WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management is well-known across Germany for its innovative approach and excellent educational standards. With a careers services team consisting of 13 members based across two campuses, WHU became Germany’s first higher education institution to adopt Handshake.
In an effort to uphold their commitment to ‘Excellence in education’ and providing the best service to their students, the university brought on Handshake to tackle the inefficiencies of outdated systems. The implementation has led to substantial improvements from enhanced communication to greater insights into success metrics.
Key Performance Indicators
- 1.6k interactions with job opportunities on the platform since the launch of Handshake
- 66% activation rate amongst all WHU students on Handshake
- 55% open rate of WHU emails to their students
The challenges
WHU’s careers services were hindered by a legacy set of systems that didn’t integrate with each other, making career planning challenging for students who had to use different platforms day to day. This was not only time-consuming but also frustrating for the careers staff. “The main issue was the overload of platforms we had,” says Miriam Kraneis, Director of MBA Career Center. “Handshake allowed us to streamline everything onto one platform, making everything much easier for our students.”
Additionally, the previous toolstack lacked product feedback mechanisms, did not offer onboarding support or a dedicated account manager, leading to poor student feedback. Overall, WHU needed one user-friendly platform that could track data effectively.
The implementation
WHU Career Center team during the implementation
Unified platform rollout
The Handshake platform was introduced to all 2,500 students at WHU, offering a range of tools that were previously unavailable, including features to manage career fairs. The focus was on using modules that supported events and career fairs, which are key to building relationships with company partners.
Efficient onboarding process
The transition to Handshake was smooth and well-coordinated, taking less than six months. Handshake team members, from product to customer success, provided an extensive onboarding through on-site visits, comprehensive trainings and progress calls. During the implementation, WHU stakeholders from different departments worked closely with the Handshake teams, who provided regular updates and took product feedback on-board.
Responsive collaboration
WHU has fully embraced Handshake’s capabilities, utilising most features to enhance their operations effectively. After the initial implementation, the careers services team provided valuable feedback on improving career fair setups and recruiter onboarding processes, working closely with the Handshake team to ensure the platform continues to evolve and tackle WHU’s challenges. This active collaboration highlights Handshake’s determination to support schools, adapting to the specific needs of European higher education.
The solution
Enhanced student engagement
Adopting Handshake has allowed students to sign up for events, apply for jobs, and contact employers all through one platform. Offering career content both online and through a mobile app meets the expectations of a new generation of students accustomed to mobile-first experiences. The mobile app provides numerous benefits, including instant communication via notifications, intuitive navigation, and interactive features that enhance the user experience. “The app makes it really easy for them to manage their activities,” noted Swapon Das, coordination manager at WHU.
Streamlined communication tools
Adopting Handshake has significantly streamlined the career services team’s communication efforts. The newsletter feature has made the process more efficient and accessible, allowing team members to independently create and manage newsletters. This has reduced workload, improved information sharing, and enhanced engagement with students and employers.
“With Handshake, any team member can create a newsletter without relying on other departments, greatly simplifying the process,” says Claudia Zawadzki.
Strategic data-driven insights
With detailed analytics tools, the careers services team can now track the effectiveness of their initiatives and plan more strategically. “The data really helps us understand what’s working and what we could do better,” added Miriam Kraneis. The ability to monitor student engagement, event attendance, and job application rates allows WHU to tailor their services to better meet student needs and improve overall performance.
The results
Switching to Handshake has significantly transformed operations at WHU. The platform’s streamlined processes have not only saved considerable time but also alleviated stress across the careers services team. Beyond the significant time efficiencies, Handshake’s integrated tools empower staff to manage communications independently—eliminating the need for cross-departmental dependencies.
The newsletter feature, in particular, stands out as a pivotal enhancement. "Now, we can manage our own communications much more efficiently," notes Judith Kingston from the student engagement team. Miriam Kraneis highlights another major benefit: "The ability to rapidly create newsletters using Handshake’s intuitive tools has been a significant win for us."
Overall, the transition to Handshake has not just simplified operations; it has enhanced the team’s ability to engage with students and employers more effectively, fostering a more dynamic and responsive careers services environment.
“WHU’s career services were hindered by a legacy set of systems that didn’t integrate with each other, making career planning challenging for students. Handshake allowed us to streamline everything onto one platform, greatly simplifying the process for our students. [...] The support we received from Handshake exceeded our expectations and was consistently excellent.”
Miriam Kraneis, Director MBA Career Center, WHU
Conclusion
WHU is eager to lead the way for more German schools to join Handshake, enhancing the opportunities for their students. “We’re keen to get the word out so that other schools can see the benefits, too,” explains Miriam Kraneis, enthusiastic about expanding the network.
In short, the Handshake platform has streamlined daily operations, significantly reducing administrative burdens and improving the user experience for students via the mobile app. Reflecting WHU’s commitment to excellence in education, the career services team chose Handshake as the most advanced and innovative career service platform available.
Although WHU’s partnership with Handshake is still in its early stages, it has already made significant strides in improving how careers services are provided to students, highlighting the positive impact of embracing new technologies in education. Heike Hülpüsch, Director Career Center, who drove the cooperation and the onboarding process is looking forward to the next steps together.