Handshake is Syracuse University’s centralized career management tool. As a free resource to students and alumni, Handshake hosts available internships, professional employment, and professional development opportunities available through School and College Career Services, Syracuse University Career Services, and other internal and external partners. For additional support, students are encouraged to schedule an appointment with school and college career advisors or Syracuse University Career Services.
Handshake Highlights
- Schedule career advising appointments.
- Apply for internships and professional employment.
- Explore Career Fair and professional development events.
- Connect with over 300,000 employers and continuing education institutions, including Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and alumni.
Using Handshake
Syracuse University students, alumni, faculty, staff and employer partners may use Handshake. For more information or questions, please contact the Syracuse University Career Services team.
Accessing Handshake (Student, Staff, or Faculty)
- Visit the Handshake Login webpage.
- Select “Syracuse University Login” and enter your Syracuse University email and password.
- Following, in as little as five minutes complete your profile and access the entire platform.
- The Handshake mobile app is available on the App Store and Google Play.
For additional support, please see our dedicated Handshake Answers Page.
Accessing Handshake (Employers)
- Visit the Handshake Login webpage.
- Select “No account? Sign up here.”
- Under “Are you an employer?” Select “sign up here.”
- Under “Sign up as an Employer” enter the required account information and select “Sign up.”
- Following, in as little as five minutes complete your profile, confirm your email address and access the entire platform.
- To request a connection with Syracuse University, visit School Network Management to learn more.
For more information on connecting with Syracuse University Career Services and all of our Career Center partners, please visit our dedicated Employers webpage.
Updating Your Handshake Profile (Students)
- Log-in to Handshake using your Syracuse University email and password.
- Select your name in the top right corner and then select "My Profile."
- Complete each of the different areas of your profile (e.g.: profile picture, education, work experience and more) until it is 100% complete. See Handshake Profile Completion for a checklist on completing this.
- Once complete, select "Make Profile Public" to allow employers to see your profile and connect with you.
For additional support, students are encouraged to schedule a career advising appointment with school and college career advisors or the Syracuse University Career Services team.
Updating Your Handshake Profile Settings (Students)
- Log-in to Handshake using your Syracuse University email and password.
- Select your name in the top right corner and then select "My Profile."
- Select "Settings and Privacy" and then select "Community."
For additional support, students are encouraged to schedule a career advising appointment with school and college career advisors or the Syracuse University Career Services team.
Schedule an Appointment (Students)
- Log-in to Handshake using your Syracuse University email and password.
- In the top right corner select "Career Center" and then "Appointments."
- On the next webpage select "Schedule A New Appointment."
- Select the appropriate category, appointment type, and time with the advisor that best meet your needs.
- Select the "Request" button in the bottom right corner.
- Complete any pre-appointment surveys associated with your appointment request.
Once complete, you will receive an email confirmation from Handshake to your Syracuse University email.
For additional support, students are encouraged to schedule a career advising appointment with school and college career advisors or the Syracuse University Career Services team.
Finding Events and Fairs in Handshake (Students)
Accessing Events and Fairs on Handshake
- Log-in to Handshake using your Syracuse University email and password.
- In the Menu Bar select "Events."
Searching for Events on Handshake
- Use the search bar to search for events that may be of interest to you by keyword.
- (Optional) Select "All Filters" then filter by Type, Date, Format, Career Center, or events "Only posted by my school."
- (Optional) Select "Show Results" to see if your applied filters were applied correctly. If you see too few events, try removing some filters.
- Explore the list of events and select the title of an event to learn more and to Register.
- If the Register button is gray, this event may not be available for registration yet or may only be open to certain student populations (e.g.: First-Year Intro to Career Services events). If you feel this is in error, please contact the associated Host to learn more.
Searching for Fairs on Handshake
- Use the search bar to search for fairs that may be of interest to you by keyword.
- (Optional) Select "All Filters" then filter by Type, Date, Format, Career Center, or events "Only posted by my school."
- (Optional) Select "Show Results" to see if your applied filters were applied correctly. If you see too few fairs, try removing some filters.
- To sort by Fair, select "Career fair" to only show fairs that much any applied search filters (optional).
- Explore the list of fair and select the title of a fair to learn more and to register.
- If the Register button is gray, this fair may not be available for registration yet or may only be open to certain student populations (e.g.: First-Year Intro to Career Services events). If you feel this is in error, please contact the associated Host to learn more.
For additional support, students are encouraged to schedule a career advising appointment with school and college career advisors or the Syracuse University Career Services team.
Employer Research in Handshake (Students)
- Log-in to Handshake using your Syracuse University email and password.
- From the Menu Bar select "Employers."
