Job Description: Support Specialist, Contractor

Employment Type: Contract Duration: 6 months (with possibility of extension or conversion) Hours: Monday through Friday, 8am - 5pm in your time zone. Preference for Eastern Time hours.

Location: Remote (U.S. Only) Eligible States: AZ, DC, CA, CO, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NM, NV, NJ, NY, OR, PA, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI

Position Overview

Handshake is seeking a Support Specialist, Contractor to provide essential support to our employer, student, and career services users. This role is ideal for individuals who are resourceful, detail-oriented, enjoy tackling complex technical products, building customer relationships, and solving a wide range of user inquiries, bugs, and workflow needs. You will be a key part of the Support Team, contributing to an efficient and effective user experience and helping to unblock users. As an advocate for our users, you will play a crucial role in improving the Handshake platform and advancing our mission to democratize opportunity.

Responsibilities

• Contribute 40 hours per week during business hours, Monday through Friday.
• Provide excellent email and phone support to Handshake customers using internal ticketing systems.
• Daily Activities (Approximate):
  • 90%: Resolving user questions, bugs, feedback, and general inquiries.
    • Daily Ticket Volume: ~20 - 30 email tickets
    • Daily Phone Volume: ~10 calls over a 4-hour shift
  • 5%: Attending team meetings (1-3 per week).
  • 5%: Completing administrative tasks (emails, checking announcements, training, etc.).
• Engage in highly technical troubleshooting, including building and troubleshooting custom reports.
• Provide tailored, personal responses to users, fostering strong relationships.
• Utilize app demo environments, troubleshooting tools, the help center, team communication channels, and internal documentation to find accurate solutions.
• Maintain a high standard of excellence in response times, resolution times, queue management, and overall customer support quality.
• Act as both a support specialist and an experienced consultant for Handshake platform users.
• Manage issues and collaborate with Customer Support, Customer Success, Product, and Engineering teams using internal tools.

Requirements

• Location: Must be located in one of the eligible U.S. states listed above.
• Technical Aptitude: Ability to quickly learn and master technical tools and concepts.
• Resilience: Comfort navigating change and ambiguity in a growing startup environment with evolving processes and tools.
• Teamwork: Ability to connect with teammates, build community within the Support team and across other departments, and collaborate effectively with a manager on ticket workflows and prioritization.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex topics in simple terms.
• Results Orientation & Ownership: Ability to meet or exceed ticket and quality goals, demonstrating a high level of self-accountability and integrity.
• Passion for the Problem: A genuine desire to help individuals build their desired careers, regardless of their background or educational institution.
• EQ (Emotional Quotient): Strong empathy for users and cross-functional partners.
• Critical Thinking: High attention to detail and a methodical approach to troubleshooting, even with limited information.
• Expertise and Curiosity: Ability to retain knowledge and demonstrate a proactive approach to learning and problem-solving.