Finding an internship as a college student isn’t easy, and many students use the online career platform Handshake for help. The site features postings for for-credit internships that require faculty approval, as well as non-credit, paid, and unpaid positions.
While the site has plenty of legitimate opportunities, some students at Loyola have run into problems.
Students like Isabella Maglaris ‘26, find positions that look open, but when they try to apply the deadlines have already passed or the spots are filled, even though the listing still shows as active.
“I often find certain jobs on handshake to be unreliable, there have been times I have looked into internships closer to my home state, and often recently they have been closed when I have gone to apply or didn’t seem right.” she said.
Even the benefits of Handshake do not outweigh its problems, according to Trevor Sangiorgio ‘26.
“I like that Handshake connects everything through Loyola, but I’ve noticed some postings stay up long after they’re no longer available. It can be frustrating to spend time on an application just to find out the position isn’t open anymore,” he said.
It’s important to note that these issues don’t reflect on the quality or guidance provided by Loyola’s Career Center. In fact, the center works closely with Handshake to make sure students have access to Loyola-approved internships through the Loyola Maryland collection section.
So how are these problematic postings even appearing on Handshake? Christina Spearman, Assistant Vice President of the Career Center, gave some insight.
“For employers to gain access to Handshake, they must create an account which is then vetted and verified. The Handshake Trust and Safety team performs continuous monitoring for fraudulent or high-risk activity,” Spearman said.
According to The Academy to Innovate HR, online job posting platforms have seen an increase in something called ‘ghost jobs,’ which are known as fake or phantom jobs, are listings that seem legitimate but are for positions that are not open or don’t even exist.
“These are different from scam jobs or postings meant to gain access to personal information for harm or fraud. Companies may post ghost jobs to prepare for future needs, gain market insights, or project growth,” Spearman explained.
Students should also watch for red flags, Spearman warned, such as requests for sensitive information, suspicious links, or offers that appear too good to be true.
“If students have concerns or doubts about postings or messages, they should contact the Career Center and flag the posting in Handshake,” she said.
Handshake partners with Sift and Persona to validate employer profile data, making sure each company is authorized to hire. These tools also help flag third-party recruiters trying to access student data, multi-level marketing schemes, and positions requiring upfront costs before an employer is approved on the site.
The Career Center provides additional support, helping students find opportunities and craft outreach emails for organizations that don’t actively post internships. Students can also take advantage of collections in Handshake, targeted email outreach, social media updates, and Career Fairs.
Handshake is a helpful tool, but it’s important to stay cautious. Double-check deadlines and company information, and use the Career Center as a resource for guidance. By doing that, students can find internships that are real, safe, and actually open for applications.
When in doubt, students should contact the Career Center at [email protected] for guidance.
