Handshake AI
Handshake is a career network connecting students, recent graduates, employers, and educational institutions through jobs, internships, networking, career events, and recruiting tools.
Visit website ↗What is Handshake AI?
Handshake is a career and recruiting platform focused on students, recent graduates, and early-career professionals. It connects job seekers with employers while also working with universities and career centers to help students discover jobs, internships, career events, networking opportunities, and professional resources.
For students and job seekers, Handshake provides personalized job recommendations based on their profile, interests, location, and career goals. Users can search for jobs and internships, connect with employers and other professionals, attend career fairs and networking events, and access career advice and content.
For employers, Handshake provides a recruiting platform for finding and engaging early-career talent. Companies can post jobs, search for candidates using filters such as major, location, graduation year and skills, message potential candidates, promote opportunities, and manage recruiting activities from one platform.
Handshake also works with universities and career centers, allowing educational institutions to connect their students with employers, career opportunities and events while tracking engagement and career outcomes. Its AI-powered features can personalize job recommendations and provide job-specific profile and resume guidance, while Handshake states that its AI does not make hiring decisions on behalf of employers.
Key features
- Job and internship search: Handshake helps students discover personalized job and internship opportunities based on their profile, interests, location, and career goals.
- Employer recruiting: Employers can post jobs, search for candidates, and communicate directly with students and early-career professionals.
- Career events: Students can discover and participate in virtual and in-person career fairs, networking events, and career workshops.
- AI-powered recommendations: Handshake uses AI to rank job opportunities and content based on a student's profile and activity.
- University connections: Career centers can use Handshake to connect students with employers and manage career programs and outcomes.
- Employer analytics: Paid employer plans provide tools for measuring recruiting activity and performance across the hiring funnel.
How you can use it
Handshake can be used by students to find internships and jobs, discover career events, build professional connections, and receive career guidance.
Employers can use it to recruit early-career talent, promote jobs, connect with candidates, and manage campus recruiting. Universities and career centers can use it to facilitate employer connections, career events, student engagement, and career development.
Plans & pricing
Handshake has different pricing depending on whether it is being used by an employer, student, or educational institution. Student access is generally provided through participating institutions, while employers can use a free Basic plan or paid recruiting plans.
The strengths & trade-offs
Pros
- Handshake combines job searching, networking, career events, and employer connections in one platform.
- Its focus on students and early-career professionals makes it particularly useful for internships and entry-level opportunities.
- Students receive personalized job recommendations based on their profiles and interests.
- Employers can post jobs for free and upgrade when they need advanced recruiting capabilities.
- Universities can connect their students directly with employers through the platform.
Cons
- The platform is primarily focused on students, recent graduates, and early-career talent.
- Some employer recruiting features require a paid plan.
- Student access and available opportunities can depend on participating educational institutions.
- The platform is particularly US-focused, which can limit its usefulness for users seeking opportunities in other markets.
Frequently asked questions
What is Handshake?
Handshake is a career network that connects students, job seekers, employers, and educational institutions through jobs, internships, networking, and career opportunities.
Is Handshake free for students?
Students can use Handshake to search for jobs, internships, events, and networking opportunities, with access typically provided through participating educational institutions.
Is Handshake free for employers?
Yes. Employers can use the Basic plan for free to post jobs and start receiving applicants.
How much does Handshake cost for employers?
Handshake's Pro employer plan costs $450 per month or $4,500 per year, while Enterprise pricing is customized.
Can I find internships on Handshake?
Yes. Handshake provides students and recent graduates with access to internships and other early-career opportunities.
Does Handshake use AI?
Yes. Handshake uses AI for features such as personalized job recommendations, content ranking, and job-specific career guidance.
Can employers message students on Handshake?
Yes. Employers can use Handshake to identify and directly message relevant candidates, with messaging limits depending on their plan.
Is Handshake only for students?
No. Handshake has expanded beyond students to include alumni and other professionals, although early-career talent remains a major focus of the platform.