Appointment Expectations

To help make your appointment as productive as possible, please review the following expectations before your scheduled meeting.

• Arrive prepared. For in-person appointments, please arrive 5–10 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. For virtual appointments, please make sure you have access to Microsoft Teams and are ready to join at your scheduled time. Please note that appointments begin at the scheduled time and arriving early does not mean the appointment will begin early.
• Virtual appointment information. After scheduling a virtual appointment, you will receive a Microsoft Teams link by email before your scheduled appointment.
• Have your materials ready. If you would like your resume, cover letter, or other documents reviewed, have a copy available during your appointment. You may also send your documents to the College and Career Specialist before your appointment when appropriate.
• Be prepared to access your accounts. If your appointment involves completing a job application or working with an online account, make sure you know your email address and have access to your account. For your protection, do not share your passwords with staff.
• Bring your questions. Come prepared with any questions, information, or documents that may help the College and Career Specialist understand what you need assistance with.
• Know what you are looking for. If you are seeking employment assistance, it may be helpful to identify companies, organizations, positions, or industries that interest you. This is optional and is not required for your appointment.

Rescheduling and Cancellation Policy

Appointments with FutureU are limited and may be in high demand. If you are unable to attend your scheduled appointment, please cancel or reschedule as soon as possible and, whenever possible, provide at least 24 hours' notice.

You may cancel your appointment by:

• Using the cancellation link included in your appointment confirmation email; or
• Emailing CollegeCareer@hcpl.net. Please include your name, appointment date and time, and any other information that may help us locate your appointment.

If you know that you are unable to attend an appointment, please do not schedule an appointment that you cannot reasonably keep. Canceling in advance allows another patron an opportunity to use that appointment time.

Cancellations and Missed Appointments

We understand that unexpected situations happen. However, repeated cancellations, late cancellations, or missed appointments may limit a patron's ability to schedule future FutureU appointments.

• Cancellations made with less than 24 hours notice may be considered a late cancellation.
• A No-Show occurs when a patron does not attend their appointment and does not notify FutureU that they are unable to attend.
• A pattern of repeated cancellations or No-Shows may result in temporary restrictions on scheduling future appointments.
• Any appointment restrictions will be applied consistently and are based on the patron's appointment history, not on personal preferences or individual staff discretion.

The purpose of these expectations is to help ensure that appointment times are available fairly to all patrons who need College and Career assistance.

Late Arrival Policy

For both in-person and virtual appointments, FutureU staff will wait up to 15 minutes after the scheduled appointment start time for a patron to arrive or join the appointment.

If the patron has not arrived or joined within the 15-minute grace period and has not communicated with the College and Career Specialist, the appointment may be recorded as a No-Show.

Please keep in mind that arriving late may reduce the amount of time available for your appointment. Staff may not be able to extend the appointment beyond the originally scheduled end time.

No-Show Policy

A No-Show occurs when a patron does not attend their scheduled appointment and does not notify FutureU that they are unable to attend.

If a patron does not arrive or join a virtual appointment within the 15-minute grace period, the appointment may be marked as a No-Show.

After three consecutive No-Shows, a patron will be required to wait three months before scheduling another FutureU appointment.

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please contact CollegeCareer@hcpl.net or your College and Career Specialist as soon as possible.

Microsoft Teams

FutureU uses Microsoft Teams for virtual appointments and webinars. A Microsoft Teams link will be provided to patrons for virtual appointments and programs when applicable.

Microsoft Teams is a third-party service and is not operated by Harris County Public Library. By accessing a Microsoft Teams link, you will leave the HCPL website and use a service operated by Microsoft.

Patrons are encouraged to review Microsoft's privacy policies and terms of service before using the platform.

If you are unfamiliar with Microsoft Teams, you may review Microsoft's support resources or an online tutorial before your appointment.

Privacy and Public Notice

College and career services may involve documents that contain personal or sensitive information, including resumes, job applications, financial aid documents, and FAFSA-related information.

Please do not send or share sensitive personal information with FutureU staff unless it is specifically necessary for the service being provided. This may include information such as:

• Social Security numbers
• Passwords
• Bank account or financial information
• Full dates of birth
• Other sensitive personal information

When working with FutureU staff, patrons should take reasonable steps to protect their personal information and account credentials.

FutureU may use third-party platforms, including Microsoft Teams, to provide virtual services. Information collected through those platforms is subject to the third party's applicable privacy policies.

For additional information about third-party services used by HCPL, please review the applicable sections of the HCPL Privacy Policy.