What Is Handshake Used For: Features, Reviews & Alternatives
Career network connecting students & employers.
Editorially updated Oct 25, 2025
The overview
What Handshake is for
1Core Capabilitie
- Student profile builder with academic and experience section
- Internship search filter panel (by major, location, industry, deadline)
- Direct application submission portal for listed opportunitie
- Employer profile pages with company overview and open role
- University career services dashboard for opportunity approval
2Specialized Workflow
- Virtual career fair registration and attendance platform
- On-campus interview scheduling module for recruiter
- Applicant messaging interface for direct student-recruiter communication
- Event management and promotion tools for university career center
- Resume and cover letter upload and management system
Who it helps
Useful ways to use Handshake
A practical path
Log in and Access Job Listing
Access via your university's portal or direct login page. Once authenticated, navigate to the 'Jobs' section from the main dashboard to view available opportunitie
External signals
Reviews & reputation
Aggregated review score
Highly regarded by university career services for its robust integration and by students for its comprehensive internship listings. Employers value its targeted recruitment capabilities for early talent. Some users note occasional UI complexities or a learning curve for advanced features.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
1What are the costs for employers to post internships on Handshake?⌄
Employer accounts for posting internships are typically free for university partners, allowing access to students at their affiliated institutions. Premium features, such as enhanced branding, advanced candidate sourcing tools, or broader access to non-partner university students, are available through paid subscription tiers. Specifics depend on the employer's partnership agreement with Handshake.
2How does Handshake integrate with university systems and student data?⌄
Handshake integrates directly with university student information systems (SIS) and career services platforms. This allows for single sign-on (SSO) for students, streamlined data synchronization for career advisors regarding student profiles and engagement, and ensures that opportunities are targeted to the relevant student populations based on their academic standing and major.
3Can students outside of Handshake's partner universities use the platform?⌄
Generally, full Handshake access, including direct university connections and exclusive job postings, is provided through a student's affiliated university. While some employers may share public links to their postings, the comprehensive suite of features and direct university support are primarily for students at Handshake's partner institutions.
4What data privacy measures are in place for student information on Handshake?⌄
Handshake adheres to FERPA guidelines and other relevant data privacy regulations to protect student information. Student profile data, application materials, and interactions are secured and only accessible to authorized university staff and employers for legitimate recruitment and career services purposes, with student consent governing data sharing.
5How does Handshake help employers target specific student demographics for internships?⌄
Employers can leverage Handshake's advanced filtering tools to target students based on specific criteria such as major, graduation year, GPA, skills, diversity attributes, and academic standing. This ensures their internship postings reach the most relevant and qualified candidate pools within their partner universities, optimizing their early talent recruitment efforts.
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