SHORTList
Handshake logo
EdTech
HR/Talent
Social/Community

Handshake

Connecting students with career opportunities

San Francisco· 41 rolesIndia· 9 rolesSeattle· 7 roles

CORE INFO

$510.5M
Total Funding
Series D+
Round
2014
Founded
1000+
Team Size
San Francisco, California, United States
Headquarters

Handshake is a career network platform that connects students and recent graduates with employers, facilitating job discovery and recruitment through a three-sided marketplace involving students, educational institutions, and employers.

  • Series F funding round raised $200 million, led by Coatue Management, valuing Handshake at approximately $3.5 billion.sacra.com
  • Handshake collaborates with over 1,600 educational institutions and 1 million employers, including all Fortune 500 companies.linkedin.com

WHY WE WOULD WORK AT HANDSHAKE

Empowering Career Access

Join a mission-driven team dedicated to democratizing access to career opportunities for every college student, regardless of their background.

Collaborative Culture

Work alongside over 1,000 passionate individuals in a supportive environment that values diversity and innovation.

Rapid Growth Potential

Be part of a fast-growing company valued at approximately $3.5 billion, with significant funding to fuel your career development.

Impactful Partnerships

Collaborate with over 1,600 educational institutions and 1 million employers, including all Fortune 500 companies, to shape the future of job recruitment.

Competitive Compensation

Enjoy attractive compensation packages and benefits that reflect the value of your contributions to a leading career network platform.

Innovative Technology

Engage with cutting-edge technology that powers a three-sided marketplace, enhancing job discovery and recruitment for students and employers alike.

MARKET AND TRACTION

GROWTH TACTICS

  • Handshake has expanded its platform by acquiring Talentspace, a European recruiting platform, to enhance its global reach.

  • The company collaborates with over 1,600 educational institutions and 1 million employers, including all Fortune 500 companies, to facilitate job discovery for students.

  • Handshake focuses on democratizing access to career opportunities, ensuring that students from diverse backgrounds can connect with potential employers.

    • KEY METRICS

    ✦ KEY METRIC
  • Handshake has raised a total of approximately $510.5 million in funding over multiple rounds, with its latest Series F round securing $200 million in January 2022.

  • The company is valued at approximately $3.5 billion as of its latest funding round.

  • As of 2022, Handshake employs over 1,000 individuals, reflecting significant growth since its founding in 2014.

    • NOTABLE CUSTOMERS

  • Handshake partners with over 1 million employers, which includes all Fortune 500 companies, providing students with access to a wide range of job opportunities.

  • The platform serves students and recent graduates from more than 1,600 educational institutions, enhancing its credibility and reach in the education sector.

    • MARKET POSITION

  • Handshake operates as a three-sided marketplace, connecting students, educational institutions, and employers, which differentiates it from traditional job boards.

  • The company's mission to democratize access to career opportunities positions it as a leader in the career networking space, particularly for students from diverse backgrounds.

    • TOTAL ADDRESSABLE MARKET

  • Handshake targets the education and employment sectors, focusing on the growing need for effective recruitment solutions for students and recent graduates.

  • With millions of students and alumni across its partnered institutions, Handshake addresses a significant market of young job seekers looking for career opportunities.

    • PRODUCT AND TECH

    Career Network Platform

    Handshake's core offering is a career network platform that connects students and recent graduates with employers, facilitating job discovery and recruitment opportunities.

    Three-Sided Marketplace

    The platform operates as a three-sided marketplace involving students, educational institutions, and employers, aiming to democratize access to career opportunities for all students.

    Collaboration with Institutions

    Handshake collaborates with over 1,600 educational institutions, enhancing the job search experience for students by providing tailored opportunities based on their educational backgrounds.

    Employer Partnerships

    With partnerships involving over 1 million employers, including all Fortune 500 companies, Handshake ensures a wide range of job opportunities for students, regardless of their background.

    Upskilling Opportunities

    The platform also facilitates upskilling opportunities, helping students enhance their skills and improve their employability in a competitive job market.

