Women Identifying Students & Alumni – Career & Professional Development | University of Denver https://career.du.edu Wed, 16 Apr 2025 20:43:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 Industry Clusters https://career.du.edu/industry-clusters/ Mon, 02 Dec 2024 22:02:33 +0000 https://career.du.edu/?page_id=203697

Here at DU Career and Professional Development, we focus on Industry Clusters to equip our students with the skills needed for career readiness. By targeting sectors like technology, healthcare, energy, and education, we provide insights and experiences that meet industry demands.

With over 70% of our graduates staying in Colorado, they seamlessly integrate into the local job market. This industry-specific approach gives our students a competitive edge, making them highly sought after by employers.

What is an Industry Cluster?

An industry cluster is a geographic concentration of interconnected businesses, organizations, and associated institutions in a particular field. Focusing on industry clusters during a job search can be highly beneficial, providing greater clarity and purpose. Here’s why:

  • Targeted Exploration: Industry clusters group similar professions, helping students efficiently identify roles that match their skills and interests.
  • Skill Alignment: Focusing on a cluster allows students to tailor their education to meet industry demands.
  • Networking Opportunities: Clusters provide valuable connections, mentorship, and insights into industry trends.
  • Informed Decision-Making: Understanding careers within a cluster helps students make informed choices about their future.
  • Career Readiness: Clusters help students align their academic and extracurricular activities with career goals.
  • Adaptability: Transferable skills within a cluster offer flexibility in a dynamic job market.

Explore Industries

  • Teaching & Training
  • Administration
  • Visual, Performance, and Creative Arts

Learn more about the many pathways into the Education & Community Development, Creative Industries here.

  • Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
  • Diagnostic Services
  • Counseling & Mental Health Services
  • Pre-Health
  • Health Care Management
  • Sport and Performance

Learn more about the many pathways into the Health & Wellness Bioscience industries here.

  • Renewable Energy
  • Outdoor Recreational Leadership
  • Energy Efficiency & Solar
  • Environmental Technology

Learn more about the many pathways into the Outdoor Recreation, Food & Agriculture, Energy & Natural Resources industries here.

  • Corporate Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • Hospitality Management
  • Communications and Public Relations
  • Accounting
  • Real Estate & Construction Management
  • Ops/Security/Logistics

This industry Cluster is primarily served by the Daniels College of Business. Learn more about the many pathways into the Business, Marketing, Hospitality, Finance industries here.

  • Applied Engineering
  • Robotics and Automation
  • Electricity and Electronics
  • Computer Science
  • Cybersecurity

Learn more about the many pathways in the Engineering & Technology Advanced Manufacturing industries here.

  • Government Contractors
  • Foreign Service
  • Governance
  • Legal Services
  • Public Management and Administration
  • Law and Legal Services

Learn more about the many pathways into the Aerospace & Defense, Government & Public Service here.

Resources

]]> 203697 How to Prepare for the Career Fair https://career.du.edu/videos/how-to-prepare-for-the-career-fair/ Thu, 05 Oct 2023 16:08:43 +0000 https://career.du.edu/?post_type=video&p=144902 Learn how to make the most of your time while attending one of our All Majors Career & Internship Fairs. You’ll learn tips and tricks to successfully navigate the fair and talk with employers.

]]> 144902 The Career Milestones https://career.du.edu/resources/the-career-milestones/ Wed, 06 Sep 2023 14:31:24 +0000 https://career.du.edu/?post_type=resource&p=139099 The Career Milestones will help you achieve your professional goals. Engage with your career journey at any point. Undergraduates should try to complete at least one milestones per year and graduate students should aim for at least two milestones per year. Work with your assigned Career Advisor to achieve your milestones as research shows that students who engage with Career & Professional Development consistently throughout their time at DU often have better post-graduation outcomes. Log into PCO today to schedule an appointment to get started.

]]> 139099 The Ultimate Guide to Negotiating Your Salary (Korbel MA Students) https://career.du.edu/blog/2023/01/11/korbel-ma-students-the-ultimate-guide-to-negotiating-your-salary/ Wed, 11 Jan 2023 21:22:37 +0000 https://career.du.edu/?p=121230 By Cheryl Wagemann, moneygeek.com

Though there are some things in life you can’t negotiate — like your tax bracket or the inflation rate — your salary isn’t one of them. Negotiation is a standard part of the hiring process when you’re starting a new role. However, a 2020 Glassdoor study found that 59% of American employees did not negotiate their salary. And gender plays a role: of the one in 10 U.S. employees who negotiate and successfully get a raise, men are three times more successful than women.

Asking for a raise or negotiating your salary at a new job can seem daunting, but some tricks and tactics can help you go into it more confidently.

