Ora Nelson Handshake, a professional networking app, offers a valuable career source for Troy students looking for job postings and networking opportunities, according to the Troy University Career Services Center. “(Handshake) is what we call our career management system here (at Career Services),” said Lauren Cole,Career Services coordinator. “Any employers that call us for jobs or internships, we ask for them to put it in Handshake. “It’s really where we want our students to go to look for any job opportunities that we hear about.” Troy transitioned to Handshake as it gained popularity in other colleges across the country. “It’s like social media and is a lot easier to use than the old system (Career Services) used,” Cole said. “We used to have an Excel spreadsheet, and when an employer would call with a job or internship, (Career Services) would write that down, and when students came in looking for jobs or internships, they’d try to match them up.” Cole attributes Handshake’s success to the flexibility it gives students, along with the “built-in” network, which is expanding constantly. “It already came with a bunch of employers in our region,” Cole said. “A lot of employers in Alabama are already in Handshake, because they’re already recruiting in Alabama. “It’s just a good fit for our students for the number of employers that are in it.” “I think (Handshake) is very useful,” said Gabbie Reeves, a freshman theater major from Troy. “It’s a good connection between the students and the career advisers.” “To actually sit down and have (career advisers) go through interview questions and what they’re looking for in the question was helpful,” said Caitlyn Sebastian, a senior biomedical sciences major from Clay. “They also gave me some tips on how to make my resume better.” “About 75 percent of jobs are gotten through networks,” Cole said. “Through Handshake, we (Troy) actually know some of those recruiters and employers so you can make a direct connection rather than with a random job posting on a website.” The Career Services Center encourages students not to wait until their last year but to complete their profiles on Handshake early and start looking for internships and listings in their sophomore or junior year. “Anything students see in Handshake that they’re interested in, (Career Services) can help them follow up on those opportunities,” Cole said. Use a Troy email on joinhandshake.com to log in.
Staff Writer
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