- Students are encouraged to filter their search and explore employers as they would like.
- Select "Follow" for any employer that is of interest to be notified of future postings.
For additional support, students are encouraged to schedule a career advising appointment with school and college career advisors or the Syracuse University Career Services team.
Applying for Internship and Employment in Handshake (Students)
- Log-in to Handshake using your Syracuse University email and password.
- From the Menu Bar select "Jobs."
- Use the search bar to search for postings that may be of interest to you by keyword.
- (Recommended) Select "All Filters" then filter by Type, Industry, Employer preferences, and Work authorization (as needed).
- Select "Show Results" to see if your applied filters were applied correctly. If you see too few postings, try removing some filters.
- (Recommended) Navigate to the top of the postings list, under "Don't miss out!" to save your search and receive notifications for your saved filters.
- Explore the list of postings and select the title of a posting to learn more and to apply.
- (Optional) Bookmark posts that are relevant or of interest to you. You can navigate to "Saved" at any time to check back on this list.
Applying through Handshake
Some postings allow for applying through Handshake. Before continuing, you should make sure your Handshake Profile is updated and relevant documents are uploaded to your account (public or private). This will allow you to quickly attach associated documents to your internal Handshake application.
Applying Externally
Some postings allow for applying outside Handshake. Once complete, it is highly recommended to return to the posting in Handshake and confirm you've completed the application. This helps notify the employer that your application has been submitted to their internal system and helps you keep track of which postings you've saved, applied to, and more.
Before beginning your first application, students are encouraged to schedule a career advising appointment with school and college career advisors or the Syracuse University Career Services team for guidance on resume building, cover letters, application processes, and more.
Handshake and ’Cuse Works Opportunities (Students)
’Cuse Works is Syracuse University’s resource for all things related to student employment. Managed by the Student Employment Office and working alongside Syracuse University Career Services, ’Cuse Works helps students during their time at Syracuse University to connect with on- and off-campus jobs that encompass both Federal Work-Study and non-Federal Work-Study opportunities.
- Log-in to Handshake using your Syracuse University email and password.
- Search ‘CuseWorks’ in the job title category to find employment opportunities.
For additional support, students are encouraged to contact ’Cuse Works.
Uploading Resumes and Portfolios (Students)
- Log-in to Handshake using your Syracuse University email and password.
- Select your name in the top right corner and then select "Documents."
- Next begin to upload documents with "Select from Computer."
- Here you can upload resumes, cover letters, portfolios, a reference list and more.
Resume Support
To learn more about the tool available to you for resume support at Syracuse University, please visit VMock.
For additional support, students are encouraged to schedule a career advising appointment with school and college career advisors or the Syracuse University Career Services team.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Eligibility (Students)
- Log-in to Handshake using your Syracuse University email and password.
- Select your name in the top right corner and then select "Settings & Privacy."
- On the Account Information webpage under "Account Information" select "Visa Status."
- Make your selection and follow any additional directions as needed.
- To complete, select the "Save" button.
For additional support, students are encouraged to schedule a career advising appointment with school and college career advisors or the Syracuse University Career Services team. International students at Syracuse University are also encouraged to meet directly with the Center for International Services.
Scheduling On-Campus Interviews (Students)
- Log-in to Handshake using your Syracuse University email and password.
- Select "On-Campus Interviews" in the top right corner.
- From the "Filters" section in the "Keyword" search box enter your preference.
- When ready, under "Related Jobs" select "Job Title" and apply.
- You will receive an email confirmation (i.e. @syr.edu) when complete.
- Following, you may receive an invitation from the employer to select an interview time slot. If so, within Handshake select "Jobs," followed by "Applications" and then "Interview." Here you can then select a time.
For additional support, students are encouraged to schedule a career advising appointment with school and college career advisors or the Syracuse University Career Services team.
Handshake Resource Library (Students)
Resources in Handshake are tailored to your specific standing at Syracuse University. For example, some resources may only be available to certain majors in a particular School or College. If you feel there is an error with your view, please contact your school or college career center.
- Log-in to Handshake using your Syracuse University email and password.
- In the top right corner select "Career Center" and then "Resources."
For additional support, students are encouraged to schedule a career advising appointment with school and college career advisors or the Syracuse University Career Services team.
Handshake Notification Preferences
- Log-in to Handshake using your Syracuse University email and password.
- Select your name in the top right corner and then select "Notifications."
- Then in the upper left corner, select "Edit Notification Preferences."
- Select each preference you would like to receive an email message for (e.g.: events, interview schedules, jobs, and more).
For additional support, students are encouraged to schedule a career advising appointment with school and college career advisors or the Syracuse University Career Services team.