I still believe in Handshake - Assistant Controller Handshake Employee Review

5.0
2 Dec 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

It’s been a year and a half since I left Handshake but I can easily say, the product has a ton of potential. This will only come to fruition when hiring picks up again. If macroeconomic recruiting is slow, expect things to get tough here and that’s a given for most tech companies at the moment. Don’t intend to down sell other reviews but the leadership (especially the COO, CEO, and cofounders) I worked with genuinely cared about performers. This is true about the CEO as well. Despite how busy he is, he reached out personally to seek feedback and from second hand info, I know my feedback was taken well and changes were made. In short, the management listens, but you first need to establish credibility - isn’t this how it works at every solid company?

Cons

The remote work culture hurts the company as the HR policies are fairly open ended and managers are stuck between giving enough breathing space and holding under-performers accountable.

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Handshake Response
2y
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! You’re right that Handshake’s success relies to a certain extent on whether companies are hiring, and that we’re subject to some of the macroeconomic trends that impact many other tech companies. We’re also glad to hear about your experience with our leadership team. Employee feedback, whether through internal surveys, team meetings, or otherwise, is critical to our success. Lastly, your feedback about the lack of clarity that comes with running a distributed team is noted. We’ve worked hard over the past few years to equip our managers with tools to reasonably and fairly assess their employees’ performance, but we recognize that there is still room for growth here. Again, we really appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback.

Explore other reviews about Handshake

5.0
12 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Work at your own pace.

Cons

Task limit when new to project.

2.0
23 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

• Flexible, task-based work structure — Tasks are clearly defined with straightforward payment ($500/task in my experience), allowing contractors to work independently on their own schedule. • Work available from anywhere — As an international student, I appreciated the ability to contribute to projects while outside the US before relocating. • Transparent task descriptions — Project deliverables are generally well-specified, making it clear what’s expected for each submission.

Cons

• Severely unclear and inconsistent communication — The company’s responses to legitimate questions about work authorization, payment status, and policy changes are vague and often contradictory. When I asked about CPT eligibility, I received a generic email rather than clear guidance on how it affected my specific situation. • Payment delays and lack of transparency — After completing 3 tasks, I was removed from a project via automated email with minimal explanation. Weeks later, payment status remains unclear despite assurances that I would be paid for “eligible work” — my payout queue shows $0. • Unresponsive to contractor needs — Straightforward clarification requests (e.g., “Which tasks are being withheld and why?”) receive deflections rather than direct answers. The company seems to avoid accountability. • Sudden project removals with minimal notice — My removal from Project Maia III was communicated via automated email with reference to “changing project needs,” with no prior warning and no clear timeline for payment for completed work. • Lack of contractor support infrastructure — There’s no clear dispute resolution process accessible to contractors, and no dedicated channel for escalating payment or contractual concerns beyond generic support emails.

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