120 Employers driving the next generation of early talent recruiting

Handshake recognizes the 120 employers transcending adversity to recruit tomorrow's leaders today.

Did you make the list in 2021? Find out by visiting Handshake’s Early Talent Awards‘ official microsite.

For years, Handshake has been the #1 place university and college students go to find jobs. Born out of a real need to level the entry level playing field, that journey has never been no more critical than it is now. 

In a year full of firsts, students took the unprecedented step toward the virtual classroom. And employers heroically transitioned their teams and programs to continue providing meaningful opportunities for students and grads to launch their careers.

That’s why we want to recognize the agencies, companies, and organizations that—despite odds—took a leap of faith and immense creativity to support their next future leaders.

The first annual Handshake Early Talent Awards (ETAs) celebrate these employers: the visionaries, innovators, and opportunity democratizers that set the stage for what 21st century engagement should look like. 

In 2021, its inaugural debut, the ETAs recognize 120 employers across 12 categories, from accounting to banking to manufacturing to technology. Congratulations to our winners! It’s these places that students increasingly gravitate toward.

What are Handshake’s Early Talent Awards?

Handshake’s ETAs is an annual awards program recognizing employers for best-in-class digital engagement programs. In its first year, 750,000+ employers on Handshake were evaluated using intentionally deliberate methodology to produce 120 winners across 12 categorized industries.

How were the winners selected in 2021?

Handshake works with a lot of incredible employers, so choosing only 120 award winners was difficult to say the least. And since the size of a company isn’t directly correlated to the student experience, we didn’t want to just recognize the largest companies hiring on Handshake (although there’s certainly nothing wrong with being mighty).

In reflection of Handshake’s values, our methodology prioritizes student engagement over company or hiring scale. We reviewed platform activity across our network of 750,000+ employers from March 1 through December 31, 2020 along weighted criteria that tracks:

  • Student interest, which measures how many views an employer receives per job.
  • Message engagement, which reviews how many students click on an employer message.
  • Brand resonance, which looks at the number of applicants per job impression, like the number of times a job card appears in a student’s search or suggested jobs.
  • Virtual event participation, which highlights how many students, on average, register for an employer’s virtual event or virtual career fair session.

Where do I find out who won?

Visit the official microsite for the 2021 Handshake Early Talent Awards microsite for more information about this year’s winners.

How do I get on the list?

Have your eyes set on an ETA? Get in touch with our team for the inside scoop on what makes ETA winners exceptional, and get the digital tools you need to elevate your employer brand and recruit this generation of diverse talent.