Career Services unveils online system


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An online career service tool called Handshake is now free and available to all students.

"It's your access to events, jobs, internships and resources," said Erik Simon, Career Services assistant director. "Students can go in and RSVP for on-campus events, get in contact with people they want to work for and find the internships they are looking for."

On-campus recruiting and mock interviews can also be coordinated using Handshake. Students are able to upload resumes which can be viewed by employers connected to the system.

Future career fairs scheduled at Central Michigan University are displayed on Handshake, along with the list of employers who will be attending. Students can now plan their career day meetings efficiently with the tool, and prepare their individual experiences.

Students can log in and create a profile for free using their campus ID. Some events, such as signing a major, can be pre-loaded into a student's profile. Posting links and choosing which resources to use is completely personalized.

Handshake is equipped with a messaging feature, an interactive calendar for events and a help feature that puts students in direct contact with Handshake's staff for real-time support.

The new system looks and functions like a social media platform instead of a database. Features are organized on a sidebar and each student has a feed of career information which is constantly updated.

"It's almost like a one-stop shop," said Director of Career Services Julia Sherlock. "This gave us a larger product than career and database management. This gave us a career development tool." 

The Handshake program is the product of Stryder Corporation, founded in 2012 by a group of Michigan Tech students who wanted to design a better career tool for their peers. Since introducing their new career management interface, the company has expanded and is now located in Silicon Valley, Calif.

"Their enthusiasm for the project was clear," Sherlock said. "They were students, and they know what students want."

Eastern Michigan University was the first to adopt the program last fall.   

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