US Salary Negotiations Facts:

If you’re feeling apprehensive about asking for a raise, you’re not alone. It turns out there are several factors that influence how likely you are to ask for a raise. There’s hope you’ll succeed as more businesses are doling out raises in 2022.

  • In 2022, 62% of U.S. workers plan to ask for a raise; if workers don’t receive a raise, just 31% plan to ask to revisit their salary conversation in a few months.
  • In 2022, 92% of businesses surveyed are giving base pay raises. And 44% of those organizations are giving out more than a 3% raise.
  • More workers would rather speak in public than ask for a raise. About 66% of those surveyed were more comfortable with public speaking than the 56% who were more comfortable with asking for a raise.

Select the MoneyGeek hyperlink above to read the full article.

]]> 121230 40 People to Follow on LinkedIn (Korbel MA Students) https://career.du.edu/blog/2022/05/09/korbel-ma-students-40-people-to-follow-on-linkedin/ Mon, 09 May 2022 17:37:33 +0000 https://career.du.edu/?p=105089 Originally posted on LinkedIn by Nick Martin, CEO at TechChange.

Here are 40 PEOPLE TO FOLLOW who post regular job updates and career resources on LinkedIn.1. Craig Zelizer: social impact jobs + career coaching2. Mandy Van Deven: feminist/rights-based philanthropy jobs3. Nicole Doray,: Sustainability jobs4. Charles (Chuck) Pope: USAID and other U.S.-based UN/NGO jobs5. Xoán Fernández García: LATAM Social Impact Jobs6. Rafa Achondo: LATAM impact jobs7. William Godnick: International jobs (many LATAM)8. Satyam Vyas / Arthan: International and India jobs through9. Jasmine Anouna: The Bloom Newsletter – so good!10. afrorama: African jobs board 11. Beatrice Chioccioli Job board for human rights/social impact jobs12. Ludovica Anedda: Gender jobs13. Work Ally & Gail Rego : Social impact jobs14. Tania Racho: Human rights jobs15. Giulio Coppi: Humanitarian jobs16. Malika Mirkhanova: Global health jobs17. Virginie Robin: EU projects18. Vincent Arnoux: EU projects19. Juliette Sanchez-Lambert (she/her): Job board for social impact jobs (Europe/remote)20. Giustina Balducci: Various Europe-based UN/NGO jobs21. Jenny K. Wright: Europe, migration, impact content22. Elisabeth Roura Bosch: Comms jobs for social impact23. Katia Syrayezhkina: Incredible curator of resources for all things social impact job search related24. servane mouazan: #Impactwomen jobs every Saturday 25. Matilda Flemming: Newsletter on junior-ish policy jobs26. Keylime: International development consultancies27. Rikeshia D.: Social impact and HBCU resources28. Katie Kross: Sustainability jobs and tips29. Trish Kenlon: Sustainability jobs30. Shannon Houde, : ESG jobs and coaching resources31. Jessica Marati Radparvar: social impact resources32. Ed Carley: Climate and sustainability jobs33. Jennifer Bangoura, EdD: all things edtech and social impact34. Mark Horoszowski: social impact jobs, transitions. MovingWorlds35. Fred Swaniker: Impact ops and jobs in Africa36. Ruth Freedom Pojman Development and socialimpact jobs37. David Felson: tech4impact positions38. Valentina Ruffoni: community management roles39. Phillipa Lockwood: sustainability, philanthropy jobs40. ???FOLLOW them, SUBSCRIBE to their newsletters, SUPPORT their work!Who else we should add this list? Add yourself or add a colleague and share what kind of resources you’re/they’re curating in the comments.I’ll add you/them to the next roundup.150K people saw the last post I did on this topic.EARLY COMMENTS get lots of attention/visibility.

Diversity and inclusion have long been buzzwords that companies parade—often for marketing purposes. But in the past few years, more and more job seekers and employees, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are vetting companies by their diversity and inclusion track record in addition to factors like salary and career opportunities. According to a 2020 survey conducted by the National Association of College and Employers (NACE), for instance, 79% of graduates considered a diverse workforce to be “very important.” And these workers expect companies to do more than just pay lip service to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment.

Corporations still have a long way to go to meet these expectations. A 2020 McKinsey report found that representation of ethnic minorities and women in executive teams across the U.S. and the U.K. sat at just 13% and 20% respectively in 2019. A survey by human resources consulting firm Mercer found that while white workers make up 64% of entry-level workers, they make up 85% at the executive level, illustrating the barriers that BIPOC workers face when it comes to advancement. Black women, for example, are less likely to get support and encouragement from their managers or to have a chance to interact with senior leaders, according to a Lean In report, while also experiencing a wide range of microaggressions.

