Tiger Recruiting Link shut down on Wednesday, Aug. 31, and Handshake, a new database, replaced it.
Tiger Recruiting Link has been the link between Auburn students, graduates and employers for several years, and although Auburn has decided a change is in order, some students have voiced their resistance to making the switch to Handshake.
Alex Williamson, Career Center representative, said he is sure students will find Handshake is actually much easier to use than Tiger Recruiting Link.
“The Handshake interface is easy to navigate, particularly for students, and looks cleaner,” Williamson said.
Students having trouble navigating Handshake are encouraged to reach out for assistance, according to Williamson.
“Handshake has a large support section complete with videos to help students get more comfortable with the interface,” Williamson said.
Williamson said the Career Center has drop-in hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday where students will be assigned to a Peer Career Advisor to walk them through Handshake in 15 minutes.
Handshake has already been instituted at numerous college campuses around the nation, and that by joining Handshake, Auburn University is making it easier for employers to connect to Auburn students, Williamson said.
“Employers in the Handshake database only need one account to connect with anyone with a Handshake account," Williamson said. "Whereas in the past employers looking for employees would have to create an Auburn specific account to reach the students."
Handshake will contain the same type of opportunities that Tiger Recruiting Link held, such as part time jobs, full time jobs, seasonal work and also internships, according to Williamson.
“By joining Handshake, Auburn students will have the opportunity to gain access to all job recruitment opportunities," Williamson said.
Williamson said students were only able to apply for jobs where they met all requirements on Tiger Recruiting Link, while Handshake allows students to apply for any position that interests them.
“Unlike Tiger Recruiting Link, students can apply for jobs or internships where they don’t meet a few of the requirements, such as minimum GPA or graduation year,” Williamson said. “I want employers to know that we have amazing students at Auburn looking to find good jobs and internships."
Williamson said he's been working hard to encourage students and employers to begin using Handshake.
“Students should create and activate their accounts,” Williamson said. “The more students go into the interface and use it, the more comfortable they will get with it.”
Employers are notified of events where they can actually come to campus and meet students, Williamson said.
“When employers join Handshake, they are alerted about events where they can come meet students face-to-face at dozens of career events on campus,” Williamson said.
Williamson said students can still reach out to employers if they're unable to attend a career event with employers they are interested in.
“Students can search for past or future career events on the Career Center website, the employers present at each event are listed,” Williamson said. “Students can then search for that employer on Handshake in order to contact them.”
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