So, you know what you want to study. You know which courses to take, and have mapped out how much time you'll need to dedicate to school. The only thing coming between you and the job of your dreams is finding it!
How to secure your bag
Starting the hunt for a fulfilling job or internship might feel tough, especially if you're new to your university. As a student, your time is already stretched thin between classes, adjusting to campus life, and the demands of any extracurricular activities like clubs, sports, and volunteering—not to mention trying to establish a social life in your new environment. But you're not alone in the search. With the right tools and an open mindset, your job prospects can transform within mere days.
Just ask our latest Handshake success story, Dyani Heredia-Urias. This public relations major at Pepperdine is a shining example of how a student can shape their future career path during school by applying to roles through Handshake.
When Dyani first transferred to Pepperdine, she wasn't quite sure where to start with her internship search. Encouraged by her new school's career services center, Dyani joined Handshake and started exploring to see if there were any interesting roles that she might qualify for. She found a job at Pepperdine as an Athletics Communication intern, applied, and secured the role—all within her first month at school. Dyani kept the same intern role from her sophomore to junior year, when she decided to expand her horizons.
As she grew her skills and knowledge, a role at Nike presented itself to her through Handshake.
"A recruiter reached out to me [through the messaging feature] and I was a little confused, but I went with it... as you do when Nike contacts you!"
Dyani Heredia-Urias
A Nike recruiter sent Dyani a personal message on Handshake, encouraging her to apply to their 2020 summer intern program. Dyani followed their advice, and within weeks she secured an offer to embark on a thrilling internship at Nike! As a Global Operations Intern, Dyani's main project was to engage Nike's internal team, implementing a new engagement strategy that is still in use today.
Two full-time offers
But Dyani's story doesn't stop there.
"While I was at Nike, I was actively looking [for my next role] on Handshake and LinkedIn, but I've always had more luck on Handshake with interviews."
As her summer at Nike came to a close, Dyani began searching for another role on Handshake to gain more experience. Then, shortly after her internship wrapped up, Nike extended her a full-time offer for after her graduation! Dyani accepted this exciting job offer from Nike, but still wanted to work during the interim period before her graduation. So, she used Handshake to apply, interview, and accept a new gig. As a Digital Marketing Intern with social commerce agency MagicLinks, she's gained valuable experience managing brand partnerships. When the MagicLinks team caught wind of Dyani's full-time offer at Nike, they didn't want to lose her—so they also made her a return offer for after graduation.
Both internships that Dyani secured through Handshake helped highlight her strengths, and the companies quickly recognized her value as a member of their community. Hard work and an amazing attitude resulted in not one, but two incredible options for Dyani's post-grad life—offering her job security, flexibility, and the peace of mind to enjoy the rest of an eventful senior year of college. Dream job = secured!