Getting Started With Handshake: Employers

We've created this guide to help walk you through the process of getting started on Handshake, from signing up to posting jobs, with troubleshooting tips for each step of the way. Getting started should be a smooth process!

1. Create a user account 

You will need a user account in order to log in and use Handshake. If you've received an invite from an institution or a colleague, you can follow the link to take you to the account creation process. If you're signing up without an invite, go to https://app.joinhandshake.co.uk/employer_registrations/new to create an employer account.  You can view the details of this process, with screenshots, by checking out How to Create a User Account

Troubleshooting tips:

• If you're having difficulties receiving the confirmation email, try checking your spam and junk folders to ensure that emails are not being filtered out. Add handshake@m.joinhandshake.co.uk to your email contacts or address book, and lastly, check with your IT department and ask them to unblock Handshake or check for quarantined emails. Then, resend the confirmation email once you've taken these steps. You can resend the confirmation by logging into Handshake and using the link in Step 4 on the right side of your screen, as pictured here: 
  

2. Join your existing company on Handshake, or create a new one

You will need to be connected to your company profile on Handshake prior to taking any actions with institutions. Your company should pull up based on the domain of your email address, if it is already in Handshake. If it isn't, you should see the option to create a new company profile. You can learn more about the new company creation process here. 

Troubleshooting tips:

• Use your corporate email address if you have one. This will ensure that your company profile is shown to you if it is in Handshake, and can expedite the process of connecting to your company. Institutions also will tend to decline users with generic email addresses. 
• The goal of this step is to connect you with your company, not institutions you'd like to recruit from (that comes later). If you want to recruit from Cambridge, do not list Cambridge as your company! On-campus employers are obviously the exception to this rule. 

3. Request to connect with institutions

You must request and receive approval from an institution prior to posting jobs there. You can choose institutions during your sign-up process, and we recommend to start with only 10-20 until your company is established on Handshake. You can always select more at any time afterwards. To learn how to choose add more institutions later, check out Institution Network Management. 

Troubleshooting tips:

• Only request a select few institutions initially. This will allow you to build positive relationships with institutions while also growing your Trust Score. You can request additional institutions as you become approved at your initial institutions. More information can be found in the How Can I Increase My Trust Score?.  
• It can take up to five business days for an institution to approve your request. If you do not receive a response within that time frame, contact the Career Services department at the institution. You can find the contact information for an institution's Career Services by selecting Institutions in the left hand menu, and then clicking on the name of the institution you wish to reach.

4. Take action!

Once you've connected to one or more institutions, you will be able to post jobs, request on-campus interview schedules, manage your applicants, and more. Here are some quick links to more detailed articles on these topics:

How to Post a Job

How to Request an Interview Schedule at an Institution

Managing Interview Schedule Applicants