COVID Support FAQS

The University Career Services (UCS) staff are available to connect with students online each weekday during the 8:30am - 5pm time period. Students can book appointments through their Handshake account and our staff are available via email and by phone during work hours. We will respond within 24 hours.

Yes, the UCS will be providing drop-in career advising services every weekday during the 1pm - 4pm time period. Students can schedule an appointment to access these services via Zoom during these time periods.

Handshake is UNC’s Career Services online career management platform. All UNC students have Handshake accounts. If you’ve never accessed your account before, log in to the Handshake website (link below) with your Onyen log-in information, and activate your account.

Handshake is your connection point to career services resources and support. Here are a few of the resources accessible through Handshake:

• Schedule online appointments with career advisors.
• Access thousands of job postings and apply directly through Handshake. These job postings include internships, co-ops, part-time jobs, and full-time career opportunities.
• participate in online career events, ranging from virtual career fairs to interviews and employer information sessions.

We are not able to predict exactly what impact COVID-19 will have on each industry in the future, therefore, we highly encourage you to continue in your search now. Many employers are also unsure of the changes to upcoming hiring practices, but what job seekers can expect is the following:

• Delays: Employers are currently experiencing delays in recruiting and hiring processes. If you have not heard from an employer or are awaiting next steps, be mindful of these transitions. You can contact the employer to check on the status of a submitted application if no update has been provided.
• Shift to virtual recruiting: Due to travel restrictions and social distancing, most employers will be conducting virtual interviews for the foreseeable future.
• University Career Services is keeping a close eye on changes within the labor market and communicating with our employer partners to understand the full extent to which recruiting may be impacted. We are committed to ongoing communication efforts with all students regarding our resources and support.

University Career Services is available to support you throughout the summer months. Until further notice, all career counseling appointments will be available virtually. Please access Handshake in order to schedule a Zoom or phone appointment.

There is a wide array of efforts that you can consider in order to engage with individuals virtually during this time of social distancing. Explore new ways in which you can expand your professional network through LinkedIn, follow up with contacts whom you connected with in the past, and prepare informational interviews with those whom can help you learn more about career pathways and company information.

We are happy to assist you in preparing for your virtual interview. Please access Handshake to schedule a mock interview with a career counselor. For independent interview practice, you can also access Big Interview, a virtual platform that combines training and practice to help improve your interview technique and build your confidence.

Job offer negotiation is a highly personalized process that should be approached with specific consideration to the organization, job function, and industry. We encourage you to seek immediate assistance from University Career Services to discuss negotiating a job offer by emailing ucs@unc.edu for a response within 24 hours, and schedule a virtual appointment through Handshake.

Congratulations on your job offer! If considerable time has passed since your last communication with the hiring manager, check in with them to acknowledge the changing landscape within organizations at this time. Inquire about how the company, the nature of their work, and your specific role could be impacted. Be prepared to offer solutions and remind them of your unique skills that can serve as a continued value add during these times.

Consider connecting with your employer to discuss potential opportunities for non-traditional work, special projects, and other virtual opportunities to get engaged prior to your new start date. If this is not possible, consider using your independent time to engage in virtual professional development through platforms such as LinkedIn Learning.

If you are a May or August 2020 graduating student, you will have access to career counseling and all UCS virtual resources, including Handshake, for one year after graduation.

Since many companies have pulled back from campus recruitment due to COVID-19 precautions, and since most students have left campus, we’re placing more emphasis on online/virtual events. Students are encouraged to pre-register for any events that require it.

During the current circumstances it is hard to know which organizations will continue to remain open. We recommend communicating with us via ucs@unc.edu about your internship so we can help and ask about micro-internships with your current site. Additionally, if you had plans to complete an internship for academic credit, please contact your academic advisor as soon as possible to discuss the situation.

First contact UCS immediately at our email ucs@unc.edu for help and a response within 24 hours. Second, we know how incredibly disappointing this must be. The job market outlook right now is very uncertain, since most employers are still analyzing and adapting to the impacts of COVID-19. We normally offer support to all new graduates up to six months after graduating and have decided to extend that now for those impacted by COVID-19 to one year. While there are certainly cutbacks and layoffs in some sectors of the economy, there are still thousands of employers who are actively hiring. UCS staff are available to answer questions and meet with students online to help you navigate these situations and formulate a job search strategy.

• The Summer Part-Time Job Fair – Resume Book
• Who is Hiring Right Now?
• Who is hiring during the Coronavirus: Try these Industries if you need a job now