Handshake for Students
Handshake is a career services platform that is available to all Kenyon students and can be accessed using your Kenyon credentials.
Handshake replaced Symplicity in 2020 as the College's online platform for applying for jobs and internships (including opportunities from alumni, parents and partners), on-campus student employment, and interviews with recruiters. Handshake also allows you to scheduling advising appointments with staff counselors.
KC Connection
Kenyon alumni, employers, and partners often seek Kenyon applicants for opportunities at their companies. These positions, when identified, are labeled by the CDO using a “kc connection” label. You are able to filter for (and get notified about) these positions using the following steps:
- From the job search tab in Handshake, click “filter.”
- Navigate to “Labels by Your School” and select “kc connection.”
- Click “See Jobs.”
- All KC Connection jobs will populate. You can save this filtered search and be notified via email of other opportunities that are added to the platform that are also labeled “kc connection.”
Since these positions are labeled for purposefully by the CDO, it is encouraged that you save this search and review these opportunities as they come in. If you don’t want to review every KC Connection opportunity, you can add additional filters before saving the search.
On-Campus Student Employment
Learn more about finding on-campus student employment opportunities by visiting On-Campus Student Employment in Handshake.
Reviewing Companies
Handshake offers users the option to post reviews of companies in the platform. Be aware that these reviews are public and can be viewed by any other user in Handshake, including the company's staff, as well as students from other institutions. Similarly, reviews of companies in the platform may be from students at other institutions, not just your Kenyon peers.
faq's
What information is essential to complete the onboarding process?
Handshake asks for a lot information upon your first login. It uses the information you provide to recommend jobs and opportunities to you. However, the information is nonessential and can be added at a later date. Your profile is not visible to employers until you specifically say to make it public; therefore, it is not necessary to add this information immediately — or ever, if you never wish to make your profile public. You can still apply to jobs in the system without having a public profile.
Why would I add additional information?
Handshake uses the information to curate the content on your landing page. You can also make your profile public, which allows you to access the social aspects of the platform, such as leaving public reviews and connecting with recruiters at companies.
If I review a company, who can see my review?
Anyone with access to Handshake, include employer users.
What are external applications?
Recruiters can choose to manage their application process within Handshake, meaning they collect materials within the platform itself, or they can advertise their position on Handshake but direct users to an external site. Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which are platforms designed to manage job application processes. These companies will direct users to their external sites for you to complete your application process.
I visited an external application, so why did Handshake email me saying that I applied?
Handshake automatically sends this email after you complete the Handshake portion of an application. Therefore, if you click to apply externally and navigate out of Handshake and into an external site, Handshake will send you this email because it thinks you applied. Ignore the email. Your application is not complete for external applications until you have submitted your application on the employer's external website.
Where can I learn more?
Handshake offers a number of tutorials and guides for students. You can access them all by visiting the Handshake Help Center.