Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Tips for Success

• We encourage you to bring handouts or signage about your organization to have at your high-top table. 
• There is no dress code requirement for students. You are welcome to come dressed casually as you might be coming from class, work, or other extracurriculars. 
• There are many forms of greetings such as verbal, handshakes, waving hello, etc. Individuals will have various comfort levels involving physical contact. Please respect boundaries and consent. 
• Although we share the list of student organizations ahead of time, employers may not research your organization. Be prepared to share important information even if you are not asked. 
• Come with questions to ask about the employers, their organization, and their proudest moments working with other student organizations. 
• Don’t let the connections and conversations end with the event. Make sure to exchange contact information with the employers! 

Join the Office of Student Employment in celebrating our student employees and supervisors this National Student Employment Week, held between April 8th and 12th!

Throughout the Week

• Here are our ideas for (free and low-cost) ways supervisors can show their appreciation for their student employees. This year, supervisors can also download our free recognition templates to give their student employees as certificates!
• Swing by Beans to check out their specialty drinks in honor of our Student Employees & Supervisor of the Year! Try Zainab’s French Toast Latte, the Cole Cold Brew with Carmel, and the Cindi Hot Coffee!
• Sign up for an informational interview with a campus partner to learn more about their experience and aid your career and professional development!

Conflict and Collaboration in the Workplace

Keynote Speaker Betty Snyder

Monday, April 8th

11 am- 12 pm MT on Zoom

Working with others can be difficult, especially in a professional setting! Join us for an exploration of how to navigate conflict and collaboration in the workplace, led by our talented keynote speaker, Betty Snyder. Betty is the ombudsman for the DU chancellors office, meaning she provides a safe space for students to talk about concerns or issues. Betty will share her perspective on how to approach conflict and communication with dignity and purpose, and she will also touch on some of the neuroscience of conflict.

This event is designed for Student Employees and Supervisors, but all are welcome! Help us kick off National Student Employment week, and register to learn how to improve understanding, build relationships and bring people together to create powerful and productive outcomes in your workplace.

Getting Spicy with Student Employment

Wednesday, April 10th, 12 – 1 pm

Burwell 340

This National Student Employment Week, all DU student employees are invited to join in for lunch and our very own version of Hot Ones, featuring key employers who will share career tips for student employees and answer your questions while sweating  and crying their way through local hot sauces.

Our brave employer guests will include staff from:

• Dynatrace : We’re a global company of thousands with a singular obsession: make sure every digital experience and interaction, in every industry, everywhere, is flawless and secure.
• Laradon : Laradon’s vision is to be the employer of choice providing innovative services for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Denver Economic Development & Opportunity : Denver Economic Development & Opportunity creates an economy that works for everyone by supporting local and global business development, workforce development programs, and stabilization efforts in diverse neighborhoods.
• Colorado Public Radio: CPR’s mission is to to deliver meaningful news, music, and cultural experiences to everyone in Colorado using the power of the human voice in all its forms.

Lunch will be provided, including vegan and gluten free options.

]]> 154670 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.

What’s the difference between a leader and a boss? Have you ever wondered why some people naturally compel the people around them? What is emotional intelligence in leadership, and how does it work?

Emotional intelligence has been proven to be a critical trait for successful leadership. In order to properly inspire a team, you need to be able to understand people at a deeper personal level. It’s not enough to provide instructions and expect people to follow them.

In fact, according to a study from Harvard Business School, Leaders with empathy perform over 40% higher in employee engagement, decision-making, and coaching. 

This article will outline 5 important emotional intelligence traits in leaders that truly inspire teams and can help propel professional success.

Emotionally Intelligent Leaders Focus On Positive Signals

Leaders who demonstrate high levels of emotional intelligence often focus on a situation’s positive rather than the negative. They know that putting energy and effort behind solutions rather than fixating on problems produces better long-term results and creates a better working environment for their team. 

High-performing professionals understand that no business scenario is perfect and that seemingly great ideas can fail before they get off the ground. However, emotionally intelligent leaders can hone in on positive signals and use them to keep their team inspired and dedicated to the objective, even in the face of failure or repeated challenges. 

They Understand Limitations in Themselves & Their Team

Emotional intelligence in leaders is often expressed by a strong understanding of strengths and weaknesses. This includes self-awareness and a perspective on what individuals are capable of on their team.

This is a critical leadership trait because it assists with the delegation of duties and ensures that every person on a team performs to their highest level, which ultimately encourages a team to grow together rather than fall apart. In fact, according to a recent LinkedIn study, workers who have managers with high emotional intelligence are four times less likely to quit.

Leaders with Emotional Intelligence Embrace Change

Industries and workplaces are constantly evolving – consider how rapidly the world has changed from traditional office schedules to hybrid and remote work. Successful leaders during these times could adapt how they managed hybrid teams to ensure that objectives were still met. 

Leaders with emotional intelligence are usually the first to embrace change as it comes, as well as the best advocates to encourage adoption from others. They understand that while change can be difficult, it’s a natural part of the business cycle and that a failure to evolve could have other serious consequences. They also recognize the challenge of changing for some individuals and are often the best at softly nudging people out of their comfort zones.

Self-Motivation is an Obvious Sign of Emotional Intelligence in Leaders

Do you wait to be told to do something? Or do you recognize a professional opportunity in front of you? Leaders with high levels of emotional intelligence are self-starters and highly motivated. They inspire themselves to tackle significant challenges and prefer to act rather than wait for permission. 

