Handshake values the security of our employers and job seekers alike. We aim to instill trust in our community to use our platform with confidence, and we continuously execute policies that minimize risk to keep our users safe.
Handshake partners with SIFT and Persona to validate key employer profile data and ensure that each company on Handshake is legitimate and authorized to operate and hire employees.
Through Sift, we also gain access to a suite of fraud prevention tools, improving our ability to safeguard all activity and user interactions on our platform.
Account creation
Each user joining an existing company profile must provide their email address and phone number, and users creating a new company profile must also provide the following information:
- Company Name (doing business as)
-
Legal Company Name
- Industry
- Website
-
Address
- Enter full address or city/state/country.
- Note: Entering your full address will accelerate the verification process.
- Description
- Company size
- Government ID
Learn how to Create an Employer User Account, Join a Company, and Connect with Schools.
If you are posting personal or caretaker jobs on Handshake, refer to Posting Personal, Babysitter, Household, or Caretaker Jobs.
Verification
When you create a new company profile, a modal will appear prompting you to verify your identity. Click the black button Get started to begin.
In the section Let's get down to business, all fields will be auto-populated with the information entered in Handshake. Review the details, then click the Save and Continue button.
Note: One of the most common reasons employer verifications fail is due to incorrect or mismatched business registration information. To avoid delays, ensure you provide the correct Employer Identification Number (EIN or TIN) and the legal business name exactly as registered with the IRS.
If your company operates under a "doing business as" (DBA) name or any other variation, it will not pass verification. Only the official legal name associated with your EIN/TIN should be submitted.
In the next section, you will be prompted to select the country that issued your government ID, then choose from the available ID options.
After your ID is submitted, it will be processed. Once processed, you will receive a confirmation message that reads 'Congratulations, you're done! Thanks for verifying your identity.' Click the black button Done.
- If Persona cannot process your ID on the first attempt (e.g., due to blurriness, expiration, etc.), you will have four additional attempts.
- After the fifth attempt, no further attempts will be available, and Persona will use your final submission to verify your identity.
After submitting the requested information, your company account will begin the verification process. During this time, the following message will be displayed:
"Almost there! Verifying your company account... This should only take a moment."
This indicates that your submission is being reviewed and should be completed shortly.
Once your company profile is verified, you will receive an email notification and gain access to Handshake.
The email will read:
From: Handshake <employers@g.joinhandshake.com>
Subject: "Your company profile has been validated"
Body:
"You now have access to Handshake!
Your company profile has been validated. Log in to update your company profile, post jobs, attend or create events, and engage with students.
[Log in to Handshake] button.
Need help getting started? Here are a few helpful insights and tips that will jumpstart your recruiting efforts for early talent."
Further review required
If your company requires additional review by our Trust and Safety team, the following message will be displayed:
"Hang tight—your company requires further review.
Your job is not posted yet.
After new employer verification, your account needs further review by our Trust and Safety team. We'll email you as soon as your account is ready, usually within 1 business day. If you have additional questions, contact us."
This message indicates that your account is undergoing manual review. Access to employer features, including job posting, will be granted once the review is complete.
Account could not be verified
If your company cannot be verified, the following message will be displayed:
"Your company could not be verified, and your job was not posted.
Your company didn’t pass our verification check. Please reach out as soon as possible."
Click the Contact us button on the screen to connect with our Trust and Safety team for assistance.
You’ll also receive an email notifying you that your account couldn’t be verified, along with the next steps to take.
The email will read:
From: Handshake <handshake@notifications.joinhandshake.com>
Subject: "Contact us-your account couldn't be verified"
Body:
"Contact us-your account couldn't be verified. Looks like your company didn't pass our verification check. Please reach out Handshake as soon as possible.
[Contact us] button."
Temporary suspension
If a potential risk is detected during identity verification or other account activity, your company account may be temporarily suspended. When this occurs, the following message will be displayed:
"Your company is temporarily suspended.
Your job is not posted yet.
{Company name} account has been suspended by our Trust and Safety team for a potential violation of our Terms of Service. If you have additional questions – Contact us."
An email will also be sent to the address associated with the account, explaining the reason for the suspension and providing next steps, including a direct link to contact our Trust and Safety team.
The Trust and Safety team will review your account and verify it as appropriate. To complete the verification process, verifiable and supporting documentation may be required.
Supporting documentation or evidence may include:
- An endorsement from a university partner
- Proof of personal identity (e.g., driver’s license, passport)
- Proof of company affiliation (e.g., business license)
To verify and reestablish your account on Handshake, please contact our Trust and Safety team.
If you do not reach out, your user and/or employer account will remain suspended.
Once the review is complete and no safety concerns are identified, access will be restored and you will receive an email confirmation that your account is active.
Multi-factor authentication
To provide an additional layer of security, you may be prompted to conduct 2FA. Upon logging in, you will receive a prompt and a notification via email to proceed.
Enter the 6-digit code sent to your email in the input field to verify and access your account.
Note: the code expires in 15 minutes and can only be used once.
If the email isn't received, click the text Re-send code to send another code.
To ensure email deliverability, refer to How can I ensure deliverability for Handshake emails?.
On-campus employers
To minimize risk to our platform, on-campus employers and employer accounts created by career services users will be subject to the employer verification process, except for the identity verification process.
However, in the event that a legitimate on-campus employer account or an employer account created by a career services user is submitted for manual review, our Trust and Safety team will take action to fast track validation.
Employer activity
All activity carried out on Handshake will be continuously monitored for fraudulent activity.
Any activity found to be high-risk will alert our Trust and Safety team and your user and/or employer account will be submitted for review. Based on our review, your access may either be granted or revoked.