Tips

Check Out CU Boulder Community Engagement Opportunities and Events

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 19:00:51 +0000

Check Out CU Boulder Community Engagement Opportunities and Events Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 07/11/2024 - 13:00

Being a part of CU Boulder’s vibrant community offers a wealth of opportunities to engage in local events and programs both on campus and in Boulder and Denver. Depending on your interests and goals, there's a community here ready to engage with you. Part of the enriching experience of campus life as an employee includes recognizing significant events and holidays such as Juneteenth which occurs in June. This historic occasion, marking the emancipation of enslaved Black people in the United States, has been commemorated since the 1950s in Denver's historic Five Points neighborhood. This past month Juneteenth was celebrated with lively music festival, parade, health zone, youth zone, and various additional community resources and speakers. This July, Pearl Street will host the Downtown Boulder Art Fair in Boulder which began in 1978. The event will showcase the work of 100+ artists from various states with a diverse range of artwork including jewelry, sculptures, paintings, furniture, etc.

Moreover, throughout the year, our campus hosts a variety of speakers, performers, and talented groups, such as those involved in our Lyripeutics Storytelling Project rooted in hip-hop education. This initiative provides platforms for BIPOC youth (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) to share their stories and experiences. Additionally, our campus’ Precollege Outreach and Engagement Program offers first-generation middle and high school students year-round and summer opportunities to participate in enrichment academies and classes. Through this program, youth can interact with college students, staff experts, and faculty, fostering academic exploration and personal growth. Check out the program and learn more on Instagram at @cuboulderpcdp.

At CU Boulder, we are committed to lifelong learning, meaningful engagement, and contributing to our campus and local communities.

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Summer is a Great Time to Find Your Next Job in Higher Ed!

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 14:19:49 +0000

Summer is a Great Time to Find Your Next Job in Higher Ed! Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 06/06/2024 - 08:19

The summer is a great time to consider a new career in higher education! Summer tends to be a quieter time on campus with fewer students attending summer classes and thus departments have time to focus on recruiting. Now would be a great time to check out our job site and see what we have available!

CU Boulder Jobs search tips:

Utilize the search fields on our job site to hone in on your ideal role! On our site, you can filter jobs by area of interest, schedule, functional area, keyword, or employment type. These tools make it simple to cater your search to exactly what you’re looking for. “Area of interest” helps you narrow your search to a specific field or industry, while “functional area” lets you select any of our departments/schools on campus where you’d be interested in working. “Employment type” is useful depending on whether you’re looking for a staff position, an academic position, or a research position. And finally, “schedule interest” narrows your search to full or part-time positions.
Cover letters do matter! We’ve seen the often comical social media backlash against cover letters- why ask you to recreate what’s already listed on your resume? Well, a quality cover letter shouldn’t just recap your resume. Instead, it’s your opportunity to make a case. The cover letter should showcase your interest in the position and provide a narrative regarding how your skills and experience relate to the role you are applying for. Our hiring managers do read them and glean valuable information! Think of your resume as the “how” and your cover letter as the “why.”
Tailor your resume. Don’t just use a generic resume for every job application! Instead, review the requirements and duties listed in the job ad carefully and be sure to address how your qualifications are relevant. Are there specific skills highlighted in the ad that you possess? Make sure those are listed on your resume. Is there specific experience required? Make sure it is easy to find and well highlighted on your resume, using keywords and terms listed in the job ad.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get the first job you apply for at CU Boulder. CU is the third largest employer in the state of Colorado! Being such a large organization, we get a lot of interest in our jobs. That also means that we are constantly growing and posting new jobs. So stay resilient and keep applying! You can also create a job alert on our website to stay up to date on new job opportunities in your areas of interest.

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What is HireVue and How Does it Help us to Hire You?

Anonymous — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 14:39:11 +0000

What is HireVue and How Does it Help us to Hire You? Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 02/27/2024 - 07:39

If you’ve moved forward into an interview process with CU Boulder, you’ve more likely than not been invited to complete a HireVue assessment. But what is HireVue, and why does CU Boulder use it? HireVue is a tool that hiring teams at CU Boulder implement at the start of the search process to create a highly equitable hiring process. We think of HireVue as an assessment that allows our candidates to give more depth to the experiences and skills listed on their resumes. Using this tool also allows our hiring teams to learn information from a greater number of candidates than they typically would when using other traditional interview formats.

