Handshake for On Campus Employment

Handshake is UCSC's official job search board for on campus opportunities, including work-study jobs. Follow our guide below to learn how to access and apply to on-campus and work-study job opportunities.

Any student enrolled in classes for the current quarter can access the system and apply for jobs. Only students eligible for Work-study can apply for work-study postings. Note: all new first-year and transfer students will gain access to Handshake on the first day after the previous academic quarter.

Accessing Handshake

All students have a Handshake account already created for them; you just need to activate that account by signing in with UCSC. To sign into Handshake, go to: ucsc.joinhandshake.com. 

You will then be asked to Login with your UCSC Gold ID and password. When you continue, you will be directed through two-factor authentication (again, use your Gold ID/password to login). 

Once you’re logged in, you should see a homepage with "Jobs", "Events", and "Employer" tabs in the top left, and "Messages", "Career Center" and Profile tabs in the top right.

Setting Up Your Account

When you login to Handshake for the first time, it will prompt you to add a resume and information to your profile. Please do not skip this step, as it will allow you to see relevant job/internship listings, and allow relevant employers to find you more easily. 

• Handshake will prompt you to upload a resume to Handshake, so that you can more efficiently apply to jobs. Here is Handshake's guide to uploading documents.
• You will also be prompted to fill out your profile with information about your major, experience, GPA, career interests, and more. The more information you fill out, the more relevant your search results will be. Here is Handshake's guide to filling out your profile.

Finding Jobs with Handshake

Handshake is UCSC's official job search board for on and off-campus part and full-time opportunities. On the Jobs tab of Handshake, you can search through opportunities from employers verified by our moderation team. View our brief video discussing advanced job search strategies with Handshake.

1. Click on the "Jobs" tab at the top left of the Handshake homepage. 
2. On the Jobs page, you can browse job postings from our verified employers. You have the ability to filter your results by job type, paid opportunities, on-campus opportunities, work-study positions, location, industry and job title, employers, and relevant majors. 

The Onboarding Process

After you are hired, you will receive an automated email instructing you to get a Blue Card. Follow our onboarding process to receive your virtual Blue Card. You may not begin working in the role until you receive your virtual Blue Card.