On Handshake, you can connect with institutions either by posting a job or by requesting to join their network directly.
Understanding institution approvals
Each institution partnered with Handshake manages its own approval process for employers and job postings. Approval criteria vary by institution, and decisions are made based on their individual recruiting policies.
To connect with institutions and begin recruiting activities, you can:
-
Post a job to the institutions you'd like to recruit from.
- Learn How to Post a job.
- Request to join their network if you don't have a job to post yet.
Your request(s) will remain in a pending state until each institution decides whether to approve or decline your company or job. Learn more about About "Pending" Status at an Institution and How to Check This Status.
What happens after approval
Once your company is approved by an institution, they may grant your employer account additional permissions, such as the ability to:
Post events
Post interview-schedules
Note: You can search for and register for a career fair without being connected to an institution or posting a job.
Checking your approval status
Depending on your notification preferences, you may receive an in-app notification when an institution approves your employer account.
To set or adjust your notification preferences, refer to Default Notification Preferences (Employers).
Note: Handshake does not send email notifications when an institution approves your employer account. You can check your approvals directly on the platform.
To check approvals via in-app notifications:
1. Click the globe icon in the upper-right corner of any page in Handshake.
2. In the Category section on the left, select Institutions.
3. Any recent institution approvals will appear as individual notification cards in the main panel.
Each card includes the institution name and confirmation that you’re now approved to post jobs, events, and more.
To view the notifications received when you are declined, refer to Declined by an Institution.
Pro-tips
- To make your job posting more appealing to students, include key details like:
- A clear job description
- Salary and location
- Perks and benefits
- To increase the likelihood of approval from institutions, Create a High Quality Employer Profile.