This summer, the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills officially transitioned from Handshake to 12twenty, a platform designed to connect students with career coaching opportunities and other career related events all in one place. Now that you have access to student accounts in 12twenty as a Career Champion, you can better assist those you support by exploring the platform from the viewpoint of the student.
Here are a few key takeaways to assist students with using 12twenty effectively:
Scheduling Appointments
Students can book appointments with career coaches directly through 12twenty:
- Filters help narrow down options based on appointment type (e.g., practice interviews, resume reviews), advisor, or virtual vs. in-person.
- Views are flexible; students can see available times in either a list format or a calendar view
- Cancellations and reschedules are simple, directly through 12twenty or via email confirmation links
As a Champion, you can walk students through the appointment tab if they’re unsure and encourage them to upload tailored and relevant documents for their appointments.
Finding On-Campus and Off-Campus Jobs
12twenty has replaced JobX and Handshake for all job searches:
- The Student Employment tab lists all on-campus positions. Students can filter by keywords (e.g., “admin”) or campus location
- The Job Listings tab features internships, part-time, and full-time opportunities from partner employers. The Advanced Seach is useful for narrowing by role type (e.g., internship, Co-op) or keywords
- Students can favorite jobs, save past searches, and manage applications all in one place
As a Champion, you can urge students to experiment with various search items since many employers use different titles.
Organizing Application Materials
The Application Materials tab allows students to store and upload their resumes, cover letters, transcripts, and more. Here they can:
- Upload multiple versions (e.g., different resumes tailored to different positions/industries)
- Pick a “primary” document but still attach the most relevant one when applying
- Edit, update, or delete documents at any time
As a Champion you can suggest that students keep their materials updated and labeled clearly (e.g., “Marketing Resume Fall 2025”) for easier use later on.
Exploring Events and Employers
12twenty provides a centralized calendar for all career-related events, including:
- Career fairs, employer sessions, and workshops
- Virtual and in-person options
- A searchable employer directory where students can view upcoming events, open positions, add notes, and even create a “target employer” list to keep track of opportunities
As a Champion, you can recommend that students review employers ahead of career fairs and consider building a list of target organizations or roles in 12twenty.
Smart Integrations and Personalization
- Students can sync their 12twenty calendar with Google, Outlook, or Apple calendars for easier scheduling
- The homepage provides personalized job and event recommendations based on their saved searches and past activity
As a Champion, you can encourage students who live by their calendar to enable integration and stay on top of appointments and events.
As you gain access to your own student profiles in 12twenty, take time to explore the platform hands-on. The more comfortable and confident you feel navigating the different features, the more effectively you can guide students and help them take their professional careers to the next level!
