Networking with Students and Employers Through Handshake
One of the best ways to explore an organization, or a position, is to talk to people who have been there.
Handshake’s Networking features give you direct access to:
- Dartmouth students and alumni who belong to the Handshake community.
- Approximately six million active students and alumni. You can see what they studied, where they work and have worked, and message them to get tips and advice
To use the network, you must complete three steps
1. Make Profile Visible to Students and Employers
2. Find Students to Contact and Agree to Terms
You can find recommendations on students to potentially connect with through the left sidebar on your “My Profile” page.
You can filter this group by categories, including: Name, Major, Employer/Previous Employer, and Year
To see only Dartmouth students and alumni, select Schools: Dartmouth College Only
You can also find students to connect with through Employer Pages:
Click on the Message icon to draft a Message Agree to the terms to draft your message
3. Select and Customize Template
Templates are available for Professional Experience, Education Recommendations, Resume Advice, Interview Advice, or Q&A.
The Message will be delivered to your intended recipient directly through the Handshake Inbox.
What can you ask other students about?
When you open a message, you’ll be asked to choose the topic of your question. The topics are: Professional Experience, Education Recommendations, Resume Advice, Interview Advice, Reviews or Q&A, and Other Career Related Topic.
- Professional Experience. Search for someone who has interned or works at a company you’re interested in, and ask them about company culture, intern projects, and more.
- Education Recommendations. Find out the best courses to take to prepare for a particular career. Alternatively, you can ask a graduate school student about their work, professors, and experience if you are thinking about applying to their school.
- Resume Advice. Learn what to include on your resume that best highlights your courses, projects and unique experience.
- Interview Advice. Gain insight into a company’s interview questions and process.
- Reviews or Q&A. Ask for more information on a student’s review or Q&A question. (See individual employer pages for student reviews and Q&As. Note: Not all employers have this feature enabled.)
- Other Career Related Topic. Ask any other career-related question.
After you have selected the topic of your question, you will see a customizable template to help you draft your message.
Clear the template text if you prefer to write your own. The CPD Networking Guide includes some additional samples of the types of information you may want to include.
Once you hit send, the message will be sent to your recipient through Handshake. You’ll get an email notification when the student answers your question.
You’ll also get a notification if another student reaches out to you for advice! You have the option to accept or decline a message. After you accept the message, you will be able to respond. If you decline, you will get a prompt asking why you are declining.
Tip: You can report a message if it violates Handshake’s messaging guidelines. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the messaging page, and you will see the option to flag the message.The students and alumni on the Handshake network are a great resource for you as you search for your next job or internship. They can provide a unique perspective and have the specific insight you are looking for. Log into Handshake today and get the advice you need!