University students might be accepting more jobs with a handshake thanks to a new tool being used by the Career Center. Earlier this summer, BGSU transitioned from the aging Worknet program to the newer Handshake system built by Stryder Corp.
Handshake is a website much like the previous Worknet system or LinkedIn, but has its own unique advantages. Like Worknet, Handshake is tailored to employers who regularly hire University students, but offers a more modern user interface that helps make using it easier.
LinkedIn and Handshake both have apps on the Apple App Store, but Handshake has a higher average user rating at 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Students using Handshake can create a profile to show employers their skills and experience. Some things students can highlight on their profile include educational experience, work experience, organizations and extracurriculars, a showcase of your college courses and projects done independently or for a contest.
Students can also add social links to sites like LinkedIn or their own personal website. There are specialized options for certain disciplines, such as linking to 500px, Behance or dribble for students involved in art and design; Medium for writers; GitHub and CodePen for coders; YouTube, Vimeo and Twitch for Videographers; and SoundCloud for musicians.
Using Handshake students can also search for jobs. The filters provided by Handshake let students and employers narrow down the qualities they are interested in, so a right fit for both is more assured. When an employer views a student’s profile, the student can see it.
As of Friday Aug. 24, there were 1,275 University students with publicly viewable Handshake profiles. However, according to the Office of Admissions, over 19,000 students attend BGSU. That means employers can see less than 7 percent of BGSU students.
Although both Student Employment Services and the Career Center were unable to comment about the transition, many students and people on the street had positive things to say about Handshake.
Kayla Webb, a sophomore Apparel Merchandising and Product Design major on the hunt for jobs, said “I can see what all is available a lot easier.”
Elizabeth Kikel, a senior in the AYA High School English Education Program and UAO Vice President of Marketing, liked that Handshake let students showcase their extracurricular activities at BGSU. When asked if she would highlight her position at UAO on Handshake, Elizabeth responded “definitely, one hundred percent.” Kikel highly recommended joining a student organization for those looking to join a workplace where teamwork and collaboration is critical. “It helps with your social skills, it helps with your communication skills.”
From the employer’s point of view, using Handshake is a breeze. Amy Hamman, the ITS Service Desk manager, briefly described the process of posting open positions saying, “it was very easy.”
She also noted it helps provide her with an overview of their current position status.
There will be a handshake launch celebration on Friday, Sep. 7, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the second floor of the Bowen Thompson Student Union, Suite 225. RSVP at https://app.joinhandshake.com/events/181877