    COMPANY CULTURE

    Values

  • Democratizing access to career opportunities

  • Empowering students and recent graduates

  • Fostering inclusivity and diversity in hiring

  • Building strong partnerships with educational institutions and employers

  • Commitment to innovation in career networking

    • Operating Principles

  • Focus on user-centric design for the platform

  • Collaboration across teams to enhance service offerings

  • Data-driven decision making to improve user experience

  • Continuous feedback loops with users to refine features

  • Transparency in communication and operations

    • Benefits

  • Opportunities for professional development and upskilling

  • Access to a vast network of employers and job opportunities

  • Supportive work environment that values employee input

  • Competitive compensation and benefits packages

  • Flexible work arrangements to promote work-life balance

    • Learning & Growth

  • Emphasis on continuous learning and skill enhancement

  • Regular training sessions and workshops for employees

  • Mentorship programs connecting employees with industry leaders

  • Encouragement of innovative thinking and problem-solving

  • Opportunities for career advancement within the company

    • Team Cadence

  • Regular team meetings to align on goals and projects

  • Open forums for sharing ideas and feedback

  • Collaborative projects that involve cross-functional teams

  • Celebrating team successes and milestones together

  • Encouraging a culture of recognition and appreciation

    • COMPENSATION SNAPSHOT

    B
    Comp score vs cohort
    vs. EdTech · Series D+ · US
    Based on publicly available compensation ranges from job postings; exact compensation may vary.
    Datan = 4
    $81K – $157Kmedian $119K
    Seattle
    Designn = 3
    $225K – $250Kmedian $238K
    Los Angeles / Bay Area
    Engineering IC4n = 12
    $208K – $260Kmedian $234K
    Los Angeles / Bay Area
    G&An = 3
    $225K – $250Kmedian $238K
    Los Angeles / Bay Area
    Operationsn = 8
    $146K – $168Kmedian $157K
    Los Angeles / Bay Area
    Sales ICn = 6
    $172K – $200Kmedian $186K
    Los Angeles / Bay Area
    US-only in v1 · only categories with n > 2 shown · in-person / hybrid / remote treated separately where n ≥ 3

    HIRING SIGNAL

    70
    Open roles on their careers page
    Snapshot via live ATS poll
    —
    Net new roles in the last 90 days
    Available once weekly history accrues
    90-Day VelocityV2 · BACKFILL
    Trend builds weekly as historical rows accrue
    By Function
    Breakdown of open roles
    Data · 1
    Other · 32
    GTM · 11
    Design · 7
    G&A · 1
    Support · 1
    Marketing · 2
    Operations · 3
    Engineering · 12
    Top Locations
    Where hiring is concentrated
    Remote-eligible postings counted separately
    San Francisco, CA
    41
    India
    9
    Seattle, WA
    7
    New York, NY
    6
    Remote (USA)
    4
    Nashville, TN
    2
    Sofia, Bulgaria
    1
    SourcesGreenhouseLeverAshbyWorkableSmartRecruitersRipplingRecruiteeFallback · Wellfound, YC Work-at-a-Startup, careers-page scrape

    KEY COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENTS

    Filter
    7 announcements · ranked by importance
    Jan 19, 2022FUNDINGNo Network Required: Handshake Raises $200M to Help Gen Z Launch Careersprnewswire.com
    Jul 21, 2026INTERVIEW$0 → $1B in a year: The remarkable story of Handshake’s refoundingaudacious.co
    Dec 6, 2022FOUNDER PROFILEHandshake’s Journey to the White House and Beyondtrueventures.com
    Aug 29, 2025INTERVIEWGarrett Lord on Building Handshake and Shaping the Future of Careers with AIkleinerperkins.com
    Jun 12, 2025PRODUCTHandshake AIjoinhandshake.com
    Jan 1, 2026EXEC HIREMeet three leaders joining Handshake | Handshakejoinhandshake.com
    May 2, 2022INTERVIEWCo-Founder & CEO Handshake, Garrett Lord: The Billion-Dollar Question That Changed College Recruitinglistennotes.com