Search for jobs and internships
With thousands of organizations posting jobs and internships on the platform, Handshake can be an incredibly powerful tool for you, but possibly a bit overwhelming on first glance. Taking some time to understand Handshake's search functionality will help you identify the best opportunities for you.
Start by clicking onJobsin the left navigation bar. The Job Search page will load by default. On this page, there are various options available to view available opportunities and narrow down your search. You can adjust filters to tailor your search – click on “All filters” to select the options that are important to you. Don’t forget to useVCU-specific labels (under “Labeled by your school”), including “GRTC Accessible,” “Walking Distance Monroe Park,” and “Walking Distance MCV”. Once you've added all desired search criteria, click See Jobs in the lower-right corner of the search/filter box.
If you want toreceive alertswhen more jobs in your search are posted, you'll have to save your search. To save your search, click on "Save your search", located above the list of jobs that appear on the left of the page. A pop-up will appear in the lower-right corner of the page that confirms "job alert created", and the box with "Save your search" will now provide a link to "Edit your notifications".
Researching employers
To ensure the best experience with Handshake, do your due diligence and research all organizations you are interested in. Check out the organization website listed on their Handshake profile to see what you can learn about their culture and their business model. If they have a list of staff members, see if you can find the name of the recruiter listed on the job posting.
Be sure to check employer reviews written by other students on Handshake. These reviews allow you to:
- Explore careersand make decisions with more information
- Get advicespecific to the companies and roles you’re interested in
- Gain insightinto company culture, mentorship, and learning, which is often harder to gauge
Don’t accept a job you didn’t apply to and/or didn’t require an interview or the organization that gives you one day to accept. Any reputable employer normally requires an interview (and more) before hiring. Put your excitement on pause. Speak with a trusted person about your interaction with the organization and documents you are asked to sign. Keep copies of all communication. Review these best practices for staying safe when applying for opportunities.
If something feels “too good to be true,” be suspicious. You may see a job on Handshake that says you can "make $300 in a day from home.” Large sums of money for minimal work is a common tactic that a scammer will use to lure students in and steal your information.
If you encounter an employer that elicits concern, you have the ability to alert Handshake’s Fraud Team by flagging the employer in Handshake.
For more industry-specific ideas of where and how to research employers, check out VCU Career Services’career pathways pages.
Applying for jobs
When you are ready to apply, click on “Apply,” “Quick Apply,” or “Apply Externally,” as applicable for that particular job. Here is the difference between those choices:
- Quick Apply:indicates that you meet all employer preferences and either there are no documents required for that job posting or there is only one document required (a resume), and you have at least one approved or pending resume uploaded.
- Apply:indicates that one or more of the following are true: you don't meet all of the employer preferences; at least one document is required and you don't have any documents uploaded; more than one document is required; or you are accessing a job viaSavedthat has an external application.
- Apply Externally:will open a new browser page with the application hosted on a site outside of Handshake. You will receive an email confirmation of application from Handshake once this button is clicked, but you will have to complete the application on the external site in order to fully apply.The employer will not receive your application if you do not apply through the external website.
If you are not ready to apply for a job, you can click thestarnext to the job title to save the post to your favorites list. Handshake will send you notifications about any jobs in your favorites list. You can access your favorites by clicking“My Favorite Jobs”on the job search page.