Although one-way assessments are becoming more common across the board, we realize your experience with us may be your first experience participating in this type of assessment. To help you feel confident in completing your HireVue, we‘d like to share a few pieces of helpful information about the process and how we evaluate the assessments.

Our hiring teams are listening for what you say, not your appearance or the background on your screen (though we would encourage appropriate attire and a quiet, well-lit setting). Our goal is to gain greater insights into your job-related experience and skills.
You will have time to get familiar with the system by completing practice questions. Practice questions are available to you when you begin the HireVue and are a great way to preview the experience before starting the actual assessment.
Questions will be written and visible to you on screen as you provide your answer, so you can reference the question as you are answering. On occasion, one of our recruiters or someone from the hiring team may also read the question aloud to you in addition to providing the question in written form.
You will typically have one minute of preparation time before being prompted to record each answer. You can use this time to take notes or jot down thoughts that will frame your responses. You are not required to use the entire amount of time provided to you when answering, so please do not feel pressured to fill the timeframe provided.
Members of the hiring team review all of the HireVue assessments; we do not use AI or other automated systems to evaluate the assessments.
If you are invited to complete a HireVue assessment, detailed instructions with much of this same information will be sent to you in your invitation.

HireVue is a great opportunity for us to get to know more about your skills and experience before being invited to a live interview. HireVue is often the first step in our search process and is primarily used for staff positions. Additional steps will typically include at least one round of live interviews where two-way conversations are possible and you will have the opportunity to meet with members of the hiring team.

So now that you know what HireVue is and how to put your best foot forward, take a deep breath, grab some water, put on what makes you feel confident, and complete that HireVue assessment! We can’t wait to see how your HireVue helped us hire you at CU Boulder!

By Allie Lehman

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New Year - New Job! What's On The Road Ahead For You In 2024?

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 19:08:41 +0000

New Year - New Job! What's On The Road Ahead For You In 2024? Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 01/25/2024 - 12:08

As 2023 is in our rearview mirror and we look ahead at the road in 2024, it may be part of your journey to consider applying for a new job. Regardless of your current employment status, finding and applying for employment opportunities can be an exhausting and confusing. The University of Colorado Boulder gets that, which is why we’re here to help you with your new year, new job goal! The start of a new year is a great time to actively apply for jobs. Here at CU Boulder, we are kicking off our spring semester and looking forward to getting new employees onboarded and set up for success in their long-term career paths. Yes, we are actively hiring!

Interested in working with us but don’t know where to start? We offer many opportunities at CU Boulder, and narrowing down what’s right for you will benefit your overall applicant experience. One of the first actions you can take is checking out the CU Boulder Job Board. Not only is our job board updated daily in real-time, but you can also explore all the departments and set up a job alert for areas that interest you! This way, you can relieve some of your job search time and go back to scrolling your favorite feeds.

While scrolling through social media, check out and add @cuboulderjobs on Instagram for updates on career fairs and other opportunities on campus. Once you find an opportunity that excites you and aligns with your skill sets, you’re ready to apply! Before hitting submit, make sure your resume is up to date and demonstrates how your unique abilities relate to the job you’re applying for, and create a relevant cover letter. Yes, we do still usually require and read your cover letters! Real people, not AI, review all qualified applicants at CU Boulder.

Still feeling hesitant or have a question about applying? Reach out to us at recruiting@colorado.edu. We’re happy to help you on your journey to a new year, new job and look forward to reviewing your application!

Be confident. Be authentic. Be Boulder.

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Is Boomerang Hiring Right for You?

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 00:33:20 +0000

Is Boomerang Hiring Right for You? Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 02/23/2023 - 17:33

Boomerang hiring is when an employer hires back a previous employee. These individuals initially left the organization seeking career growth, career exploration, differing work modalities, better compensation packages, or for a variety of other circumstances. Many people left their job during the great resignation, and some took time away from the workforce entirely. However, as people reflect on their careers, an increasing number are realizing a previous employer best matches what they are looking for in their next career move.

