Handshake alternative: NextChapter vs. Handshake
Handshake is described as career network for students and graduates. Below, each line about Handshake links to the page it was read from and shows the date we checked it. Each line about NextChapter describes something already in the product.
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Side by side
5 capabilities, checked through 2026-10-24. Details change, so confirm current features on joinhandshake.com before you decide.
| Capability | Handshake | NextChapter |
|---|---|---|
| Career outcomes reportHigher-ed career services | Partly shownRoadmap entry describes sourced outcomes that combine Handshake data and public professional profiles to help career centers measure outcomes; a public report is not described.Source, checked 2026-10-24 | A public outcomes report and outcomes by major, with small counts withheld. |
| EventsHigher-ed career services | Partly shownCareer centers page describes event registration for students and alumni; alumni-specific events are not described.Source, checked 2026-10-24 | Alumni events and registrations. |
| Internship trackingHigher-ed career services | Partly shownCareer center webinar page describes an Experiences tool to track, manage and report on internship programs; recruiting by target company is not described.Source, checked 2026-10-24 | Tracks internships and recruiting by target companies. |
| ROI dashboardHigher-ed career services | Partly shownCareer centers page describes reporting tools covering student engagement through post-grad outcomes for career center teams.Source, checked 2026-10-24 | A development-office view of engagement and results. |
| Member companiesWorkforce-system software | Shown on their siteCareer center webinar page lists Employer Relationship Management tools for career center teams.Source, checked 2026-10-24 | Employers that work with a college or board. |
More of what NextChapter does in the same areas
We have not compared these with Handshake; they describe our product only.
- Job board. A searchable board of openings gathered from employer career sites and job systems.
- Fit verdict per job. Each opening gets one fit verdict with one plain reason, based on the member's profile.
- Ghost-posting risk. Flags openings that look stale or unlikely to be filled.
- AI exposure on each opening. Shows how much AI use is observed in the occupation of the opening, from the Anthropic Economic Index.
- Offered pay against market. Compares the pay an opening offers with market pay for the role.
- Skill gap per job. Lists the skills an opening asks for that the member has not shown yet.
- Who to contact at the company. Suggests people to reach at the employer, starting with the member's own contacts.
- Application tracker. A list of the jobs a member is pursuing with their status.