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For VT former students, alumni, and faculty/staff who want a Handshake student account for job search

You must use your VT PID email address to have and access a VT Handshake account.

TO FORMER STUDENTS / ALUMNI / RECENT GRADUATES:

  • YOU MUST USE YOUR VT PID EMAIL ADDRESS and password to access, request, or reactivate a Handshake student account with Virginia Tech. (See Q&A if you forgot any of these.)
  • If you attempt to access a Virginia Tech student Handshake account with a gmail address (or something else other than your VT PID email and password), your request will be rejected, and you will waste your time and delay your account access.
  • AFTER YOU GRADUATE OR CEASE TO BE ENROLLED AT VIRGINIA TECH, your Handshake student account will stay active for six months (or longer if you are active in your account).
  • AFTER SIX MONTHS PAST YOUR LAST ENROLLMENT OR GRADUATION (and with no activity by you in your account), Handshake accounts are archived (a.k.a. deactivated). You can request reactivation if you want; READ instructions below.

Questions and answers

If you have forgotten your VT username (PID) or password, or you have not set up 2-Factor Authentication, see:

After opening your account, if you need assistance using Handshake:

How to get OR reactivate a Handshake student account.
Select who you are:

You attended or graduated in 2015-2016, or more recently:

A Handshake account exists for you; you may ask that it be REACTIVATED for JOB SEARCH.
Here's how:

  • Go to VT Handshake login and enter your VT PID and password.
  • Follow instructions to ask that your account be reactivated.
  • If you do not use your correct PID email address, your request for a VT student Handshake account will be rejected.
  • Your request will be reviewed within one week.
  • Please note that CPD advising is open to alumni within two years of graduation.
  • Alumni two years past graduation are welcome to use Handshake for job search, but not to schedule advising. Please see resources for alumni.

You attended or graduated 2014-2015 or prior,
OR
You are a current VT faculty/staff member and have never attended VT as a student:

You may REQUEST a student account for JOB SEARCH.
Here's how:

  • Go to VT join Handshake.com/register.
    • When prompted for your email address, you must use your VT PID email address, as in PID@vt.edu.
    • If you do not use your correct PID email address, your request for a VT student Handshake account will be rejected.
  • Your request will be reviewed within one week.
  • Please note that CPD advising is not open to alumni who are two years past graduation; you are welcome to use Handshake for job search, but not to schedule advising. Please see resources for alumni.
  • If you have followed instructions, but are not able to access your Handshake account FOR JOB SEARCH, call us during office hours, usually M-F 8am-5pm.

Fun quiz answer:

Four times.

Not counting this explanation, and not counting the quiz question, we state on this page four times that you must use your VT PID email and password to access a Handshake VT student account.

Using a gmail address, or something else, will waste your time and delay account access.

You might be thinking this isn't really fun, but it might be more fun than delaying your account access.

Are you in the right place?

  • Iinformation on this page is about having a Handshake Virginia Tech student account for job search.
  • If you wish to have a Handshake employer account, see information for employers.
  • Virginia Tech employees who wish to hire and/or post jobs for students should see information for employers.

Fun quiz:

How many times on this page (not counting in this question or answer)  do we say you must use your VT PID email and password to access a Handshake VT student account?

  1. Two times.
  2. Four times.
  3. Ten times.

See correct answer!