Keeping Up With Handshake

At the end of the term, after taking a few days to recover from final exams and project submissions, I always set aside some time to sit down and make sure my resume, Handshake, and LinkedIn reflect the most recent work I’ve done. I know it can be a hassle to make sure everything is up to date, but there are a couple of reasons why it’s advantageous to do so. First, it’s easiest to write about projects right after you’ve completed them. If you wait a few months before going through and adding descriptions, details can become cluttered or forgotten, so why not write about them while they’re fresh in your mind? Second, you never know what kind of opportunities might come up, so it’s best to be prepared so you can be ready when something presents itself!

Last year, I received a message from an employer on Handshake that was looking for students to invite to a leadership conference. My profile stood out because I had recently updated it with my projects and involvement, and I ended up getting to go and had a great time. Without keeping my Handshake up to date, I never would have heard about the opportunity, let alone have someone reach out and ask me to apply.

A few weeks ago, a club that I’m involved in organized a presentation at a nearby robotics company. I signed up to present, both because I wanted to represent my club, but also because I learned that the company’s head of recruiting was one of the representatives we were presenting to. The event was put together pretty quickly, and if I hadn’t kept my resume updated I probably wouldn’t have had time to add my most recent projects before the presentation.

Even if you already have a job or internship for the coming summer, you really never know what might present itself! It doesn’t take much time to keep everything updated, and the benefits are certainly worth it! As always, feel free to email the peer advisors at cdcpeeradvisors18@wpi.edu with any and all questions!

-Van

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