The statistics, research, and stories can seem discouraging if you’re an early career professional who’s just entering the workforce—particularly if you’re a BIPOC employee. In many cases, the reality is you’ll be joining organizations that have a lot of work left to do when it comes to DEI. 

Ultimately, widespread change can only happen when there is a policy and cultural shift at an organizational level, which has to come from those at the top. However, there are ways you can advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the early years of your career. And particularly as the war for talent in a post-pandemic workforce continues, you may find yourself in a powerful position to demand more from the companies you work for and take action that has the potential to lead to long-lasting changes. Here are five ways you can start to do just that.

1.

Take on Work That You Want (and Have the Capacity) to Do

Diversity and inclusion touches on many aspects of the workplace—from culture to hiring to communication. As an early career employee, it can be daunting to figure out where to start if you want to make an impact.

That’s why it’s important to take stock of where the company is at when it comes to diversity and inclusion, says Doris Quintanilla, executive director and cofounder of The Melanin Collective, an organization that provides diversity and inclusion consulting services. Then, identify areas that need improvement and ways that you might be able to help as an early career employee (see some examples below). From there, you should decide if it’s something you want (or have the capacity) to take on. This is especially important for BIPOC employees, who might feel like they have no choice but to engage in this work if they don’t see themselves reflected in their bosses and coworkers. “But unless your job is chief of diversity, then it’s not really your job. It’s an extra and should be treated as such,” says Quintanilla.

If you do want and have the capacity to take on the work, the next step is to calculate how much time it’s going to take and how you’ll juggle those with your job responsibilities. If you need to put in extra hours, consider whether or not you’ll be compensated for that. While most companies still view diversity and inclusion work as an “extra,” a growing number are acknowledging that it’s work that involves additional labor and are treating it as such, says Dr. Akilah Cadet, executive coach and CEO and founder of Change Cadet, a consulting firm that offers services such as data assessments, planning, and advising in support of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace.

Once you start doing the work, Quintanilla suggests keeping a record of the initiatives and responsibilities you’ve taken on—so you can refer to it later during your annual review or during conversations around promotions and pay raises. However, Cadet warns that you should be careful about taking on too much responsibility too soon. “That happens a lot with first-time employees,” she says. She especially cautions BIPOC employees from joining too many committees or doing all of the work in employee resource groups, because you don’t want to create an expectation that “can fall into tokenism.”

2.

Find Ways to Be Involved in the Hiring Process

Companies that want to diversify their workforce often have to change their recruitment practices and find ways to widen their talent pool. And there are many ways that employees at any level can help with that, even if you’re not officially part of the hiring process. For example, if you have a diverse network of friends, Cadet says, letting those friends know about open positions in your workplace can go a long way. If you know a candidate who might be perfect for that open position, you can also recommend them to the hiring manager or at least make sure that the hiring manager sees their application.

You can also “look at the policies and practices for how people are recruited and ask questions,” Cadet says. For instance, if your company isn’t actively recruiting from HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities), ask them why and suggest that they start doing so.

Writing company reviews and sharing personal stories on public websites can also help attract a broader spectrum of candidates. For starters, if you’re a person of color and you’re describing your experience as a POC at the company, “People can read that,” Quintanilla says. “That’s what’s going to get more folks to come in.” 

Read More: 5 Ways You Can Help Your Company Find (and Hire!) More Diverse Candidates

3.

Speak Up When You See Microaggressions, But Do It Strategically

When a company or team discriminates against marginalized employees, it can manifest in big ways—like overlooking them for a promotion. But it also happens in day-to-day interactions and social conversations—for example, when colleagues shut down and question their ideas in meetings. It’s important to speak up when those things happen, Cadet says, but how you do it and what you say should depend on the situation that you’re witnessing or experiencing.

Take the example of a BIPOC employee who constantly has their ideas shut down or questioned in meetings. If it’s happening to you, Cadet recommends sending an email or pulling the offender(s) aside privately after the meeting and saying something along the lines of, “I know this might not have been your intent, but I wanted to bring this to your attention because when you do x, I feel this way.” 

If you’re an observer who doesn’t want to be a complicit bystander, you might similarly approach someone privately after the fact. Or if you witness a microaggression in a smaller group or one-on-one setting, and you have a comfortable relationship with the person, it’s best to call it out in the moment. Saying something like, “That’s a microaggression, let’s not use that,” or, “That’s not accurate,” lets the person know that what they’re saying is inappropriate. Then you can either explain in the moment how the language is hurtful or tell the person, “I’m happy to explain why at a later time.”

Read More: How to Make Your Voice Heard in the Workplace (Especially as a Woman or Minority)

4.

Initiate Conversations Around Current Events

Both Cadet and Quintanilla say that one of the most important and valuable things that an early career employee can do to improve diversity and inclusion in a company is to be willing to ask hard questions and engage in difficult conversations.

