The University Career Center announced a new provider for the University’s online career portal April 29. The current career website, CAVLink, will be replaced beginning June 15 by a career platform called Handshake.
Everette Fortner, associate vice president of career and professional development, said Handshake will provide the latest in technology and customer service.
“U.Va. students and our most coveted employers deserve the latest in technology and customer service, in order to most efficiently and [effectively] connect the two,” Fortner said in an email statement. “Our current vendor was not supplying that, and this new vendor does.”
Students will keep their access to CavLink until June 30 in order to smooth the transition to Handshake. Similarly, while student profiles will automatically transfer to the new portal, the Career Center urges students to download their documents such as resumes and cover letters from CavLink for safekeeping.
In an email to students, the Career Center assured students that the on-Grounds interviewing process will not be affected and will still be managed by the Career Center. The only change will be the interface students use.
Fortner said the switch to Handshake was decided on by a taskforce made up of directors of the undergraduate career centers who worked closely with members of the Career Center team.
Assistant Director of the Business Community Sara Greene said Handshake was chosen after extensively looking at other career platforms.
“Our team looked extensively into Symplicity and Purple Briefcase,” Greene said in an email statement. “Additionally, the Career Center staff come from a variety of backgrounds and has worked with several systems. We feel confident that Handshake will give our students the best user experience.”
Greene also said the new platform will offer students customization and an intuitive design.
“We want students to have the ability to connect with our office in a way that is unique to them. This includes easily accessible and highly cultivated jobs, internships and events,” Greene said. “Handshake will help students cut through the clutter and find the opportunities and events that matter to them.”
The Career Center has gotten great feedback from students about the platform, Greene said, and recruiters and employers of University students are excited to make the switch to Handshake.
“The system offers an easy and intuitive way for them to reach U.Va. students,” Greene said.
Second-year Commerce student Rachel Birnbaum said she is excited about the change and cited the navigability of Handshake.
“I am thrilled about the new partnership because it seems extremely user friendly,” Birnbaum said.
Second-year College student Stephan Warden said he thinks Handshake will improve the overall Career Center experience.
“The Career Center is a truly underrated resource here at U.Va., and this revamped online interface will definitely have deeper penetration with the students actively searching to make connections with alumni,” Warden said.
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