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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I contact interested candidates before I arrive at OPE or only when I arrive at OPE?
Almost every employer pre-schedules their interviews, and most candidates come to OPE with a full schedule. It is recommended you contact candidates to see if they would be interested in interviewing with you.

When pre-scheduling interviews, you will want to:

  • Instruct the candidate to meet you in the lounge or waiting room for your floor/room
  • Inform the candidate of the length of your interview
  • Confirm the candidate mailbox # and give your mailbox # to the candidate
Can I ship items to OPE prior to the conference?
Please ship items to:
Attention: ________(Name of Institution) , Mailbox # _____
Gruenhagen Conference Center (GCC)
208 Osceola Street
Oshkosh, WI 54901

Any packages we have received prior to the conference will be delivered to your room or table.

If you have plans to ship packages back after OPE please make the arrangments before you arrive.  Shipping companies do not allow us to ship packages back for you without you making the arrangements. When you check out, please inform the receptionists at the GCC Front Desk that you have a package(s) for return mail.  We will ensure that they are available for pick up.

Is there a limit on the number of recruiters I can bring?
We do not place a limit on the number of recruiters each institution brings. Space, budgets, and campus resources often dictate the size of interview teams.
Where do I check in?
Your registration packet will be in your employer mailbox, located in the Message Center. If you are interviewing in Gruenhagen Conference Center (GCC), you will go to the Titan Lounge on the main floor. If you are interviewing in the Alumni Welcome and Conference Center, you can proceed directly to the Message/Scheduling Center in the Great Hall.

Upon arrival, you must also check in with the Scheduling Center, located in the same area as the Message Center in both buildings. We realize you have likely pre-scheduled all of your interviews; however, we need to confirm your information. We can also make any additions and modifications at that time, since your ability to modify your own schedule will be closed.

What do I need to do when I leave?
  • Remove posters and decorations from walls, as well as informational materials and displays from lounges.
  • Return keys (if applicable) to the Front Desk. Nametags are re-used and can be returned to the Front Desk or to the Message Center.
  • Stop at the Message Center to pick up any additional mail and to notify them of your departure.
What is the Network for Inclusive Excellence?

The Network for Inclusive Excellence (NIE) was founded in 1992 as the Minority & Friends Network at the Oshkosh Placement Exchange. The original purpose was for candidates of color to come together in a social setting to network with veteran professionals. The first Minority & Friends Social was sponsored by Western Illinois University.

Today, what was once only a social is now called the “Network for Inclusive Excellence.”

The network includes the following:

  • Network Mentors
  • Advice Room: Resource room provided to candidates with the availability to ask questions or get advice from network mentors.
Can I order food to be delivered to my interview room or table?
If you prefer to eat lunch or dinner in your interview space, food deliveries can be retrieved in the GCC lobby area. For a list of local businesses that deliver, refer to the OPE On-Site Guide included in your registration packet.
Will there be access to computers or internet?
Yes! Wireless Internet access will be available throughout the Gruenhagen Conference Center and the Alumni Welcome and Conference Center. In addition, employers will be able to connect to the Internet from GCC interview rooms with a network cable. More specific instructions will be provided with check-in materials. There are also computers set up in a computer lab on the 1st floor of GCC for your use, as well as throughout GCC.
How often should I check my mailbox?
We encourage you to check your Message Center mailbox as often as possible, at least once per hour. Since the Scheduling Center will schedule an interview with a candidate up to one hour before the scheduled time, you may want to be especially alert if you are waiting to fill available interview slots.

If you are the only person from your institution conducting interviews, we encourage you to register for the Mailbusters Program. If included in this service, the Message Center will provide a runner who will deliver mail to your door as well as bring your mail back to the Message Center.

Register by sending the following information to ope@lists.uwosh.edu or sign up in the Message Center when you arrive at the conference.

Name of School
OPE Mailbox Number
Interview Room Number
Contact Person

What are ways institutions promote themselves at OPE?
Institutions chose several methods of promotion throughout the conference. Common venues include wearing school apparel at the Saturday night OPE Social, hosting socials, creating an informational display for the waiting area, decorating interview space, distributing promotional items, and hanging posters.

For safety reasons, no postings are allowed in the stairwells . As you decorate interview space or waiting rooms, items should not block exit signs, hang from ceilings, or cover lights. Large promotional items may not be placed in candidate mailboxes. 

Where can I park?
Parking is free in designated campus lots and will also be available on city streets surrounding the UW Oshkosh campus.