Getting Started with Handshake
Ready to start using Handshake? Great! The activation process takes about 5 minutes and includes a series of questions which help Handshake build its artificial intelligence so that your dashboard can be populated with tailored content.
What if you already have a profile from a different undergraduate institution than University of Notre Dame? You still need to create a profile using your nd.edu email. You can copy and paste information over from your undergraduate profile. In fact, you will want to do so, then you can leverage both your undergraduate and graduate networks.
Step 1: Activate Your Account
Using Your NetID And Password From The Link In The Invitation Email
If you don't have an invitation email, try going to this page, and search for “University of Notre Dame” from the dropdown menu to proceed. Schools are listed in alphabetical order, and only the first 25 are displayed. You will then click the blue University of Notre Dame Login button and be directed to the screen where you will complete SSO.
Log into Handshake using the same NetID and password you use to log on to your school’s website (netID example: jdomer5).
NOTE: If you’re unable to login successfully with your NetID and password, or if you're an alum, try resetting your password on Handshake (using your school email address as your NetID). For more information, refer to Log In as an Alum: Set your Handshake Password.
Additional Resources:
- If you're not receiving the confirmation email, refer to Troubleshooting Missing Confirmation Email for additional steps.
- You'll need to decide on your profile privacy level–read more about these options in Profile Privacy Options in Handshake.
Step 2: Update Your Profile
After you activate your account, take a few minutes to update your profile, including:
- Past work experience (internships, campus jobs, etc.)
- Extracurricular (clubs, organizations, etc.)
- Skills and career interests
Or if you have already uploaded a resume, you can use it to fill in your profile — refer to Build Profile from Resume for more information.
If you choose Employers or Community privacy level, keep in mind the more information you add to your profile, the easier it will be for employers to find you and make more thorough decisions about whether or not you might be a good fit for their job opportunities!
For more information on filling out your profile, refer to How to Drive Profile Completion.
NOTE: Check to be sure all preloaded information is correct, especially your School Year (Masters) Program (i.e. Master of Science in Management... All program names begin with “Master of”). If you find any errors, contact Mendoza Graduate Programs Career Development to correct it.
Step 3: Upload a Resume Reviewed by Your Career Coach
Unless you have accepted a full time offer, you'll want to have a public resume available in Handshake for employers to see, refer to How to Upload a New Document.
Step 4: Explore Handshake
Use your homepage, the top menu bar, and filters to look for companies, events, and jobs you're interested in learning more about or applying to. Learn more about resources on your homepage in An Overview of Student and Alumni Accounts in Handshake.
Remember, you can always save your searches in Handshake, so finding relevant employers and jobs will be easy.
Additional Resources:
Step 5: Follow Employers & Favorite Events
When you “follow” an employer or a job, you can begin filtering based on companies you follow. You'll also receive alerts when a job application window is closing or when an employer is attending an event or fair at your school. You can also “favorite” an event (for instance the Fall or Spring Semester Career Fair), by clicking the Favorite button in the upper right-hand corner. Learn more about this best practice in Following an Employer in Handshake.
Once you've taken these five steps, you'll be on your way to using Handshake to help you efficiently and effectively launch your career!