Use the news as a jumping-off point to initiate conversations around how current events might impact employees in the office, Cadet says. During one-on-one meetings with your supervisor, you might say something like, “This xyz thing that is happening in the news is affecting me. Can we talk more about this as a company?” In a group meeting setting, it might be saying something like, “This x thing in the news is upsetting. I wonder how everyone is feeling about it?”

Early career employees might feel like they’re not in the position to make policy changes, but Cadet and Quintanilla say that bringing up these types of discussions is actually the first step. After all, policy changes don’t happen instantaneously. Cadet urges entry-level employees to use their “newness” to their advantage. Many companies are actively engaging in anti-racism efforts, she says, and having early career employees ask questions around what they’re doing in response to current events is one way they can hold the company accountable.

5.

Enforce Your Boundaries

Improving diversity and inclusion is not an overnight task. It’s an ongoing process that requires a significant amount of emotional energy. There might be weeks that just feel too heavy, and you’re not in the headspace to engage in this kind of work. It’s vital that you can say no in those circumstances, Quintanilla says, which is easier to do “when you have set expectations and boundaries,” both with yourself and also the people at work.

Boundaries are important regardless of how people identify, Cadet says. For white (or white-passing) employees, “their boundaries are around relationships,” explains Cadet. “Am I still going to talk to this coworker who is clearly discriminatory, sexist, homophobic, or racist?” If you decide to continue to talk to them, what kind of boundaries can you set around conversation topics and discussion points? Of course, this can be difficult to do if the person in question is your supervisor or someone who wields a lot of power at the company. In this case, Cadet says that the best thing to do is to report them to HR, or at least talk to another supervisor or senior employee that you have a good relationship with.

For BIPOC, it might be saying, “I don’t want to educate today, I’m tired,” or having resources on hand to direct people to—whether it be books, podcasts, or video clips—when they find themselves on the receiving end of diversity and inclusion-related questions. Giving yourself a break is just as important as doing the work, Cadet says. “We have to make sure we are whole before we’re helping other people.”

]]> 87339 Career & Professional Development Launches Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Plan https://career.du.edu/blog/2021/09/28/career-professional-development-launches-diversity-equity-inclusion-plan/ Tue, 28 Sep 2021 16:49:58 +0000 https://career.du.edu/?p=88093 *Updated December 2021

The diversity, equity & inclusion strategic plan for Career & Professional Development ensures our services meet the unique needs of all stakeholder groups. In alignment with the unifying philosophy recently outlined by the Office for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, we will aim to have a holistic approach in these efforts inclusive of learning differences, sex, gender identity, gender expression, language, race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, disability, religion, spirituality, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status as well as their intersectionalities as we develop this plan.

Through six months of stakeholder listening sessions, surveys, best practices research and data analysis we were able to identify themes for areas of emphasis in the coming three years that centered the voices of our diverse community. These listening sessions and themes have informed the goals outlined below.

Bold Goals to Achieve by 2025

Goal 1: Representation of Staff & Volunteers
Develop tactical strategies to diversify the career staff and career volunteers with the goal to have a staff and volunteer composition that more closely matches the campus demographics by 2025.

Goal 2: Career Staff Training
Create staff onboarding process and ongoing training that builds knowledge and confidence to fully integrate diversity, equity and inclusion principles and topics into all conversations, programs/events, initiatives, as well as career education resources and presentations.

Goal 3: Employer Training Program
Create a comprehensive employer training program regarding diversity, equity & inclusion in recruiting in a campus environment including public recognition for those that meet a set training program and show organizational commitments.

Goal 4: Increase Financial Support for Experiential Learning
In partnership with Advancement and national organizations, develop a strategy for increasing funds available for internships, research, campus employment, and similar high impact experiences.

Goal 5: Campus Integration with Diverse Communities
Ensure a clearly defined liaison model for connecting with diverse campus communities and leverage liaison relationships to co-create tailored programs when appropriate.

Goal 6: Tailored Marketing & Communication
Develop a marketing strategy for communicating to diverse audiences and ensure current marketing and communication efforts are infused with inclusive messages.

The goals outlined above will be addressed in phases over the next three years. On the following page, we have outlined explicit action items for year one, staff owner, and deadline for completion. Staff will integrate the below goals into their annual performance plans as goals for the coming year to ensure accountability and progress toward goals.

ACTION ITEM OWNER DEADLINE
Goal 1: Increase Representation of Staff & Volunteers
Create a hiring plan to diversify student employees. Rita March 2022
Create standard language for inclusion in all job descriptions that ensures DEI language and work is covered throughout. Heidi October 2021
Create a DEI speakers bureau that includes professional development training for student & alumni volunteers. Kyle In Progress
Invite Rufina Hernández, Associate Director, Office of Equal Opportunity to a staff meeting to discuss diversifying candidate pools. Mary Michael Complete
Have a quarterly staff meeting discussion to increase the visibility of our team’s work to the national community.

