Where to Look for a Job
Handshake is your top resource — built specifically for Wake Forest students, it gives you access to opportunities and employers you won’t find anywhere else. Start there, then use the additional resources below to widen your search.
Remember that networking plays an integral role in both finding and landing a full-time job. You will also need a well-targeted resume and cover letter and solid interview skills to help you land an opportunity. Looking for an job in a specific location? Use our location specific resources.
Handshake
What is Handshake?
Handshake is the best resource to begin your job and internship search. This WFU hub for career-related information allows you to review, apply for, and set up interviews for internships, some of which are only available to Wake Forest students.
Why should I use Handshake?
1. It’s built for people with no experience yet — on purpose. On LinkedIn and Indeed, you’re competing in the same pool as candidates with 5–10 years of experience. Handshake exists because employers know most students haven’t built a resume yet. Entry-level and internship roles are the default, not the exception.
2. Every employer on Handshake is there to hire students. That’s the entire premise of the platform. You’re not filtering through senior-level postings to find the few that fit. The postings are already filtered to you.
3. It’s tied directly to Wake Forest — not the open internet. Employers requesting access to recruit Wake Forest students go through our office first. Many of the postings and events you see are vetted or curated by OPCD’s Employer Relations team specifically for you. LinkedIn and Indeed have no such filter.
4. Smaller pool, higher signal. LinkedIn has nearly a billion users worldwide. On Handshake, you’re visible within a far smaller, more relevant applicant pool, students at Wake Forest and peer schools, which means your profile actually stands out instead of disappearing into a global feed.
How can I make Handshake work for me?
If you fill out your profile with your interests you will receive targeted emails with information and opportunities available in your specific career fields of interest.
- Complete your profile: Add your skills, relevant coursework, and prior experience. Recruiters filter by these fields.
- Set your career interests: This tells Handshake’s algorithm exactly which roles to put in your feed—and it ensures you receive tailored information, resources, and opportunities from the OPCD. Important: Interests evolve, so you should revisit and update these at the start of every semester.
- Turn on your alerts: Set your saved searches so internship and job opportunities are delivered directly to you—saving you time and frustration.
- Monitor your WFU inbox: Even with a perfect profile, you must read emails from c. We send critical, time-sensitive updates on recruiting timelines and employer events.
Secondary Job Search
Use Handshake to get discovered for your first internship or job — it’s where the entry-level hiring is actually happening for students like you, right now. Indeed and LinkedIn should be considered secondary job resources.
Indeed
Tired of searching on companies’ websites for internship postings? Indeed.com is one of the most convenient ways to search online for opportunities. This site searches organizations’ websites for internship listings, making your search easier. Search using your skills or interests to help narrow down your options.
The “professional Facebook” of the working world: LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a great resource to network, research companies of interest, locate informational interview contacts, and improve your personal brand. This free site opens the door to over 70 million professionals around the globe, representing 150 industries(opens in a new tab).