5 steps to success for your first 5 days on Handshake

September 17, 2020

You signed up for Handshake—congratulations! You’re on your way to finding a great job or internship. To help you get started, we’ve outlined five steps to take during your first five days on Handshake. Read below for tips that will put you on track to landing your next opportunity.

Day 1: Fill out your profile

Don’t skip the most important step of getting started on Handshake—completing your profile. This is absolutely necessary to have success in finding a job or internship. The information in your profile helps you receive the most relevant job recommendations, and helps employers find you in their candidate searches.

Make sure to fill in your job interests including job type, cities, and roles that you want to explore. Don’t worry if you’re not quite sure what you want to do or where you want to be, you can update your profile at any time. Next, add your work experience, courses, organiations and skills. The more information you include in your profile, the better your chances are of hearing from recruiters.

Upload your CV so you'll be ready to apply for jobs. If you’re applying for more than one type of role, consider tailoring your CV for each one and uploading different versions.

Day 2: Explore jobs and save the ones you like

Once you’ve filled out your profile, you’ll receive personalised job recommendations based on this information. And as you add interests and update your profile, your recommendations will update as well—helping you find the right jobs for you. As you’re viewing your recommended jobs on Handshake, save the ones that catch your eye. This will store them on your dashboard and in the Saved tab on the job search page—helping you quickly find them when you’re ready to apply. You’ll receive important notifications about saved jobs, including reminders to apply before the deadline.

Saving jobs also shows Handshake what you’re looking for, so your job recommendations become even more relevant. To save a job, click the bookmark icon located on the right side of the job preview or on the left hand side of the job page.

Day 3: See who’s hiring and follow employers

The employers you see on Handshake want to hire students at your University. And with top employers in every field, you’ll be able to find organisations you want to work for. When you see an employer you like, be sure to follow them by clicking the Follow button on their page—or the star button if you’re on the app.

You’ll receive alerts when the employers you follow post new jobs and events on Handshake. Plus, following employers helps improve your job recommendations.

Day 4: Register for a virtual recruiting event

Virtual recruiting events are taking centre stage this year, giving you an opportunity to meet employers through your device. Employers will be hosting sessions with students at your University to recruit for open jobs and internships. This is also a good reason to follow employers you’re interested in—because you’ll be notified when they’re attending virtual fairs on Handshake. Also be sure to check your email and log in often to see upcoming events for students at your University.

Virtual fairs on Handshake are unlike the traditional career fair you may be familiar with. When you register for a virtual fair, you’re able to sign up early for sessions with the employers you want to meet. So forget the lines and register for virtual recruiting events!

Day 5: Apply to your first job or internship

Spend some time today going through your saved jobs and new recommendations, and start applying! Because you’ve filled out your profile and uploaded your CV, you’ll be able to apply to many jobs on Handshake in just a few clicks. We recommend keeping an open mind and applying to as many jobs as you’d like, especially if you’re interested in more than one field. It’ll increase your chances of finding a great job and help you explore potential careers.

That’s it—just follow these tips to make your first week on Handshake a success! Log into Handshake now to get started.

Share