Heidi/

New AVC

 Completed 9/21 & Ongoing
Ensure all staff attend key campus diversity trainings; create 4 Winds digital screens celebrating the names of staff that have attended.

Heidi/

New AVC

 June 2022
Investigate relocation expense policy within Advancement & DU to support candidates moving to Colorado. Heidi June 2022
Goal 2: Career Staff Training
Have articles/resources with definitions Mary Michael In Progress 12/2021
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion career development guided conversations on specific career topics. Elise & Mira In Progress 12/2021
Presentation/Resource/Event guidelines (universal design) SB & MM March 2022
Goal 3: Employer Training Program
Information gathering on best practices around this area within our own campus as well as other schools Marissa, Stacy, Mira, Richard, Julia January 2022
Decide on what the structure of these trainings based on research. TBD March 2022
Developing content for trainings. TBD June 2022
Goal 4: Increase Financial Support for Experiential Learning
Determine what programs are priority and define purpose and details of each. TBD November 2021
Work with Development to identify what can be done currently or what needs to be created for this team to support. Richard and co-lead/new lead March 2022
Aggregate funding sources available to students and create funding source list visible to students. All November 2021
Goal 5: Campus Integration with Diverse Communities
Audit/inventory list of diverse student groups and departments on campus Kyle October 2021
Define scope of liaison relationship: clarify this goal’s connection to current liaison models in CPD. Kyle & TBD TBD
Goal 6: Tailored Marketing & Communication
Audit existing standard messages (i.e. PCO, handouts, overhead slides, email templates, flyer templates, videos) to identify areas for (continuous) improvement. TBD December 2021
Centralize resource lists and policies for DEI communications and share with the CPD team. TBD December 2021
Aggregate campus communication channels to reach diverse students. Kyle October 2021

 

]]> 88093 8 Benefits and Perks That Can Help Parents Thrive at Work and at Home https://career.du.edu/blog/2021/09/10/8-benefits-and-perks-that-can-help-parents-thrive-at-work-and-at-home/ Fri, 10 Sep 2021 20:59:41 +0000 https://career.du.edu/?p=87318

If there’s one thing working parents learned during the coronavirus pandemic, it’s that it’s not enough to simply have a job—it’s important to work for an organization that understands and makes accommodations for the unique challenges parents face.

This is a truth the business world is coming to realize, particularly as new research shows how supporting working parents can positively impact a company’s bottom line. And some companies are offering that support in the form of benefits and perks.

But as a parent, you may not know the full extent of what you could be looking for in your job search or what you can and should be advocating for at your current company. We’re not just talking vacation days or 401(k) planning here. We’re talking benefits and perks that go beyond the basics and actually make working and parenting easier to juggle.

Here are eight benefits and perks that will help you—and your family—thrive.

1.

Flexible Hours and Remote Work

Even before the pandemic, working parents ranked flexibility as one of their highest priorities when searching for a new job, with 94% saying that flexibility allowed them to be better parents overall.

“Employers must be understanding of the need working parents have for flexible schedules and their need to occasionally work from home,” says Lorna Borenstein, CEO/founder of Grokker, a wellness solutions company, and the author of It’s Personal: The Business Case for Caring. When you’ve got a sick kiddo, or a co-parent out of town, or any other number of parenting-related scheduling issues, that flexibility in hours and location can be invaluable. It can mean the difference between getting your work done on time or not at all.

Flexibility should be “woven into the fabric” of every company, Borenstein says, and as a prospective employee, you should ask not only whether an organization has flexible work schedules or work-from-home policies, but also about how current employees are taking advantage of them. If that second question is met with blank stares in an interview, it may just be a sign to you that whatever flexibility policy is written on paper doesn’t actually get used in practice. The same goes for every one of the benefits and perks on this list.

“The more people taking advantage of it the better, as it shows that it’s unlikely that people feel they are punished for working remotely or leaving the office early, which can often discourage people from using this benefit,” Borenstein says.

For those who want to make the case for flexible work arrangements to a possible or current employer, Borenstein suggests pointing to any number of recent studies and statistics that clearly outline not only the desire employees have for these types of arrangements, but also the business benefits (which include retention and productivity as well as reduced costs).

The broad work-from-home experiment the pandemic forced on many organizations has changed the starting point for negotiation. A Harvard Business School study showed that 81% of people who have been working from home through the COVID-19 pandemic are hoping to either continue working from home, or to negotiate a hybrid work schedule. In other words: You’re definitely not alone in seeking more flexibility from your workplace. And companies that want top talent will recognize that and find ways to provide it.

