How to Delete Your Handshake Account Permanently

Understanding Handshake and Why You Might Want to Delete Your Account

Handshake is a job search platform designed primarily for college students and recent graduates. The platform was founded in 2014 and has grown to connect millions of students with employers across various industries. According to Handshake's own data, over 4 million students use the platform, and employers post hundreds of thousands of job listings annually. The service allows users to create profiles, browse job postings, attend virtual career fairs, and communicate with recruiters.

Many students create Handshake accounts because colleges and universities recommend or require the platform as part of their career services offerings. Your school may have partnered with Handshake to provide students with centralized access to job opportunities and internships. Once you create an account, the platform collects information about your educational background, work experience, skills, and career interests.

There are several reasons why someone might want to delete their Handshake account entirely. You may have graduated and no longer need the service. You might be concerned about the personal data stored on the platform, including your resume, contact information, and employment history. Some users want to delete accounts because they've accepted a job and no longer search for employment. Others prefer to use different job search platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, or Glassdoor. Privacy concerns have also driven some users to remove their information from third-party platforms.

Before deleting your account, understand that this action is typically permanent. Once deleted, you generally cannot recover your profile information, messages, or application history through Handshake. If you think you might need the account in the future, you could instead consider deactivating it or adjusting your privacy settings to limit visibility rather than deleting it entirely.

Practical Takeaway: Make a record of any important information from your Handshake profile before deletion, such as job listings you were interested in, recruiter contact information, or details about interviews you had scheduled.

Steps to Access Your Account Settings and Deletion Options

To begin the deletion process, you'll need to log into your Handshake account from your web browser. Visit the Handshake website and enter the email address and password associated with your account. If you've forgotten your password, click the "Forgot Password" link and follow the recovery process through your email. Once logged in, you'll have access to your account dashboard, which displays your profile information, saved jobs, and messages.

After logging in, locate the account settings area. This is typically found by clicking on your profile icon or avatar, usually positioned in the upper right corner of the screen. A dropdown menu will appear with several options. Look for settings options that might be labeled "Account Settings," "Profile Settings," or "Preferences." Click on this option to proceed to your settings page.

Within the account settings area, you should look for privacy and data management options. Handshake may organize these under sections like "Privacy," "Data," or "Account Management." Take time to review what information the platform has stored about you. Your account settings page typically displays your personal information, educational background, work experience, and any documents you've uploaded like resumes or cover letters.

Some Handshake accounts are connected to institutional accounts through your college or university. If your school created your Handshake account or manages it through their career services office, you may have limited deletion options through the standard user interface. In such cases, you may need to contact your school's career services department directly to request account deletion.

If you're having trouble navigating to account settings, check whether you're accessing Handshake through the main website or through your school's portal. Some universities provide access to Handshake through their student portal, which might have a different interface. In these cases, you may need to access deletion options through your school's system rather than directly through Handshake's website.

Practical Takeaway: Screenshot or export your account settings page before making changes so you have a record of what information was stored about you on the platform.

Locating and Initiating the Account Deletion Process

Once you're in your account settings, look for options related to account deletion, deactivation, or data removal. Handshake typically provides clear language for this process. You might see button labels such as "Delete Account," "Close Account," "Deactivate Account," or "Remove My Data." The exact wording may vary depending on when Handshake last updated its interface.

Handshake distinguishes between account deactivation and account deletion. Deactivation typically hides your profile from view but may preserve your account data on their servers. Deletion removes your account and, in theory, your associated data from their systems. If you want complete removal, you should select the deletion option rather than deactivation. However, understand that deactivation is often reversible, while deletion typically is not.

When you click on the deletion option, Handshake will usually present you with a confirmation screen. This screen serves as a final warning about the consequences of deletion. Read this information carefully. It will typically state that deleting your account will remove your profile from view, prevent you from accessing job listings, delete your saved jobs and applications, and remove your ability to communicate with recruiters through the platform.

The confirmation page may also ask why you're deleting your account. Handshake sometimes includes a brief survey or feedback form asking users to indicate their reason for leaving. Completing this information is optional, and you can usually proceed without selecting a reason. However, providing feedback helps Handshake understand user concerns and may contribute to future improvements in their service.

After confirming your intent to delete, Handshake will typically send you a confirmation email to the address associated with your account. This email serves as an additional safeguard against accidental deletion. You may need to click a link in this email to verify that you truly want to delete the account. Check your inbox and spam folder for this confirmation message, as it's an important step in completing the deletion process.

Practical Takeaway: Before clicking any delete button, write down any outstanding application deadlines, recruiter contact information, or job listings you were interested in, since you'll lose access to these after deletion.

What Happens to Your Data After Deletion

Understanding what happens to your information after account deletion is important for making an informed decision. When you delete your Handshake account, the platform removes your profile from public view. This means recruiters can no longer search for you or view your profile information. Your saved job listings, application history, and messages within Handshake become inaccessible to you.

However, deletion doesn't necessarily mean Handshake immediately erases all data from their servers. Like most technology platforms, Handshake likely maintains backup copies of user data for business continuity and legal purposes. The platform may retain certain information for a period of time to comply with legal requirements or their own data retention policies. This backup data typically cannot be accessed through normal means and isn't visible to you or other users.

Your personal information that you provided—such as your name, email address, educational history, and work experience—should be removed from active systems. However, Handshake may retain metadata about your account, such as the fact that an account existed and when it was deleted. This information helps companies maintain accurate records and comply with legal requirements.

If you're concerned about your data privacy, consider that your information was already shared with companies and recruiters who viewed your profile before deletion. Those organizations may have independently saved your resume or contact information. Deleting your Handshake account doesn't remove your information from other companies' systems or from other job boards where you might have also posted your information.

For additional information about Handshake's data practices, you can review their privacy policy on their website. This document explains how they collect, use, and store information. Some users choose to send a formal data deletion request to Handshake through email to create a documented record of their deletion request. You can typically find contact information for privacy or data requests on their website or in their privacy policy documentation.

Practical Takeaway: Keep a screenshot or PDF copy of your deletion confirmation email, as this serves as documentation that you requested your account removal on a specific date.

Special Considerations for School-Affiliated Accounts

If your Handshake account was created through your college or university, the deletion process may differ from a standard personal account. Many educational institutions partner with Handshake to provide career services to their students. When