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      Handshake

      Engaged Employer

      Handshake reviews

      3.1

      43% would recommend to a friend

      (290 total reviews)

      Garrett Lord

      44% approve of CEO

      37% positive business outlook

      Ratings by category

      3.2

      Diversity & inclusion

      3.2

      Compensation and benefits

      3.1

      Work/Life balance

      2.8

      Career opportunities

      2.6

      Culture & values

      2.4

      Senior management

      Handshake has an employee rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars, based on 290 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Handshake employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Education industry (3.7 stars).

      Ratings by demographic groups

      Reviews by job title

      290 reviews
      5.0
      Nov 27, 2023

      Solid mission and lots of opportunity

      Anonymous employee
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      Early career recruiting is one of very few marketplaces where everyone is aligned on good outcomes. Access to opportunity is a social justice issue AND efficient talent allocation is worth a lot of money. It's exciting to work on a problem where doing the right thing and doing what's right for the business feel pretty well aligned. Usually you have to choose between stability and impact when thinking about the stage of a company's growth. Handshake is at this very exciting moment where we're building on top of a stable business that has seen very healthy growth, but it's also at an inflection point where the things that got us here aren't the same things that are going to help us succeed at the next level. That means that there's an unusual amount of opportunity to make a big impact for this stage of company.

      Cons

      There's been a lot of changes this year, which has been particularly tough on some of the people who have been at the company for a long time and were settled into their way of doing things.

      avatar
      Handshake Response
      2y
      Thanks for sharing your experience and insight! We’re so proud to be able to impact the lives of the job seekers on Handshake. We agree that Handshake is at something of an inflection point – it’s been a phenomenal journey since we started the company in 2014, and there’s still so much we want to accomplish. In looking toward the future, we’ve chosen to make some changes this year that we feel will better position us for success down the road. We know that change is not always easy, and while we may have room for improvement in how we communicate some decisions we make at the leadership level, we remain confident in the direction of the company and in the team we have in place to help us get there. Lastly, we’re thrilled to hear that you want more special events and programming in the office! We loved the cultural connections that our offices provided pre-pandemic, and are constantly looking for opportunities to do more in-person to build and rebuild these connections between our employees. Stay tuned!
      3.0
      Nov 15, 2023

      Lukewarm Experience

      Technical lead
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      - The mission: helping students find meaningful careers

      Cons

      - Lack of focus on what students actually want - Too many MBAs

      1.0
      Nov 15, 2023

      Sad and disappointed to uncover a truly toxic culture

      Marketing
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      I've met some of the smartest, most wonderful people through Handshake. It’s such a shame they’ve been systematically pushed out or live in fear of being fired if they don't blindly play leadership’s political games. Once my favorite job due to the fair pay, decent benefits, great flexibility, and coworkers who became friends, Handshake doesn’t feel like a place where I can sustainably continue my career.

      Cons

      As others have stated, the CEO makes impulsive decisions, and senior leadership follows suit. During my year and a half here, I’ve seen 4 C-suite execs pushed out and have watched the only VPs I’ve respected resign because they can’t take the toxicity anymore. Those who have stayed take the same dictatorial approach that the CEO does (I have more authority than you, so just do as I say). The only way to progress is to play the political game, which in many cases means undermining others and taking sole credit for work that was a team effort. Those of us who find this behavior morally repulsive are left with few prospects, and anyone who pushes back expects that their job is likely on the line. The company isn’t doing well due to mismanagement so layoffs continue to be on the table. Unsurprisingly, the naysayers always manage to make the list. If the mission of this company resonates with you, I can almost guarantee the culture will not. They’re in direct conflict.

      avatar
      Handshake Response
      2y
      Thank you for sharing your candid thoughts about your experience. There have been multiple changes in the C-suite and the extended leadership team, as you noted, which we feel are in service of aligning our leadership with the future goals of the company. Our leadership team meetings are spaces of lively conversation, where everyone can comfortably and safely push back against ideas with which they disagree (including those of the CEO). Moreover, we strive to engage all Handshake employees – whether C-suite, VP, front-line manager, or IC – in active conversations about their work, but in the interest of efficiency and speed, this cannot always take place. We hate to hear that you feel that individuals’ work is undermined or that people are not getting credit for their work, and we hope that you and others report these issues through the appropriate internal channels so we can investigate accordingly. All employees at Handshake are held to the Company Principles, and we certainly expect VPs and other high-level leadership to “Set the pace and tone” and “Own the impact”. Again, we very much appreciate your feedback and take your concerns seriously.
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      Glassdoor has 463 Handshake reviews submitted anonymously by Handshake employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Handshake is right for you.