Syracuse University’s Career Services switched career databases from OrangeLink to Handshake at the beginning of the fall semester in an attempt to provide a more user-friendly and personalized approach to finding career opportunities.

Andrea Acey, assistant director of career assessment and technology, said a variety of factors led to the database change.

“The platform we previously had was just built on old technology that couldn’t advance as quickly as our student population is advancing,” Acey said, adding that the system had been the same for 10 years.

A central feature of the Handshake database and another key factor behind the switch in programs is its algorithm, Acey said. She compared the algorithm Handshake uses to analyze each student’s profile and tailor opportunity recommendations to Netflix’s.

“You can manage your profile so that you’re going to get alerts on things that would be of interest to you,” said Amanda Nicholson, SU’s assistant provost and dean of student success.

Handshake also offers channels for students to communicate with one another, Acey said. The new interface is more visually appealing, and navigating the site is easier for students, she added.

“That alone was enough to make us switch,” she said.

The new program is just as easy for employers to navigate as students, Nicholson said. Handshake simplifies the hiring process for employers by providing a common platform to view student profiles from all over the country. Instead of accessing the Syracuse-specific OrangeLink, employers everywhere can view the applications of SU students through a common portal. This benefits students because they “get a broader network of opportunities,” Nicholson said.

SU joins a network of colleges and universities who now use the Handshake platform, including Northwestern University and Cornell University, two of SU’s peer institutions. Genevieve Harclerode, director of employer recruitment and engagement at Northwestern, said in an email that Northwestern began using Handshake this summer.

So far there have not been any problems with the Handshake launch, both Acey and Nicholson said. Their main priority now is maximizing outreach, they said. Acey added career services is working on methods to promote Handshake to students.

Published on September 25, 2018 at 9:54 pm

Contact Emma: esfolts@syr.edu