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A NOT-SO-SECRET HANDSHAKE

Career and Professional Development Center and Business Career Services will launch a new system on June 19 that matches student interests and experiences with career opportunities with more than 250,000 employers.

By the Career and Professional Development Center, Business Career Services, and Annalisa Purser, associate director, University Communications

Finding the perfect internship or job after graduation and connecting with potential employers is about to get easier for University of Utah students. The university’s Career and Professional Development Center and Business Career Services will launch a new system on June 19 that matches student interests and experiences with career opportunities with more than 250,000 employers, including all Fortune 500 companies.

The new system is called Handshake, and it replaces UCareerPath, while still providing access to all the tools and resources that were available previously, including Careershift, GoinGlobal, Focus2 and Virtual Job Shadow. It allows students to discover and save jobs, receive personal recommendations based on their interests, skills, major, location preferences and search history. To take advantage of these features, students should log in to the new system using their uNID and password and update their profile.

Handshake uses advanced machine learning algorithms to provide a customized experience for each student. The more detailed the personal profile, the more customized the results will be. Students may choose what information to share with employers and may opt out of sharing any personal information at any time.

“We’re excited to offer students such a robust resource,” said Preston Nielson, associate director for employer engagement. “Students work hard to earn their degrees, and we’re here to support them in applying their knowledge in a career setting.”

In addition to helping students discover jobs and internships, the new online portal will also showcase on-campus career events, such as employer info sessions, resume workshops, career fairs and more.

Current students aren’t the only ones who can take advantage of this resource. Members of the Alumni Association also have access. To use the account or join the Alumni Association, alums should contact Alumni career counselor Amy Gleason at agleason@sa.utah.edu.

Students will receive an email invitation to their UMail accounts on June 19 with more details. Employers who would like to use the system can register online or learn more here. Questions can be directed to the Career & Professional Development Center or Business Career Services. Handshake also offers a help center for those who wish to learn more about its features.