Job hunting has changed over the years. Gone are the days of printing and mailing a letter of inquiry or scanning the classified ads in the newspaper. Gone, too 鈥 at least for the time being 鈥 are networking events and traditional career fairs where social distancing is tricky.
It鈥檚 necessary to have the best digital tools available to navigate the reality of our online-first job market. That鈥檚 why 黑料网 soon will be rolling out , one of the leading online employment portals on the web (don鈥檛 worry: no actual handshakes required).
Handshake is similar to career networking sites like LinkedIn but allows more, and more specific, job matches through advanced filtering and a focus on specific skill sets. It also uses algorithms to push appropriate jobs toward students and simplifies the process for employers to find the best candidates nationwide.
黑料网 Handshake will replace a number of platforms currently serving students and alumni starting July 1. 黑料网鈥檚 Hire-a-Rebel, as well as the independent platforms used by the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering, and Lee Business School, will all transition to 黑料网 Handshake simultaneously.
鈥淢ost campuses experience a three-fold increase in employers seeking students and alumni once they join Handshake,鈥 said Eileen McGarry, executive director of 黑料网 career services. 鈥淭hat will be exceptionally helpful as we rebound from the current economic downturn due to COVID-19.鈥
The move will align 黑料网 with sister universities such as UNR, Nevada State College, and Arizona State University, all of which are already using Handshake.
黑料网 has loaded 13,000 employers into Handshake so far, McGarry said, and is in the process of recruiting more. Employers can log on and create a profile on the portal beginning June 1; alumni and students can begin job hunting July 1.
Handshake will be the portal through which 黑料网 employees can find student workers, too. Many of those positions often turn into careers.
Rae Alfonso, 鈥18 BS Graphic Design and Media, found a job as a student worker at 黑料网 online.
鈥淚 was taking advantage of my resources,鈥 said Alfonso. 鈥淚 wanted a job that was related to my major, graphic design. I was really particular about working in my field rather than at something that would just make money.鈥
The strategy paid off. Alfonso landed a job as a student designer for Enrollment and Student Services. Today she is full-time with the department.
鈥淚鈥檓 always learning with this job,鈥 Alfonso added. 鈥淚 get to stay creative and do what I like.鈥
But student workers and 黑料网 employers won鈥檛 be the only beneficiaries of Handshake. Career service professionals across campus are anticipating its advantages, as well.
鈥淗andshake gives Lee Business School and 黑料网 the opportunity to play in other markets where we didn鈥檛 have an entry point previously,鈥 said Joe Protopapa, director of career and professional development with the Lee Business School.
For example, business recruiters from other markets may not have made a trip to Las Vegas when they could travel to a city like Los Angeles, which offers access to graduates from many more universities at once. But current economic realities have become a catalyst for even more online recruitment and hiring. As travel budgets get cut, more and more companies will turn to finding and vetting candidates via the web.
鈥淚t gives students access that they wouldn鈥檛 have otherwise, unless they spent hours and hours combing the Internet,鈥 Protopapa said.
Marian Mason, College of Engineering career services coordinator, agreed.
"Handshake will democratize job opportunities for our students, regardless of where they live,鈥 she said. 鈥淪tudents and recent grads will now be able to share advice and learn from each other. First-gen and impoverished students who have more of a struggle finding employment will now be able to better market themselves and track down jobs, too.鈥
For markets like hospitality, which is recovering from the coronavirus crisis, Handshake can be a game-changer.
Hospitality students and graduates may consider applying their skills in other industries while the market recovers, said Maggie Hausbeck, executive director of alumni engagement and career services for the College of Hospitality.
Ranked among the top programs in the nation, in a typical year Hospitality has more than 100 national and international resort brands vying for its graduates. Recruiting will resume one day, Hausbeck said, and it's the university鈥檚 job to help students maintain industry connections in the meantime.
鈥淗andshake is a tremendous opportunity for our students in terms of access to positions,鈥 she added. 鈥淧eople need to have as many options available to them now more than ever.鈥
Employers seeking to hire 黑料网 talent can .