Find jobs at companies that offer flexible work hours or remote work opportunities (or both)

2.

Paid Parental Leave

The United States is currently the only country among 41 OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) and European Union countries that doesn’t require some form of paid parental leave. But even if the government doesn’t recognize the need for such benefits, some businesses are stepping up to offer them.

As of 2020, only about 21% of U.S. workers had access to paid family leave benefits, which include paid maternity and paternity leave. But that number is up from 14% in 2016, which shows businesses are beginning to take note of employee demands and desires surrounding paid parental leave. And it’s absolutely something working parents should be asking for and about.

“You’re not going to want to have to worry about how to pay the bills while on leave, or that you’ll need to return before you’re ready,” says time management and productivity coach Alexis Haselberger, a former HR professional. It’s not just about getting that leave, but also about what these policies say about the company culture, she says. “Parental leave policies that are generous and inclusive of same-sex families and bonding leave for non-primary parents tell you a lot about what the company values.”

Find jobs at companies that offer maternity leave or paternity leave (or both)

3.

Health Benefits for the Whole Family

When looking for a new job, it’s easy to be swayed by seemingly great health coverage. But if you’re a parent looking for coverage for your partner and/or children, you need to pay close attention to the fine print on those health plans, Haselberger says.

“Lots of companies tout their benefits as generous because they pay 100%,” she says. “Then you find out they only pay 100% for the employee and you’re stuck footing the bill for your family, which can get pricey, fast.”

A lack of coverage for dependents can tell you a lot more about a company than just its taste in insurance plans, Haselberger says. It may mean they don’t have a lot of other parents on staff, which reduces the likelihood that they’ll be understanding of, and responsive to, the needs of working parents.

Find jobs at companies that offer health, dental, and vision insurance (and make sure you check the details on family coverage)

4.

College Savings Assistance

One stressor many modern parents face is figuring out how to save and pay for their kids’ college educations. A 529 college savings plan is a government-sponsored account that offers tax advantages for money you set aside to use for future school expenses—but only about a third of American adults know what it is.

“Facilitating payroll deduction along with an employer match to 529 college savings plans is an extremely valuable financial wellness benefit for those employees with future students in their life, and also for those employees who wish to further their own education,” says Patricia Roberts, JD, chief operating officer of Gift of College and author of Route 529: A Parent’s Guide to Saving for College and Career Training with 529 Plans.

Roberts has spent over two decades helping families save for higher education, and she says businesses can provide the foundation for those savings. Yet only 11% of U.S. employers facilitate payroll deduction into 529 plans and only 2% go a step further and match employee 529 savings, according to the 2019 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Employee Benefits Survey.

If you’re a prospective or current employee who would like to convince your employer to offer college savings assistance, Roberts suggests reminding companies that it’s an easy and low-cost benefit to set up and maintain, particularly because nearly every state has a 529 plan provider that can help at little or no cost. You may also want to remind potential employers that those who offer 529 plans as a voluntary benefit differentiate themselves among the competition and stand out as companies worth working for.

5.

Student Loan Repayment Assistance

“Many working parents are weighed down by student loan debt and, as a result, cannot properly save for retirement and/or for their children’s education,” Roberts says. “Student loan debt adversely impacts many areas of an employee’s life and creates stress for the employee and employee’s family.”

Finding a company willing to help you pay down those debts can ease a lot of that burden. And there’s good news all around: Providing student loan repayment assistance is almost as beneficial to employers as it is to employees. Employers can now contribute up to $5,250 to employee student loans as a tax-deductible business expense—a fact that Roberts suggests mentioning when you advocate for this benefit in job offer negotiations or with your current employer. These employer contributions are also excluded from employees’ personal income tax responsibility—meaning they are tax-free for you.

6.

Childcare Stipends

It’s becoming increasingly common for top organizations to offer working parents stipends to help pay for childcare, Borenstein says.

“Childcare stipends usually come in the form of a voucher that can be used for preschool or day care,” she says. “Ideally this will be offered in addition to a parent’s yearly salary, not as something that’s taken out of the yearly salary, which can really be seen as kind of like a parenting penalty.”

The lack of affordable and accessible childcare is an ongoing problem so many working parents face. When a company offers this type of benefit, they are telling you they welcome and value working parents on their team.

7.

Emergency Day Care

As a working parent, the prospect of losing your childcare at the last minute can be a huge source of stress, particularly if it happens on the same day you need to do important work, Borenstein says, whether that’s meeting a crucial deadline or giving a big presentation.

Maybe a child gets sick and can’t go to school. Or perhaps the nanny doesn’t show up or the school district calls a snow day. Whatever the reason may be, the unexpected loss of childcare can put working parents in a bind really quickly.

