About this award
Career educators and talent acquisition professionals are at the forefront of helping students build the foundations of a meaningful career. At Handshake, we’re proud to work every day alongside our career services and talent acquisition partners at higher educational institutions, companies, and organizations around the country to help increase access and equitable opportunities for students.
To help build the next generation of career professionals, Handshake created the Future Career Professionals Award for students who aspire to work in career services and/or talent acquisition and further support the growth and evolution of these professions. Three winners will be awarded $7,500 each to support their studies and growth in becoming future career professionals. See last year's winners here.
Questions? Contact us at [email protected].
UPDATE 6/1/2022:
- We're thrilled to announce the three recipients of the 2022 Future Career Professionals Award! Please join us in congratulating them!
For nominators
For students
Nomination & application process
Current or former career services and talent acquisition professionals as well as higher education faculty and staff may nominate students for the award. Nominators must have a professional relationship with the student (no friend/family nominations please). Once nominated, students should complete the student application for the award.
A nomination is not a requirement for the award but can serve as encouragement for a student to put themselves forward and apply. Students are encouraged to apply even without a nomination.
Note for students: The application requires a video submission. Please plan your time accordingly.
By applying, you agree to the full Terms and Conditions.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Future Career Professionals Award, each applicant must:
- Be a college junior or senior pursuing a 4-year degree OR a second year student pursuing a 2-year degree in the United States
- Have interest in pursuing career services or talent acquisition/recruiting as a profession
- Have a Handshake profile
- Complete the student award application
We believe the profession can and should reflect the diverse student populations it serves. Students from underrepresented backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
Selection process
Handshake’s award selection committee—consisting of current and former career professional leaders—will be responsible for selecting award recipients from all eligible applicants. Handshake will award three (3) students with the Future Career Professionals Award. Each award will equal $7,500 per recipient.
Important dates
- Mar 10, 2022: Award nomination & application window opens
- April 29, 2022: Award and application window closes
- Late May, 2022: All applicants and nominators are notified of award selection results
Resources for nominators & applicants
Share or learn more about this award
Tips on completing your Handshake profile
The application will ask you to include a link to your Handshake profile. Here are some tips on how to make yours stand out (to the award selection committee and employers!)
- Login or get started at joinhandshake.com OR download the Handshake app from the App Store or Google Play (rated 4.6+ stars on each!)
- Add your experience, skills, and courses to your profile—follow the 10-Day Handshake Profile Challenge.
Tips on the video submission
The application includes an opportunity to submit a 90-second video to share your thoughts on:
- Why do you want to work in career services and/or talent acquisition and recruiting?
- If you could change or add one thing for career services and/or talent acquisition that would have a HUGE impact for students, what would it be?
Keep in mind:
- Max length 90 seconds
- Can be filmed on your phone (like a TikTok or Instagram Story video)
- Showcase your personality. How would you talk about it with your friends or on TikTok?
- No video editing skills needed—simple and casual is okay!
- Ensure you are audible—record in a quiet location without any background noise
Have additional questions?
Contact us at [email protected].
About Handshake
Handshake is the #1 place to launch a career with no connections, experience, or luck required. Handshake’s community includes 20 million students and young alumni around the world from 1,400+ educational institutions, including four-year colleges, community colleges, boot camps, and 290+ minority-serving institutions. The platform connects up-and-coming talent with 650,000+ employers—from Fortune 500 companies like Google, Nike, and Target to thousands of public school districts, healthcare systems, nonprofits, and even sports teams like the LA Dodgers. Handshake is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Denver, New York, and London and teammates working globally.
