Handshake provides three profile privacy options for student accounts: Community, Employers, and Private.
If your institution is partnered with Handshake and created you an account on your behalf, the account privacy is automatically set to Private, meaning it is not visible to any employers or peers.
If you have created your own account, or when you activate an account created for you, you have the option to update your privacy settings and choose if you want to make it public when you first log in.
To learn more about public profiles on Handshake, check out How to Make Your Handshake Profile Public and Share Your Profile Link.
To change your privacy settings in Handshake, check out How to Change Your Student Profile Privacy Setting.
Topics:
What does each profile privacy option allow me to do?
Most features on Handshake—such as applying to jobs, registering for in-person events or career fairs, and scheduling appointments—are available regardless of your profile visibility settings.
However, some features require selecting either the Employers or Community visibility option. These include participating in virtual 1:1 or group session, attending virtual events, posting on the feed and connecting with peers through campus profiles and messaging.
If you choose Community or Employers, we recommend completing your profile to get the most out of your experience. A well-filled-out profile supports more meaningful and relevant interactions!
Community
The Community option is the most comprehensive privacy setting in Handshake, providing access to all available features and interactions. If you select this option, you won’t be prompted to change your privacy settings when taking any action on the platform.
With the Community option enabled, you can:
Post to the feed
Message students and alumni
Receive messages from employers about job opportunities
Browse jobs and other resources from Handshake and your institution
Make your profile visible to employers, students, and alumni across all Handshake institutions
Share a public link to your profile so others can view it outside of the platform
Virtual Events & Fairs
Virtual events and group session within virtual fairs require the Community setting, since they involve interaction with both employers and other students.
These events are designed to mirror the in-person experience, with features such as participant lists, chat functionality, and visible speakers (either employer hosts or students using video/audio).
If your profile is already set to Community, you can register for virtual events and fairs without any additional changes. However, if your privacy setting is set to Employers or Private, you'll be prompted to update it to Community before signing up for a virtual event or group session.
Employers
With the Employers option enabled:
You can't post to the feed
You cannot message students or alumni
You can receive messages from potential employers about job opportunities
You can browse jobs and other resources from Handshake and your institution
Your profile is visible to employers only
If you prefer not to have your profile visible to other students or alumni, the Employers privacy setting is a good choice. This option allows employers to discover your profile, message you, and invite you to apply for jobs.
Virtual Events & Fairs
You can register for virtual events hosted outside of Handshake (e.g., on Zoom or another platform). You can also sign up for 1:1 session with employers during virtual fairs hosted in Handshake (one recruiter and one student)
However, if you'd like to attend group session or register for virtual events hosted within Handshake, you’ll be prompted to switch your privacy setting to Community to proceed.
Private
With the Private option enabled:
- You can't post to the feed
- You cannot message students and alumni
- You cannot receive messages about job opportunities from potential employers
- You can browse jobs and other resources from Handshake or your institution
- Your profile will not be visible to the employers you apply for jobs to
If you choose to keep your profile Private, you can search for and apply for jobs, register for in-person events and fairs, and explore career paths. If your institution is partnered with Handshake, you can interact with your Career Centre via appointments, experiences, surveys, First Destination Surveys, and institution posted resources.
Prompts to Update Your Privacy Setting in Handshake
During onboarding: As part of the onboarding process, you’ll be prompted to select your profile visibility setting. Each privacy option is explained in detail, so you can make an informed choice about how your profile is shared on Handshake
Virtual fair session signup: When signing up for a virtual fair session that requires a privacy setting change, Handshake will prompt you to update your visibility.
The message will read:"In order to participate in a virtual career fair on Handshake, you will need to change your visibility."
The prompt will show your current profile visibility and outline the required setting based on the type of session:
Community – Required to participate in group session
Employers – Required to participate in 1-on-1 session with employers
This ensures you're set up to fully engage in the virtual fair experience.
Virtual event registration prompt: When registering for a virtual event in Handshake, you may be prompted to update your profile visibility depending on how the event is hosted:
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Events hosted outside of Handshake (e.g., via Zoom):
The minimum required privacy setting is Employers.If your profile is set to Private, you’ll be prompted to update it.
If you’re already set to Employers or Community, you can register as usual.
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Events hosted within Handshake (using Handshake’s video platform):
The required privacy setting is Community.If your profile is set to Private or Employers, you’ll be prompted to update it.
If you're already set to Community, you can register without making changes.
The prompt you'll receive includes the following message: "In order to participate in a virtual event on Handshake, you will need to change your visibility."
It will also display your current privacy setting along with the required option and its purpose:
Community – Required for virtual session hosted on Handshake
Employers – Required for virtual session hosted externally with employer participation