In an ever-changing job market, employers are increasingly open to welcoming back former employees. This arrangement has a myriad of benefits for both employee and employer, including a quicker hiring and training period, direct knowledge of prior work performance, and confidence that the employee and employer are aligned. In addition, a rehire brings a blend of new skills learned while away with existing knowledge of the organization, leading to creative and innovative thinking. Welcoming back a former employee can also improve morale as colleagues and friends are reunited.

If you are considering returning to a former employer, there are some aspects to evaluate to determine if the move is right. First, has the employer experienced significant change since you left, and if so, are the current circumstances still aligned with your interests? Second, examine why you left the employer initially, consider whether those conditions still exist and if they do, whether they are as important to you as they were when you initially left. Third, what did you like about the employer, and are those conditions still in place? You likely have more data to evaluate an offer from a former employer than an employer you have never worked with, but you should still assess the information thoughtfully to ensure it aligns with your goals and career aspirations.

If you are thinking of leaving your current employer either to return to a prior employer or for a new opportunity entirely, it is in everyone’s best interest to be aware of boomerang hiring and how to leave on good terms. When an employee voluntarily leaves an organization, it’s important for the employee and the employer to navigate the situation in a way that leaves the door open for the future.

-Author: Andrew Horovitz

Learn more about boomerang hiring to make informed, quality decisions about your next career move.

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Rediscovering Meaning at Work

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 18:06:44 +0000

Rediscovering Meaning at Work Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 01/26/2022 - 11:06

One of the most important skills higher education leaders can develop is helping those they lead rediscover meaning and purpose in their work. Here are three types of questions that will change the dynamic of your work relationships.

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CU Boulder Benefits

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 00:07:48 +0000

CU Boulder Benefits Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 12/16/2021 - 17:07

As we approach the new year, we would like to extend our appreciation to you for engaging with us as a member of our Talent Community. Thank you for your interest in the University of Colorado Boulder and best wishes as you celebrate the close to 2021 and the beginning of 2022!

In this article are some of the benefits that set CU Boulder apart from other employers. When you join CU Boulder as a member of the professional staff:

You’ll enjoy 22 paid vacation days plus 15 additional sick days so that you do not have to use up vacation time for doctor appointments or to stay home with household members who need your care. This is in addition to our 10 paid holidays each year.
If you should add to your household through birth, adoption, foster care placement or guardianship of a child, and you’ve been with CU for a year or more, most employees are eligible for up to 6 weeks of paid parental leave.
You can take 9 credit hours tuition-free through our Tuition Assistance Benefit OR, your dependents can get a 30% reduction in their tuition every year.
Our retirement programs offer a wide array of excellent benefits. Most faculty and University Staff employees will contribute 5% of their salary every month to a 401(a) and CU Boulder will double the contribution. That’s right, for every $1 you invest, CU will contribute $2. You’ll be fully and immediately vested and able to start managing your investments your first full month on the job. Classified Staff and prior PERA enrolled employees participate in a fantastic pension retirement plan.

These outstanding benefits are in addition to a full array of medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance choices. A few additional highlights include our beautiful setting at the foot of the Flatirons and being the flagship for our four-campus system.

Perhaps most importantly, through employment at CU Boulder, you’ll gain a sense of contributing in a meaningful way to one of the premier research institutions in the US. All this comes with CU Boulder’s commitment to maintaining work/life balance for our people and the stability that higher education can offer.

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How to Write an Effective Cover Letter

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 22:54:03 +0000

How to Write an Effective Cover Letter Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/05/2021 - 16:54

When writing a cover letter, do you find yourself unsure where to start, what to share, or how to format it? The cover letter is your chance to showcase your interest in the position so here are the top five tips from our team of CU Boulder recruiters to get you started!

Use the same header from your resume for contact information and a traditional letter format. Include the company’s contact information at the top left-hand corner and the position title. Start your cover letter by addressing someone specifically such as the appropriate contact name for the position. If you are unable to find that information, you can use the department name, to whom it may concern, or dear hiring committee.
Just like your resume, your cover letter should be customized for each position you are applying to. Make sure to include the company name and position title. You may also want to research the company or department so that you can highlight your interest, especially with projects, programs, or values that your skills and experience align with. Show the reader why you are interested in applying.
When formatting your cover letter, you should generally have 3-4 paragraphs (intro, body, and conclusion). Intro: highlight why you are interested in this company and position & include 2-3 reasons you are qualified. Body: provide concrete examples demonstrating your skills and experience. Include specific qualifications that match the job description and answer the question: Why you? Conclusion: a simple paragraph, reiterating your interest, thanking them, and providing contact information.
Avoid using bullet points in your cover letter - save those for your resume. Your cover letter should tell your story. This is your place to expand on your resume and provide tangible examples of how your experiences and developed skills relate to you being successful in the position you are applying for.
Most importantly, proofread! In addition to having others edit your letter, reading your letter out loud can be a useful way to check for mistakes.