That’s where emergency day care could come in handy. Companies can pay to have certain childcare agencies on retainer so that parents can call on them at the last minute if needed, just as a school might turn to a substitute teacher.

Offering employees access to last-minute help “gives them the reassurance that they will have childcare coverage at those crucial times,” Borenstein says. “This should be a no-brainer for organizations as it obviously helps employees to be more present in their job and show up fully when it’s most important.” And of course, it gives parents the peace of mind that a childcare emergency won’t derail their workday.

8.

A Culture of Parenting Loudly

“This is not your typical benefit, but it is possibly the most crucial one,” Borenstein says. “Parenting loudly means not hiding the fact that you’re a parent. It means being open about a child’s doctor’s appointment, soccer game, whatever it is.”

It may not be a formal program, but it goes to the heart of an organization’s culture. So as you go through the interview process, you may want to pay attention to (and in some cases ask questions about) things like:

  • How many members of the senior leadership team are parents?
  • Are they taking advantage of flexible work arrangements?
  • Are they open about the struggles they face as parents and the needs they have as they try to juggle the demands of their personal and professional lives?
  • What examples can your interviewers share about specific times/ways the organization has supported working parents?

A study from child-care provider Bright Horizons found that 41% of organizations view moms as less devoted, and 72% of both working moms and dads agree that women are penalized in their careers for starting families.

“The only way that this can change is if men and women start parenting loudly and encouraging each other to do the same,” Borenstein says. So while parenting loudly may not be a literal benefit you can have written into your offer, it is one you can and should be searching and advocating for—whether you’re looking to improve the working conditions for parents at your current job or actively seeking a new position elsewhere.

If you’re job searching, you can filter for jobs only at companies that offer the benefits and perks you value most right here on The Muse. Regardless, make sure you’re doing your research (you can use these sources), paying attention to the spoken and unspoken signals you’re getting, asking questions, and negotiating for what you want and need. 

“The best time to negotiate for individual benefits is after you’ve received an initial offer,” Haselberger says. “Even if these benefits aren’t offered company-wide, you may have flexibility to get them built into your comp plan. Because benefits are compensation too.”

]]> 87318 How to Tell If a Company Truly Values Diversity and Inclusion (or Is Just All Talk) https://career.du.edu/blog/2021/08/06/how-to-tell-if-a-company-truly-values-diversity-and-inclusion-or-is-just-all-talk/ Fri, 06 Aug 2021 15:34:38 +0000 https://career.du.edu/?p=87054 Employers talk a lot about diversity and inclusion. In fact, you'll be hard-pressed to find a company that doesn't say they're diverse and inclusive. Companies make these claims on their web sites, in job descriptions, and at career fairs. But how do you know if companies truly value and prioritize D&I?

The answer is you must perform your own functional testing to determine this. Functional testing aims to answer fundamental questions like: Is a company's D&I policy operating as forcefully as it purports to? Is the company merely paying lip service? Are inclusion and diversity embedded into the company's ethos?

Recruiters are unlikely to admit that they struggle to hire, retain, and promote talent. So, even if a company says they're inclusive and diverse, don't take that at face value. If you do, you may end up joining a company that you later realize isn't quite what it claimed to be. That can lead to emotional issues, frustration, burnout, and loneliness.

Luckily, you don't have to wait until you start a new job to determine the validity of a company's inclusion and diversity policies. There are certain signs to look for before and during your interviews. What follows are seven ways to tell if an employer values D&I.

1. Closely read job descriptions

Be sure to scrutinize job descriptions. Bias can often be found in them, both implicitly and explicitly. Pay attention and keep an eye out for off-putting and troublesome terminology. Also, compare similar job descriptions across companies you're interested in. Additionally, check out different roles within a company you're interested in and compare the language across various job listings. For example, if you're interested in a platform as a service (PaaS) developer role at a specific company, search for other positions at that company and examine those listings. Doing so will help you identify patterns in tone and give you clues about the company culture.

2. Take a deep dive into employers' websites

Make sure to dive deep into employers' websites. Most employers dedicate a section of their websites to diversity and inclusion (or diversity, equity, and inclusion). Exploring these sections is a good starting point to see how much detail employers provide. For example, if you're looking for a role analyzing call-center metrics and leaning towards one company but aren't sure how its D&I policies stack up, head to its website and see what you can find. Does it elaborate on D&I? Does it share its diversity metrics? What's the tone of its D&I content? Can you gauge the company’s enthusiasm (or lack of enthusiasm) for D&I? Does it have employee resource groups? Has it won any D&I awards? Of course, it's also a good idea to look at a company's social media for signs of diversity and inclusion.

3. Check out the leadership team

Do some research into the company's leadership team. This includes directors, executive-level managers, vice presidents, and board members. How diverse is the company at that level? Businesses with high-level employees of all backgrounds clearly value diversity.

