On Handshake, every school connection request and job posting has a status that reflects where your company stands in the school’s approval process.
Knowing your connection status helps you understand what actions you can take with each school and when to follow up.
View your connection status
You can view your connection status with each school in Handshake.
1. Click Schools from the left navigation bar.
2. At the top of the page, click the white Filters button at the top of the page.
In the Status section of the filters panel, check one or more boxes:
Approved
Pending
Not connected
Declined
3. The table will update to display schools that match your selected statuses.
Connection status types
Approved
The school has approved your connection. You can now post jobs, request interviews, and engage with students.
To review the permissions granted by the school, refer to Checking Your Permissions with a School.
Pending
The school has received your request but has not yet made a decision. Most schools review employer and job requests within 1–5 business days, though timelines can vary. If your request remains pending after several business days, consider reaching out to the school’s Career Services department for an update.
While your status is pending, you will not be able to:
Message students at that school
Post events
Request interview schedules
Not Connected
You have not yet requested to connect or post a job to this school.
To request approval, refer to How Can I Get Approved By Schools?.
Declined
The school chose not to approve your request. If you’d like more information, contact the school’s Career Services department directly.
Additional resources
To find a school’s contact information, refer to How to Contact a School.