For Students & Alumni

Virtual career fairs on Handshake make it easy for CUNY SPH students and alumni to connect with employers and explore career opportunities in public health. You can engage directly with recruiters through one-on-one video chats and group sessions to learn about their organizations and available roles.

Preparing in advance is key to making a strong impression and building meaningful connections. Register early and follow the steps below to get the most out of the Spring 2025 Virtual Career Fair.

Getting Started with Handshake

Ensure your Handshake profile is up to date so you can connect with employers, explore opportunities, and make the most of the Career Fair.

CUNY SPH partners with Handshake, so your information is automatically added to the platform. New students will receive an email invitation when their Handshake account is ready to be activated.

To log in to Handshake, click “Sign in with your email address” and follow these steps:

  1. Students: Enter your @sphmail.cuny.edu email address.
  2. Alumni: Enter your @sphmail.cuny.edu email address or the personal email associated with your CUNYFirst account.

If this is your first time accessing Handshake, refer to this resource for step-by-step instructions: Claiming Your CUNY SPH Handshake Account.

For additional support, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

If you’ve forgotten your Handshake password, you can reset it by following the steps outlined in this guide: Reset the Password for a Student Account in Handshake.

For additional support, you can join a Handshake Office Hours session or contact us directly at CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu.

To complete your Handshake profile and maximize your opportunities at the Career Fair, we recommend attending one of our upcoming events:

Handshake How To’s: A Step-by-Step Tutorial on Handshake Features

Thursday, February 27, 2025, 2:00–3:00 PM ET | Register Here

Handshake How To’s: Career Fair Edition

Tuesday, March 18, 2025, 12:00–1:00 PM ET | Register Here

Having a complete Handshake profile is essential, as it helps employers find and connect with you, while also enabling Handshake to provide personalized job recommendations. To complete your profile, add your education, work experience, skills, and other details. For step-by-step instructions, refer to Completing Your Profile in Handshake and this additional resource from The Graduate Center, CUNY.

For additional support, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

  1. Personalized Job Recommendations: Handshake tailors job and internship suggestions based on your profile details, connecting you with opportunities that match your interests and skills.
  2. Targeted Opportunities: The CUNY SPH Office of Career Services sends targeted emails with opportunities based on your profile, so the more complete your profile, the better your opportunity recommendations will be.
  3. Increased Visibility: Students with complete profiles are 5x more likely to be messaged by recruiters about job openings and events.
  4. Stand Out to Employers: A complete profile highlights your qualifications, making it easier for employers to find and connect with you.
  5. Career Fair Success: Employers will review profiles ahead of the Career Fair, so a polished profile boosts your chances of being noticed.

For guidance on completing your profile, refer to Completing Your Profile in Handshake or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

If you already have a Handshake profile, you can easily update it by adding or editing details such as your education, work experience, skills, and interests. To get started, follow this guide: Completing Your Profile in Handshake.

To maximize your visibility, set your profile to Community so both employers and the CUNY SPH community can connect with you. For more information on privacy settings, refer to Profile Privacy Options in Handshake.

For additional support, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

Identifying and Registering for the Career Fair

Learn how to find and register for the Career Fair, sign up for sessions with employers, and make the most of this opportunity to explore public health careers.

Log in to Handshake and click Events in the lefthand menu.

  1. Use the Medium filter at the top of the page and select Virtual from the dropdown.
  2. To view events posted by CUNY SPH only, click More filters and check Posted by my school.
  3. Locate the CUNY SPH Spring 2025 Virtual Career Fair in the list and click on its name to load the overview page.

Alternatively, you can select Career fairs at your school from the Events tab.

For additional support, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

To register for the Career Fair, follow the steps outlined in Signing Up for & Managing Virtual Fair Sessions.

For additional support, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

Yes, you can register for the Career Fair on your mobile device. Follow the instructions outlined in About Career Fairs/Events on Mobile.

For additional support, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

To sign up for sessions at the Career Fair:

  1. Log in to Handshake and navigate to the CUNY SPH Spring 2025 Virtual Career Fair under the Events tab.
  2. Click on the fair’s name to load the overview page.
  3. Select the Available Sessions tab to view group and one-on-one sessions.
  4. Click on a session you’d like to join and follow the prompts to confirm your signup.

For more detailed instructions, refer to Signing Up for & Managing Virtual Fair Sessions.

