This blog post provides faculty and staff an overview of Handshake, marketed as the #1 place for college students to find jobs. Handshake is the Office of Career Development’s online resource for students to connect with employers, search for jobs and internships, learn about career fairs and other events, schedule appointments with career coaches, and access our resource library. Handshake connects college students/young professionals with employers and has connected 15 million students from 1,500 universities with nearly 1 million employers.
Once students are enrolled in SDSU courses, they will have access to the platform. Students will sign into Handshake using their Jacks, single sign-on log in information. The first time a student logs into Handshake, they will be prompted to create a profile. We recommend that students take time to make their Handshake profile. This profile is similar to a LinkedIn profile. Students can confirm their major and expected graduation and select industries and locations they are interested in to help customize their profile. Students should personalize their profile with a picture and by including their work experience, involvement, and skills. Students are also able to upload a resume to be included with their profile.
Handshake Overview
Handshake is an online platform that is used primarily by students, recent graduates, and alumni to assist in job and internship searches as well as to connect them with both employers and career services.
Jobs
In Jobs, students can find a list of job and internship opportunities. The opportunities include employers who are on-campus, in Brookings, throughout the United States, and across the world. Students can use search features of key words/phrases, location, and type of work (full-time, part-time, internship). Other filters include on-campus work study, onsite/remote, and “Recommended for you” – based on major and interests.
Events
Handshake provides a platform that connects talent and recruiters through career related events such as career fairs, workshops and employer sessions. These events assist students in building their career readiness skills and network connections. In preparation for these events, particularly career fairs, students can access a list of employers who will be attending. Students are encouraged to research employers in preparation of the events.
Career Center
Within the Career Center menu page, students can schedule one-on-one appointments with our career coaches and access our electronic resources. When scheduling appointments, students will select the type of appointment, and the days and times appointments are available. Students can select from the following types of appointments: Major/Career Exploration, Job and/or Internship Search, Resume and/or Cover Letter Review, Curriculum Vitae (CV) Review, Interview Preparation, Practice Interview, Graduate School Prep, Personal and/or Professional Statement Review, and Job Offer and/or Salary Evaluation. Clicking on Resources will take students to our online library of resources specific to SDSU students. The resources are meant to guide and support students on various career development topics. The resources are in Microsoft Word format to make them easy for SDSU students to download and utilize. For resumes, students can view and use writing guides, career pathway specific sample resumes, and resume templates. Other resources include a major and career exploration guide, cover letter checklist and examples, interview preparation and questions guides, and a personal statement development guide.
Handshake Benefits for Faculty & Staff
Handshake is a beneficial tool for faculty and staff to utilize to gain understanding of businesses excited to hire new graduates, connect with resources available on campus through the Office of Career Development, and network with businesses locally and across the country looking to hire students in their specialized field. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend and complete the Career Champions Workshop in order to gain access to Handshake and all of its resources.
Handshake Benefits for Students & Alumni
Handshake is a beneficial tool for students and alumni to access a wide network of employers and job opportunities, learn about career fairs and other events, schedule individual appointments, and access electronic resources on a variety of career development topics.
