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An Improved Employer Page Won’t Improve Your Employer Relationships

Misleading Promises and Lack of Essential ERM Features

Handshake recently rolled out its "Employer Relationship Management" (ERM) Platform. But if you look closer, you’ll see the update is more about looks than functionality. In this blog, we’ll break down what’s missing from Handshake’s new employer page, discuss how these shortcomings could impact your relationships with employers, and show you how the Career Forge ERM is closing the gaps.

The Missing ERM Essentials

An Employer Relationship Management tool needs to track all interactions with employers, such as emails, calls, and meetings. It should also offer advanced reporting, a dashboard for updates, and tools for managing tasks. However, Handshake's new employer page doesn't meet these needs. It's missing key features such as detailed contact tracking, interaction logging, and comprehensive reporting.

Specific Features Are Lacking

In a recent webinar, when asked about adding basic features like contact tracking, Handshake’s team said, “We will look into it." This vague answer points out a significant flaw in their model. The lack of these essential ERM features suggests that what Handshake is offering isn’t an ERM tool; it’s merely a fancier employer directory.

Handshake's Commitment Issues

Vague Commitments and Delays

In a February webinar, Handshake announced a "Spring" release for the next version of this employer page but failed to provide specific dates, only suggesting it might be ready by "late February or early March.” This lack of clarity frustrates career services looking to plan and implement robust employer engagement strategies.

Limited Feedback Implementation

Despite earlier promises to use feedback from customer service throughout 2023, Handshake often responds with noncommittal phrases like, "We want to support you, but we have to dig in further on this." That sounds like another delay and a big gap between what users need and what Handshake is willing to deliver now.

The Real Impact of the Update

Cosmetic Changes vs. Functional Needs

While Handshake's updates might enhance the visual layout of employer pages and make information more accessible, they fail to meet the core functional needs of career services. For example, the updates lack a comprehensive activity dashboard and do not support task creation, two essential features to manage employer relationships effectively.

Future Promises and Current Limitations

Future enhancements don't ease current frustrations. The current version lacks features like email integration and customizable notifications, severely limiting career centers' ability to engage with potential employers.

What Career Forge is Doing Instead

While Handshake's initiative to upgrade employer pages is a step in the right direction, the lack of essential ERM features limits its real-world effectiveness. Career services teams need more than a polished interface; you want a thoughtfully designed, comprehensive system to manage and enhance employer relations.

Here’s how we’re doing it compared to Handshake:


Their 'Promises'


Career Forge | ERM


Why You Should Care

Limited customization options

 Customization tailored to your workflow Power: You want a platform that flexes to your ER program & policies
Limited engagement tracking
Comprehensive engagement company- and contact-level tracking

 Insights: Track interactions where they matter to you: high-level employer or granular-level contacts
“We’ll dig into the possibility of providing contact-level tracking.”
~Handshake via Webinar		 Contact-level tracking from Day One - because you asked for it Influence: You want technology partners to hear you
Copy and paste emails into notes Full Email integration with Gmail and Outlook Seamlessness: “I love checking multiple email interfaces and missing critical information.” 
~No One Ever
Everything is a Note Track emails as emails, meetings as meetings, phone calls as phone calls, and notes as notes Precision: You need to track and report on emails, meetings, phone calls, and general notes.

Handshake's ERM is effectively an enhanced employer page that lacks essential features, It lacks all the essential features that make up an ERM tool, including:

  • Contact level tracking
  • Interaction tracking (email, notes, meetings, calls)
  • Advanced Reporting
  • Activity dashboard
  • Task assignment and creation

Buy an ERM that does what your career services ER specialists want it to do. 

Ask Dale why employer relations are easier with Career Forge | ERM.

 
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