About Handshake


Handshake is the University of Minnesota’s free, online career network for connecting students with local, national, and international employers. Here students can find jobs, internships, events, and career resources.

Employers on Handshake are interested in UMD students and recent graduates, meaning they will post relevant opportunities without expecting candidates to have many years of experience. All opportunities on Handshake are also vetted by Career Center staff at the University of Minnesota.

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Getting Started with Handshake

Activate your Handshake account at handshake.umn.edu and select the Students & Alumni login button. Log in using your Internet ID and password as with any other UMN site. Having trouble Logging In? Review the Trouble Logging In Checklist

After logging in:

Complete your profile 

  • Where to find: Click on the photo/photo place holder on the top right of your Handshake homepage, and select My Profile from the drop down menu. 
  • Pro tip: Maximize your experience by adding a headshot, filling out your school year, education, work and other experiences, and skills sections. 

Fill out career interests

  • Where to find: Click on the photo/photo place holder on the top right of your Handshake homepage, and select Career Interests from the drop down menu.
  • Pro tip: Students with updated Handshake profiles and career interests are 2.5x more likely to see and apply to relevant positions and 80% are messaged by recruiters in Handshake. 

Upload a resume to your profile

  • Where to find: Click on the photo/photo place holder on the top right of your Handshake homepage, and select Documents from the drop down menu.
  • Pro tip: Use your resume to Build Your Profile faster.

Recommended: Set Profile Privacy Settings & Manage Notification Preferences

Building your Network

Attend career events

  • Where to find: Navigate to the Events tab on your Handshake homepage. See the How-To: Virtual Career Fairs guide to learn more about virtual fairs in Handshake. 
  • Pro tip 1: Use the filters along the top of your screen to find events like career fairs, info sessions, and other networking opportunities most relevant for you. 
  • Pro tip 2: Complete your Handshake Profile (School Year, Education, Work Experience, etc) to see more relevant Career Events. 

Research and learn more about employers

  • Where to find: Use the Employers tab on your Handshake homepage. Click on employers you are interested in to see their Employer Profile. 
  • Pro tip: You can follow employers you are interested in to receive notifications when they post an opportunity or are attending a UMD career event. 

Find employer contact information

  • Where to find: On an Employer’s Profile, scroll down to Contact Information or Public Staff List on the right side of your screen. 
  • Pro tip: Having employer contact information can be helpful for setting up career conversations, applying to positions, or writing cover letters. 

Searching for Internships & Jobs

Search

  • Where to find: Click the Jobs tab on your Handshake homepage. 
  • Pro tip 1: Use the filters along the top of the screen to narrow down your job search. Filtering by Job Roles can be a great way to find opportunities most relevant to your interests.
  • Pro tip 2: Complete and update your profile so the most relevant results pop up first in your search. 

Save a specific job

  • Where to find: To find jobs you’ve saved, click on the Saved tab in the upper-left corner of the page. 
  • Pro tip: To save a specific job you are interested in, click the purple Bookmark icon wherever it appears.

Save your search criteria

  • Where to find: See the Saved Job Alerts article to learn how to find and edit your saved searches. 
  • Pro tip: To save your search criteria, click on Save your search, above the list of jobs on the left of the page. This allows you to save the criteria for the search, not the data the search yielded. 

Apply

  • Where to find: Select the red Apply button and follow the steps (the button may also be labeled Quick Apply or Apply Externally). 
  • Pro tip 1: Upload a resume to your profile in order to apply to opportunities. You can have your resume reviewed by the Career Center before applying. 
  • Pro tip 2: See the opportunities you have applied for in the Applications tab on the top left of the screen. Use the filters on the left side to narrow down your search. 

Additional: Search, Save, & Apply for Opportunities in Handshake (3-min video).

Applying & Signing up for Interviews

Some employers may partner with the Career Center to set up schedules for in-person or virtual interviews through Handshake, called On-Campus Interviews (OCI)*. The interview itself is not held in Handshake, but students will need to apply for the interview and sign up for an interview time in Handshake. 

Apply to On-Campus Interviews in Handshake two different ways:

Search for and apply to specific jobs connected to interview schedules:

  • Where to find: Select the Jobs tab on your Handshake homepage and apply to opportunities you are interested in. 
  • Pro tip: If you applied to a job tied to an on-campus interview schedule, you will receive an email confirming your application was submitted and notifying you the job is tied to an on-campus interview schedule. The Applications tab will also show you which jobs and interview schedules you have applied for. 

Search for specific interviews and then apply to the related jobs:

  • Where to find: Click on the Events tab on your Handshake homepage and select On-Campus Interviews from the row directly below Events on the top-left of your screen. 
  • Pro tip: Interview Schedules are tied to job postings in Handshake. You’ll need to apply to the job and then be selected by the employer as a candidate for interviews. 

Once you’ve been selected for interviews:

  • Where to find: Once in the Jobs tab, select Applications from the row directly below Jobs on the top-left of your screen. If you have Handshake’s default notifications set, you will also receive a notification if you are selected by an employer for an on-campus interview. 
  • Pro tip 1: To sign up for a time, select the interview in order to see all available slots. During the signup period, select Take Slot to reserve that time for yourself to interview. 
  • Pro tip 2: Once the signup period has ended for an interview schedule, the schedule will be locked and you will not be able to take a slot, leave a slot, or make any other changes on your own. Please reach out to the UMD Career Center and ask for assistance. 
  • Pro tip 3: If the interview is on-campus at UMD, you will need to check in at the Career Center in 22 Solon Campus Center before interviewing.

Want help to prepare for your interview? Check out our UMD Student Blog Advice on Interviewing or use Interview Stream. You can also schedule a mock interview with a Career Counselor

*Note: Please be aware that interview schedules listed under the On-Campus Interview tab may be interviews held in-person at UMD, in-person on the Twin Cities campus, or virtual interviews. Check in with the UMD Career Center by emailing [email protected] or calling (218) 726-7985 if you are unsure about the modality of your interview.