Handshake is Case Western Reserve University's career management platform which connects students and alumni to employers, job opportunities, career fairs and more!
Here are a few, of many, great reasons to use Handshake as a CWRU student:
- Search, view and apply for jobs. This includes on-campus, research and work-study positions.
- Attend events and fairs designed to help you explore career and experiential education opportunities and stand out as a candidate in your search.
Accessing Handshake
Every CWRU student is automatically registered for a Handshake account during their first semester. Access Handshake at cwru.joinhandshake.com and sign in using CWRU single sign-on, your CWRU network ID and password.
If it's your first time logging in, complete your career interest profile and select the Career Interest Areas and industries that interest you most. This way, you’ll receive specialized invitations to events and workshops related to your interests.
Set Up Your Profile
Make sure to complete your Handshake profile before you begin searching and applying for jobs, internships and co-ops. Not only will Handshake automatically send you the jobs most relevant to you based on your profile, but employers are likely to look at your Handshake profile before anything else. In fact, 80% of students who share their interests on Handshake receive a message from a recruiter.
1. Upload your resume
Handshake is a great way to share your resume with employers. Attaching your resume also makes it faster and easier to apply for jobs in Handshake.
When you upload your resume, make sure to mark it as “visible,” or else employers will not be able to view it. This will also allow you to be included in the resume books that employers request when searching for candidates for a specific job.
2. Share your interests
Fill out the 'Your Interests' section of your Handshake profile. This section includes:
- Job type: select part-time job, full-time job, or internship. Looking for a part-time job for now and an internship for next summer? You can select more than one job type, and Handshake will share recommendations for each.
- Cities: choose the places that you’d like to work in or near. There are thousands of incredible employers on Handshake from every corner of the country, so we recommend being open to exploring jobs in a few different locations.
- Roles: select at least three job roles that interest you. Handshake will give you suggestions based on your major, school and city. You can also search Handshake’s job role pages to learn more about what you’d like to do.
These are common fields that employers use to search for potential candidates, so including them in your profile is essential. If you’re not quite sure what you’re looking for, Handshake will generate suggestions as you fill out your profile, and you always have the option to change your interests later.
3. Add experiences to your profile
Add any volunteering, internships or work that you’ve already completed to your profile. This allows prospective employers to see your previous or current experience.
4. Fill our past courses and special skills
Pull up your academic record and fill out specific courses, skills, and talents that could be relevant to your future career. This will help give prospective employers a better idea of the special stuff you have to offer their organization!
5. Choose your Career Interest Areas
Don’t forget to select your preferred career interest areas under 'My Career Interests' to make sure you receive personalized communications about opportunities in the fields and industries you want to explore.
You can access your career interests by logging into your account, clicking on your initials (or profile picture) in the top right corner of the screen, and selecting 'My Career Interests' from the drop down menu.
6. Add a photo
A photo can help put a face to your name. This is particularly useful if you’ve made a connection with a recruiter on campus at a career fair or event.
Handshake Resources
Review the resources below to get started using Handshake. We can’t wait for you to use Handshake!
Handshake recommends using three basic tools to find the jobs that are right for you.
Watch the video below to learn how to search for jobs on Handshake:
CWRU regularly hosts campus-wide career fairs, which you can register for through Handshake. There are also many other school and career-specific fairs, as well as fairs co-hosted with other universities.
You can register for both in-person and virtual fairs in Handshake and attend virtual fairs through the Handshake platform.
Handshake is the place to find both virtual and on-campus events. Click on 'Events' at the top-left corner of your Handshake homepage to get started.
Events and fairs posted by CWRU will load first, but many opportunities are available from employers and organizations around the world. You can use the filters at the top of the events page to narrow your results.
Here are a few other tips:
- Events that are hosted in-person will display the event type above the title.
- Virtual events will indicate either a Virtual Session (hosted outside of Handshake) or Handshake Virtual Session (hosted using Handshake Video).
- Use the bookmark icon to save an event for later.
- Check 'Your Schedule' on the right-hand side of the Event page to see existing events and fair registrations.
Explore different organizations and companies on Handshake and follow them for updates. Often, recruiters check who is following them—it can help you get on their radar and ensure you get first alerts for new opportunities!
Contacting employers and recruiters can not only help you learn more about a company, but also establish a connection if you apply for a job there. Employers know what the role requires and can answer your questions ahead of time. This insider knowledge can prepare you for interviews and equip you with information that’s not listed in the job description.
Reach out to alumni from CWRU, people who have previously held internships you’re interested in and more.
In Handshake, you can also utilize the peer-to-peer Q&A feature to get honest feedback from other users about specific job opportunities and employers.