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Career Growth Opportunities

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 20:59:34 +0000

Career Growth Opportunities Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 01/28/2021 - 13:59

Happy New Year to our CU Boulder Talent Community! CU Boulder is a terrific place to work and we want you to know about a new program we’ve launched to support the career growth of each of our employees. In addition to one-on-one career counseling services available for CU Boulder employees, we have a new HR Career Development Video Series, with supplemental resources for each topic. Videos include “Career Exploration,” including an exercise that examines important “Future Skills,” many of which are already in high demand due to recent workforce changes. The remaining five videos, with their accompanying documents, focus on multiple phases of the job search process and include information on networking, resumes, and interviewing.

At CU Boulder, we recognize the importance of fostering career growth for our people. When it comes to helping them build their “Future Skills,” we offer a huge array of online courses on everything from change management to critical thinking to inclusive leadership, to say nothing of the complete range of IT office skill training available.

We’re glad to have you in our Talent Community, and we encourage you to keep an eye on the latest opportunities available. When you see a position that you believe you have the skills, experience and background for, we’d love to see your application!

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The STAR Interview Method

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 01:14:02 +0000

The STAR Interview Method Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/02/2020 - 18:14

As recruiters at CU Boulder, we are often asked for tips on how to prepare for an interview or to provide feedback on how candidates can improve their interview skills. One tip we share is to focus on providing real examples of prior work experience, rather than providing “philosophical” answers. The STAR interview method can help with both interview preparation and performance. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result and is a framework for you as a candidate to conceptualize and provide answers that best highlight your experiences and skills.

Employers increasingly are asking behavioral-based interview questions. In this method of interviewing, candidates are asked to share details of their specific work experience that relates to how the candidate may perform in the position for which they are interviewing. This method is beneficial to both the employer and the candidate. Providing a structured question allows the candidate to more easily present a concrete answer. This can be helpful during a time in which high nerves could potentially cause the candidate to veer from the topic or question asked. Common behavioral-based questions may begin with 'Tell me about a time…' or 'Describe a situation…'

Preparing for an interview using the STAR Method.

As you think about an upcoming interview, employ the STAR method to focus your preparations. STAR is an acronym for Situation - Task - Action - Result. Think of your current and recent positions in the context of the description of the position to which you're applying. What is required in the new position that you have had experience with recently? Then think of that experience as a story you might tell:

Situation -- Describe a specific situation, not just an overview of your responsibilities.

Task -- What was your assignment or goal? What were you trying to solve?

Action -- Talk about what you did, what your individual contribution was. When describing your actions, use “I” rather than “we.” (But be sure you don’t take credit for what someone else did!)

Result -- Were you successful? Why? What might you have done differently? What did you learn?

Understanding the STAR interview method before interviewing can help you better prepare for the interview. Even if you don’t know the exact questions prior to an interview, you can still reflect on the STAR method to successfully prepare. Begin by reviewing the job ad, specifically the job responsibilities and competencies. Let’s say that communication, teamwork, and resourcefulness are three competencies that are listed in the job ad. Take a minute to think back on your work history and come up with situations where you’ve really had to use those skills or you’ve felt those skills have been put to the test. Don’t be afraid to use a situation that maybe didn’t have the outcome you’d hoped for, but that ended up being a very strong learning and growing experience for you professionally.

Thinking about these situations ahead of time can help you with the STAR method when you’re in the interview as well. Even if the prior situation that you’ve thought about doesn’t apply to the question that you’ve been asked, you’ve already familiarized yourself with the thought process to answer a question under the STAR format. You may find this method of interviewing to be easier to prepare for and find it allows you to stand out more as a candidate because you are sharing experiences unique to you!

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