The CSUEB Career Empowerment Center (CEC) kicked off the Fall 2025 semester with its first Career Trek of the semester. A visit to Handshake, the university’s primary career platform and a leading connector between students and employers nationwide. Partnering with over 650,000 employers, including all Fortune 500 companies, Handshake remains the leading site for college students to discover job & internship opportunities.
Seventeen CSUEB students visited Handshake’s San Francisco headquarters, where host Alexander Lule provided a tour of the company’s collaborative, open office space. Students experienced the energy of a growing start-up tech company and learned how different departments, from engineering and product management to security, brand design, and relationship management, contribute to Handshake’s overall mission of democratizing job opportunities for students.
The visit featured a panel discussion with professional Handshakers, who shared insights on both the technical and soft skills needed for success. Panelists emphasized that while hard skills such as coding, cloud infrastructure, and data analysis are important, the ability to communicate effectively, adapt to new challenges, and collaborate across teams often makes the greatest difference in their roles. They also highlighted that career paths are rarely linear. Growth often comes from taking risks, learning new skills, and embracing change.
During the panel discussion, Eliana Cuevas-Sanchez, a Business Administration major with a concentration in Human Resources asked panelists: “What was your major, and how did that lead to your current job?” Their responses highlighted that many professionals entered tech through different academic and career backgrounds, reinforcing the message that there is no single path to career success.
The networking opportunity was equally valuable for the students. Many reflected that engaging directly with professionals made the idea of networking feel more approachable and less intimidating. “It was less scary than I thought. The questions came naturally,” said one student. Another student added, “I felt more confident engaging with professionals than I expected.”
Alexander Lule, Manager of Education Success at Handshake, also reflected on the visit:
“We had such a great time welcoming students from California State University East Bay to our Handshake office for a career trek! Their curiosity and energy made the whole visit really fun and rewarding for all of us. We also loved giving them a peek into office life and seeing them connect one-on-one with teammates across different roles. Events like this are such a good reminder of how important it is to create spaces where students and professionals can learn from each other.”
The Career Empowerment Center looks forward to continuing Career Treks throughout the semester & is eager to provide more opportunities for students to explore career options and build professional networks.
Students who are interested in attending future career treks can complete their Handshake profile or stop by the Career Empowerment Center to learn more.