For additional support, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

Yes, you can update your schedule after registering for the Career Fair, with the following guidance:

  1. Ensure that session times do not overlap. If you want to join a different session, cancel the conflicting session first.
  2. You may sign up for multiple 1:1 sessions with the same employer but only one session per recruiter. To change the time of a session, cancel the existing session and select a new one.

Managing Sessions:

  1. Your sessions will appear in the Your schedule tab at the top of the fair’s page.
  2. Click on a session name to view details or cancel your reservation.
  3. To find additional sessions, click Show open sessions.
  4. You can cancel sessions up until the scheduled start time.

For more information, refer to Signing Up for & Managing Virtual Fair Sessions.

For further assistance, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

Preparing for the Career Fair

Set yourself up for success by researching employers, updating your resume, and testing your technology before the event.

For guidance on researching employers attending the Career Fair, refer to View Employers Attending an Upcoming Career Fair.

For additional support, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

To upload your resume to Handshake, refer to How to Upload a New Document.

For more information on managing documents and visibility in Handshake, please refer to Understanding Document Visibility.

For additional support, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

To ensure a smooth experience during the Career Fair, review Handshake’s Attendee Resources for technology setup.

For further assistance, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours Session.

Yes, the CUNY SPH Office of Career Services is hosting several events to help you prepare for the Career Fair:

Handshake How To’s: A Step-by-Step Tutorial on Handshake Features

Thursday, February 27, 2025, 2:00–3:00 PM ET | Register Here

Handshake How To’s: Career Fair Edition

Tuesday, March 18, 2025, 12:00–1:00 PM ET | Register Here

Career Corner: Career Fair Prep

Thursday, April 3, 2025, 12:00–1:00 PM ET | Register Here

In addition to these events, Handshake Office Hours are available to provide personalized support. During these sessions, students and alumni can get help with:

  1. Activating their accounts and navigating the Career Fair.
  2. Completing and updating their profiles.
  3. Troubleshooting any technical issues.

For additional support, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu.

Participating in the Career Fair

Navigate the event smoothly by joining sessions on time, making a strong impression in one-on-one and group meetings, and handling any technical issues that arise.

If you encounter technical issues during the Career Fair, you can join our dedicated Help Room on Zoom, available throughout the event. Details and the Zoom link will be shared in our email correspondence before the fair. You can also use Handshake’s built-in features to report the problem directly, or email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu for additional support.

We recommend testing your setup ahead of time to minimize potential issues. For guidance, refer to Handshake’s troubleshooting resources or join a Handshake Office Hours session before the fair.

Asking thoughtful questions during employer sessions can help you make a strong impression and gain valuable insights. Here are some examples:

About the Company

  1. Can you tell me more about your organization’s mission and values?
  2. What sets your company apart from others in the field?
  3. How does your organization support employee growth and development?

About the Role

  1. What does a typical day look like for someone in this position?
  2. What skills and qualifications do you look for in ideal candidates?

Workplace Culture

  1. Can you share more about the team dynamic and work environment?
  2. How does your organization prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion?

Next Steps

  1. What advice do you have for someone applying for this role?
  2. What are the next steps in the hiring process?

Following Up After the Career Fair

Keep the connections going by following up with employers and checking for messages or feedback on Handshake.

Following up with employers after the Career Fair is an essential step to leave a positive impression and continue building connections. Here’s how you can do it:

Immediately After Your Session:

In Handshake, a pop-up will appear after your session, allowing you to send a message directly to the host.

  1. If there are multiple hosts, click the Send a message button next to the name of the person you’d like to follow up with.
  2. If there is one host, the text box will load automatically.

Type your message in the text box and click Send to continue the conversation.

What to Say in Your Follow-Up Message:

  1. Reference something you found interesting or helpful during the session.
  2. Express your enthusiasm for a role, the company, or the industry.
  3. Ask any additional questions about the company or next steps in the hiring process.

Later Follow-Ups:

  1. Go back to the Career Fair page in Handshake and select the Your schedule tab to review past sessions and session hosts.
  2. Use the Send a message button to reconnect with the session host, whose name, job title, and company will be listed.

Explore other ways to engage with employers, such as:

  1. Following the company profile to receive updates on their activity.
  2. Messaging students or alumni who have worked at the company.
  3. Responding to employer messages in Handshake.
  4. Applying for open positions or participating in future events.

If you need additional support, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

To see feedback or messages from employers on Handshake, refer to Receiving Employer Messages in Handshake.

For additional support, email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu or join a Handshake Office Hours session.

Stay Connected with the Office of Career Services

Email CareerServices@sph.cuny.edu for more information.

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