Getting Started with Handshake

5 Steps to Jumpstart Handshake

1. Login to Handshake. Once you’ve selected your school, sign in by either using your school’s login option or by entering your .edu email address. If there isn’t an account on file for you, you’ll be prompted to set up an account. Select I’m a Student or Alumni to proceed with account creation. You’ll need to decide on your profile privacy level: Community, Employers, or Private. If you choose Employers or Community privacy level, keep in mind the more information you add to your profile, the easier it will be for employers to find you and make more thorough decisions about whether or not you might be a good fit for their job opportunities. You can read more about the privacy options HERE.
2. Now that you’re logged in to Handshake, upload a resume. You’ll likely want to have a public resume available in Handshake for employers (and your school’s Career Services team) to see. Once you’ve uploaded a resume, you can use it to fill in your profile sections.
3. Fill out your profile. If there are already details in your profile, this means your school partners with Handshake and has pre-loaded your information, usually based on data from the school registrar. Check to be sure all pre-loaded information is correct, especially your major and GPA (if included); if you find any errors, contact your school’s Career Services Center to correct it, as Handshake is unable to change any of your profile data.
4. Explore Handshake! Use your home page, the top search bar, and filters to look for companies and jobs you’re interested in learning more about or applying to. Remember, you can always save your searches in Handshake, so finding relevant employers and jobs will be easy.
   • Jobs: explore active job and internship postings.
   • Employers: discover employers approved to connect with your school.
   • Community: (dependent on your profile privacy) connect with other students and alumni.
   •  Career Paths: explore job roles and job role groups.
   • Events: discover events and fairs hosted both by approved employers and your school.’
   • Career Center: if your school partners with Handshake, you’ll see your school’s Career Center link on the homepage and also next to your account icon in the upper-right corner. Use these links to connect with your Career Services staff via Appointments, complete a First Destination Survey, take a survey, or check out additional resources.
5. Follow some jobs and employers you’re interested in. When you follow an employer or a job, you can begin filtering based on companies you follow. You’ll also receive alerts when the job application window is closing or when an employer is attending an event or fair at your school.

Once you’ve taken these 5 steps, you’ll be on your way to using Handshake to help you efficiently and effectively launch your career. These tips can also be found on Handshake HERE.