Handshake Introduces New Resources to Help College Students With Their Job Search Through COVID-19 Outbreak

SAN FRANCISCO, April 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the job market rapidly changes due to the COVID-19 outbreak, 48% of students are concerned about finding a job when they graduate. This is one of the key findings from a recent survey conducted by Handshake, the number one place for college students to find jobs and internships. As employers, students and universities continue to grapple with how to navigate this unprecedented time, Handshake is providing additional resources and support to help connect college students and recent grads with employers.

With graduation season approaching, a number of students are beginning to feel the impact of the crisis. Many (53%) are worried about paying off student loans because of changes in the job market and a vast majority (82%) would now consider a part time job unrelated to their career path. A majority of students (69%) would also now consider taking a job in the gig economy and more than half (57%) are considering applying to graduate school as a result of the changing economy.

"While this is an incredibly difficult time for students, it's important not to lose hope and be resilient. Students can still land opportunities, but it will require making some shifts in the search process and their overall perspective," says Christine Cruzvergara, Handshake's VP of Higher Education and Student Success. "What's promising is that a number of industries are still hiring, so it's important for students to expand their search across various industries, continue to network, and be nimble. Although this can all seem daunting, there are opportunities out there and the key is to not lose confidence and to stay driven."

Handshake's student survey reveals that students are actively looking for information on available jobs and internships. A majority of students (64%) believe that the most important way employers can engage with them during this time is by sharing which jobs and internships are still available at their companies. While some industries including hospitality, food and beverage and CPG, and arts and entertainment have seen significant decreases in job postings, Handshake uncovered the industries within its network that are still pursuing hiring plans, including education, healthcare, government and technology. In addition, Handshake's recently published "Hiring on Handshake" list of 500 popular employers still hiring on Handshake spotlights companies in a wide range of locations and every state.

"In recent weeks, many employers have increased or shifted recruiting strategies to reflect a virtual recruiting experience, focusing on new tactics such as remote interviews and virtual onboarding," says Handshake's CEO, Garrett Lord. "For our many partners who are still moving ahead with their hiring plans, our hope is that these new lists will assist with driving more talent to these open positions, and provide access to a diverse pool of candidates which they otherwise might not have been able to access."

For more information and to see the Hiring on Handshake list, visit https://learn.joinhandshake.com/students/hiring-on-handshake-500/

ABOUT HANDSHAKE
Handshake is the number one site for college students to find jobs in America. Today, the Handshake community includes 17 million students and young alumni at over 900 universities - including 120+ minority-serving institutions. We connect up-and-coming talent across all 50 states with nearly 500,000+ employers recruiting on Handshake - from every Fortune 500 company to thousands of small businesses, nonprofits, startups, and more. Handshake is democratizing opportunity and ensuring college students have the support they need to find a great job and kick-off a meaningful career regardless of where they go to school, what they choose as a major, and who they know.

STUDENT SURVEY METHODOLOGY
This online survey of 1,002 US college students, primarily targeting 17-24 years, was conducted by Propeller Insights on behalf of Handshake between March 26 and March 29, 2020. Propeller Insights strives to achieve a statistically significant sample that meets the industry standard of a 95 percent confidence level and a 5-percentage margin of error, based on the population being represented for all online quantitative surveys.

HANDSHAKE PLATFORM DATA METHODOLOGY
Handshake analyzed proprietary data from its online platform that consists of nearly 500,000 employers and 17 million students and young alumni. The data outlines platform activity from both employers and students.

SOURCE Handshake