Messaging Employers in Handshake

There are several benefits to messaging employers in Handshake! For instance — those that have made themselves available can: 

• suggest jobs that may be a good fit for you 
• schedule time to meet virtually by sending their availability calendar 
  • for additional information, refer to Virtual Chats with Employers
• include upcoming employer-hosted events or meetings

If you'd like to know more about which employers can initiate messages to students, or how employers identify students to connect with, check out Receiving Employer Messages in Handshake.

If you would like to contact an employer whom you've never had an interaction with, you can message them via:

• an active job posting
• the company profile page 
• a message attachment*

Active job posting 

If an employer has made themselves available to receive messages, you'll have the option to message the user directly from the job posting.  

Click the blue button Send a message, located below the red button Apply, to ask about a particular role, company culture, or how to succeed in the application process. 

A pre-written message will be displayed in the text box of the pop-up that states "I came across this job: [JOB TITLE - LINK TO JOB]".

Start typing your message in the text box after the pre-written message, or delete it and start from a blank slate. Once the message is complete, click the blue button Send message to send! 

A confirmation pop-up will let you know that your message was sent. To review your message thread, go to your Handshake Inbox - for more information on accessing your messages, refer to How to Use Messages in Handshake. 

For step-by step instructions on how to apply for a job, check out Apply for a Job in Handshake.

Company Profile

Note: if nobody has made themselves available to receive messages, the section will state "No public staff."

Click on the name of the user you want to message, or click the blue button View All Public Staff for a full list of users associated with the company. 

Once selected, you'll have access to the employer's user profile. Click the button Send message located within the banner at the top of the page, or below their name and job title.

 

Start typing your message in the text box within the pop-up, then click the button Send message once ready! 

 

Message attachment*

Some employers may choose to attach a team member they recommend you connect with — this could be someone you've not yet interacted with from the company. If this happens, the employer will send you a message with the team member's profile attached. 

Click Send Message below their name and job title in the message thread to start a conversation with the recommended team member. This will create a new message thread with that person.

 

 

Handshake's top priority is keeping students safe on the platform. When messages are exchanged in Handshake, you have the option to report employer messages that violate our guidelines.

Reporting a message allows our Trust and Safety team to proactively review the issue and act if needed. This safety measure is lost if messages are sent outside of Handshake, so we recommend using our messaging feature to build new relationships!

To report a message:

1. Click the three dots menu in the upper-right corner of the messaging window, then click Report Message.

2. Click the radio button to the left of the reason you are reporting the message: 

• This employer appears to be fake or fraudulent 
  • if selected, please describe the situation by typing in the provided text box. 
• This employer is spamming me

3. Click the blue button Submit to send your report to our Trust and Safety team for review. 

Reporting a message will stop the other person from messaging you. The conversation will then be reviewed and moderated by Handshake. Your school may also be looped in if appropriate.