage?
We are happy to be a resource to students during all stages of the job and internship search. See the Managing Offers webinar recording for advice on advocating for yourself while maintaining good professional relationships. The Negotiate an Offer section of our website has resources to assess your offer including the Harvard College Guide to Evaluating and Negotiating Offers. Our advisors are also available to help you consider your options. Schedule an appointment with an MCS advisor in Crimson Careers or email recruiting@fas.harvard.edu for help with a time-sensitive offer question.