4. Read anti-discrimination policies

Many countries, including the U.S., must comply with anti-discrimination laws. These include equal opportunities for employees, regardless of gender, age, race, and religion. HR will be aware of these laws, but it doesn't necessarily mean they're enforced every time a staff member files a complaint. It's tricky to know how well an organization follows procedures before you join a company. However, if it's a large company, there'll likely be news stories if there's been negative press. So, search online for articles relating to diversity and inclusion. And if a company has had issues in the past, find out how they dealt with them. Did they apologize and take action? Or say and do nothing?

5. Check out employee reviews

Check out review websites (like Vault) for employee reviews on diversity and inclusion. Negative reviews can raise red flags, but be objective when you read. Does the review sound fake or like it comes from a disgruntled employee? Keep an eye out for small details. If reviews turned negative a year ago, why is that? Did something happen such as a change in leadership? Did the company rebrand? Do some research and try to find out.

6. Speak to former employees

Talking with others from different backgrounds at companies you want to join will provide you with first-hand knowledge you need to make good decisions. But it isn't always easy to connect with the right people at these companies. That's why networking and searching for mentors is so important—it can help you immensely at times like this, when you're looking to perform research on a prospective employer. So, do what you can to try to connect with employees (or ex-employees) of the companies you're considering working for.

7. Ask clear and direct questions in your interviews

Once you've carried out your preliminary investigative work, decided you'd like to proceed with an application, and have been chosen to interview, you're ready to do some further probing. During the interview stage, consider asking some of the following questions (tailoring them to the specific company and role you're applying to and for).

  • What would you say are the most essential values of the company and your team?
  • Where and how do diversity and inclusion rank among those values?
  • If you think about your current team, what characteristics make for a successful hire?
  • Do you have examples of when you or your company promoted diversity and/or inclusion?
  • Are there any groups you think are underrepresented within the company or your team? What is the leadership team doing to remedy that?
  • What programs do you have in place (or plan to put in place) to promote inclusion and diversity?
  • Are you investing in employees with diversity-based training, and, if so, what does that involve? For example, is there unconscious bias or cultural competency training?
  • Do you contribute to fundraising or encourage volunteering?
  • Do you allow your employees the opportunity to work from home, and, if so, how are you engaging remote employees?
  • Do you support mental health days? 

When listening to the answers you receive, consider whether the interviewer distinguishes between inclusion and diversity. One doesn't necessarily include the other. A diverse team isn't necessarily an inclusive one. Also, listen closely because the answers will help you determine how much the company values inclusion and diversity. It's not just the quality of the content that matter; it's also important how the interviewer comes across. What's their temperament and demeanor like? How comfortable do they seem speaking about D&I? Do you feel like you're being rushed off the subject?

High marks go to the interviewer (and company) if they initiate the topic of diversity and inclusion. But if your interviewer is stumbling when answering D&I questions, that's a sign the issue isn't important to them. If meaningful commitments have been made at the company, your interviewer should be able to respond with confidence—and be more than comfortable speaking about the topic.

Victorio Duran III is the Associate SEO Director at RingCentral, a global leader in cloud-based communications and collaboration solutions. He has over 13 years of extensive involvement on web and digital operations, with diverse experience as as a web engineer, product manager, and digital marketing strategist.

]]> 87054 Supervising Up https://career.du.edu/videos/supervising-up/ Thu, 27 May 2021 21:01:18 +0000 https://career.du.edu/?post_type=video&p=85423 As a student employee, you’re not just being supervised by your boss—you can also play an active role in that relationship and advocate for yourself by supervising up! In this training, you’ll learn strategies for managing your relationship with your supervisor.

We’ll learn from one DU supervisor and her former student employee about how they made their supervisory relationship thrive. Our guests for this conversation are:

Neda Kikhia — Neda joined the DU community once again as the Program Manager for the DU DialogUes program, adding staff to a list of student, campus leader, and alumni. Trained in Community Organizing, Neda looks for opportunities, events, and programming that focus on elevating the voices and stories of people that move folks to action. She is a Colorado local who is passionate about community engagement and its potential to initiate sustainable community change. She is an avid podcast listener, travel enthusiast, and spoken word fanatic.

Manda Wittebort — Manda earned a BA in Developmental Psychology from Rollins College. After graduating she served two years in Baton Rouge schools as a CityYear AmeriCorps member, and then served in the Peace Corps Youth & Families sector. She recently worked at DU in both DU DialogUes and CCESL, while she completed her Master’s in Higher Education to invest in the role higher education has in community(ies) development. As an educator, she is committed to support future leaders in becoming self-aware and socially responsible and is currently living this out as Program Coordinator for Leadership & Service at the University of Florida.

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