Mid-market Account Executive I

About Handshake Handshake is the career network for the AI economy. 20 million knowledge workers, 1,600 educational institutions, 1 million employers (including 100% of the Fortune 50), and every foundational AI lab trust Handshake to power career discovery, hiring, and upskilling, from freelance AI training gigs to first internships to full-time careers and beyond. This unique value is leading to unparalleled growth; in 2025, we tripled our ARR at scale.

Why Join Handshake Now

• Shape how every career evolves in the AI economy, at global scale, with impact your friends, family and peers can see and feel
• Work hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutions
• Join a team with leadership from Scale AI, Meta, xAI, Notion, Coinbase, and Palantir, among others
• Build a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenue

About The Role We’re looking for a Mid-Market Account Executive to join our Employer Sales Team at Handshake, the only all-in-one early talent recruiting platform. In this role you will connect Employers to students and alumni to democratize access to opportunity. You will be given an account list and will be responsible for managing a full-cycle sales process from prospecting to closing. This includes but isn’t limited to account prioritization, prospecting and outreach, uncovering customer objectives and aligning to Handshake’s value, and finally creating urgency to drive deadlines and accountability. Handshake is a fast-paced environment and it’s an exciting time. In order to be successful you must embrace change management, have a positive mindset, and be a problem-solver.

• Exceed quarterly and annual quota targets
• Develop and cultivate relationships with senior executives at the Director, SVP, and VP levels
• Leverage internal tools and resources to prospect, nurture, and close new business
• Be customer first and take a consultative approach to selling Handshake’s value
• Responsible for accurately forecasting business on monthly/quarterly/yearly basis
• Interact and collaborate cross-functionally to build and grow our multi-sided talent marketplace
• Work independently while also up-leveling and supporting your team

Desired Capabilities

• 2-4+ years of sales experience in SaaS with 1-2+ years of closing experience
• A strong history of quota attainment and can articulate at least 1 example of a customer story from prospect to closed won
• Experience operating in a high-growth business environment like Handshake
• Clear written and verbal communication
• Pre-sales experience: prioritization and outreach including scalable email communication and 1:1 customization
• Sales Experience: discovery including 2nd and 3rd level pain, demonstrating and explaining ROI and bridging, and having the ability to hold customers to deadlines and generate urgency to drive deals forward in the sales cycle
• Demonstrates enthusiasm for working outside of scope to enrich processes and have an impact on larger business objectives

Extra Credit

• Experience preparing sales proposals, forecasting, and account planning
• Previous SDR or BDR experience
• Knowledge of how online recruiting technology works - and the ability to explain it in ordinary terms
• Possess relationships with key HR decision-makers at national Fortune 1000 companies and other top brands.
• Passion for honing your craft: has completed formal sales training programs, has knowledge of sales methodologies (i.e Challenger, MEDDIC, Sandler, etc), and/or utilizes additional resources like books or podcasts to up level skills

Perks Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supported—and thrive at work and in life.

The below benefits are for full-time US employees. 🎯 Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company

💰 Financial Wellness : 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching

🍼 Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching

💝 Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision, mental health support, $500 wellness stipend

📚 Growth: $2,000 learning stipend, ongoing development

💻 Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office

🏝 Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days

🤝 Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses

Explore our mission, values, and comprehensive US benefits at joinhandshake.com/careers.