Below are common reasons you may have trouble logging into Handshake, and what to do in each case.
1. You may not have an account
If you receive the error message:
“Hmmm... Looks like there is no account on file for EMAIL.”
it means there's no account associated with your email.
If you are a career services staff member and need a Handshake account:
- Contact a colleague or supervisor who already has a career services Handshake account.
- Ask them to create a staff account for you using your work email address.
Note: The staff member must have the appropriate permissions to create staff accounts. For more information about required permissions and how to set up staff accounts, refer to School Settings: Career Services Staff Roles and Permissions.
2. You may have entered the wrong email address
If you receive the error message:
“Hmmm... Looks like there is no account on file for EMAIL.”
it can also appear if the email you entered does not match the email on your existing Handshake account.
Common reasons:
- Your Handshake account is associated with a different email address (for example, if you have multiple work emails).
- Your organization uses email aliases, and you are entering an alias instead of the primary email. Handshake treats aliases as separate email addresses.
- Your email address was misspelled when the account was created.
To troubleshoot:
- Try logging in again using the exact email address used when your account was created.
- If you are not sure which email was used, try any other work emails you have.
- If none of your emails work, ask your career services Handshake admin to confirm which email is on your account.
3. You may need to clear your browser cache
If you have logged into Handshake before but now cannot log in, even though you are sure you are entering the correct email and password:
- Your browser’s cache or stored data may be causing issues.
To try resolving this:
- Clear your browser’s cache and cookies.
- Close all browser windows.
- Open a new window and try logging into Handshake again.
- If possible, also try a different browser (for example, Chrome, Firefox, or Edge).
4. You may have entered the wrong password
If you receive the error message:
“You entered an invalid password. Don’t have an account yet?”
either:
- The password you entered is incorrect, or
- There is no Handshake account associated with the email you used.
To reset your password:
- On the login page, select Reset Password?
- Enter your email address and click Reset Password.
- You'll be prompted with a message:
> “Almost there! Please check your email to set your password.” - Check your inbox for an email from handshake@m.joinhandshake.com.
- Open the email and click Reset My Password.
- You will be taken back to Handshake. Enter and confirm your new password, then click Reset.
- After the reset is successful, log in with your new password.
Important notes:
- If you do not have an account with the email address you entered, you will not be able to complete the reset flow. In that case, refer back to the “You may not have an account” section above.
- If you do not receive the reset email, confirm that you entered the correct email and check your spam or junk folder.
5. Your account may be deactivated
If your account is deactivated, you will receive the message:
“Account Deactivated. If you would like your account reactivated, please contact Handshake Support.”
In this case: Someone at your school or organization has deactivated your account. To reactivate your account, reach out to your school's admin and let them know you'd like your account active again.
6. You may be experiencing SSO login issues
If your school or organization uses SSO (single sign-on ) and you receive a specific SSO error message when trying to log in:
- Refer to the SSO troubleshooting article: SSO Setup Guides: Login Error Codes by SSO Type
- Follow the steps listed for the error you are receiving.
If you still cannot access your account after following these steps, reach out for further assistance.