One of the greatest advantages of this type of leadership characteristic is that it’s contagious. When others see a leader tirelessly pursuing their best efforts against a common challenge, they are inspired to act and retain a heightened sense of attention to their tasks. It’s one thing for a boss to tell someone to do something, and it’s a whole other level of motivation when workers see a leader in the trenches fighting to succeed with them.

They are not Perfectionists, but They Fight Against Mediocrity.

Successful leaders understand when enough is enough, and they are sufficiently emotionally intelligent to perceive when a team has given a project their best effort. Rather than put constant pressure on a team to achieve perfection, high-performing leaders perceive teamwork and projects as an evolution from a long-term perspective.

They don’t allow complacency or mediocrity to grow within their team. Success is judged based on progress from the last evaluation, and if there is momentum against skill-building and knowledge from their team, then it doesn’t need to be perfect.

Are you interested to learn more about becoming a successful leader? Check out Ivy Exec’s course on how to become a transformational leader here!

We often hear about the “toolbelt” of skills, where we apply our know-how and experience to a variety of workplace contexts. But Rhonda Joy McLean, President and CEO of RJMLEADS LLC, a New York City leadership consulting firm, envisions this idea somewhat differently: as a quiver full of arrows. 

The arrows necessary for success in the future of work are different than those necessary in the past, she suggests in her webinar for Ivy Exec, “New Leadership Skills for the Future of Work: What’s in Your Quiver?” The leaders of tomorrow will deploy their personal values, authentic selves, collaborative spirits, and authenticity to be successful in their roles. 

Rhonda argues that we may not even know which skills are valuable to prioritize if we are seeking leadership positions. As you prepare for the future of work, what leadership competencies and qualities are most necessary to hone? 

Reflective Listening

Reflective listening is all about hearing the other person, not just waiting for them to finish talking before you talk. At the same time, it’s important not to have expectations of what the other person is going to say before they say it. 

Because she is a self-described big talker, Rhonda has taken several courses on reflective listening over the years. 

“I have what I call busy brain syndrome. Many of you have it as well. We’re always thinking, what’s the next best thing, what do I need now? It’s hard to pull away from that, to be in a moment with the person who’s speaking and to really listen,” she says. 

Emotional Intelligence

The best way to develop reflective listening skills is by building your empathy skills in tandem. If you care about what others have to say – and also want them to bring their full selves to the table – empathy is important. 

Rhonda says that there has never been a time when it was more necessary to be aware of people’s mental health, their anxieties, and their fears that their current jobs will be eliminated. 

So, though most would-be leaders were taught to be objective, even stoic, especially in dealing with their teams, this is no longer a valuable course of action. Instead, Rhonda argues the opposite is true: teams are inspired when leaders show their humanity. 

“I think showing your vulnerability makes you stronger and actually more acceptable to the people that you’re leading. So make sure you’re comfortable with your own feelings and be aware of the feelings of others,” she says.

Gut Instincts

In a business world that relies more on artificial intelligence, formulas, or algorithms, Rhonda still believes in listening to your gut. Especially when business leaders are tasked with making decisions when they have limited information and limited talent, this reliance on gut is even more important. 

At the same time, she is not recommending leaders hold onto their gut decisions with everything they have. If circumstances change, or new information arises, they should be adaptable enough to re-group. 

“I think the best leaders are strong enough and confident enough to go with their gut in the moment when the facts are before them. Then, if they find out later that there was information that would sway them in a different direction, they have the guts to say, You know, we’ve learned more, and I really feel that we need to move in a different direction,” Rhoda says. 

Management Intelligence

Rhonda believes that management intelligence involves understanding your team and focusing on how their cultural backgrounds, ages, and work histories make them into the people they are. Connecting with others who are not like you can offer you keen insight into your own weaknesses and help you adapt to the modern world of work. 

“I’ve learned a lot from my reverse mentors who’ve helped me manage my devices more easily and also have some ideas about how to reach out, particularly to an inter-generational workforce,” she says.

On the same token, Rhonda suggests that managers need to be willing to accept feedback so they can become even more relevant to their teams. In connection with other competencies like emotional intelligence, managers who request feedback will be perceived as sincere and willing to grow. In turn, they should also adopt feedback accordingly and change intentionally. 

“Change is the only constant. Be prepared that you’re going to need to transition to a different work style. A different workplace, a different workforce. A different brand, a different logo, a different marketing strategy. Change is the only thing that doesn’t change. So be ready,” Rhonda says.

Holstering Your Quiver

In sum, future workplace leaders will need to bring more of their authentic selves to the table. At the same time, they need to see their team members as people with lives outside of the office. Ultimately, then, those with leadership aspirations need to hone their EQ, along with their IQ, so they can develop themselves and build effective teams. 

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.

Michael Johnson (He, Him) – Career & Professional Development

The Industry Exploratory Mentoring Group (IEMG) is a continuation of the Industry Insights Group pilot program that gave students the opportunity to connect with alumni and explore various industries to learn more of the individual divisions that make up and support an organization. Whereas the previous pilot group focused on the STEM field, this collaboration with Housing & Residential Education focused on residential students who have yet to decide their major. The six (6) student participants learned about the importance of mentoring along their exploratory journey and how to get the most out of their mentoring relationships. We had four meetings scheduled for Winter and Spring terms with meetings and communications with mentors in between. We had a very enthusiastic alum, Neda Kikhia (BA ’16, MA ’20), who served as mentor and not only shared her journey towards her current career but also engaged in supporting mentees as they discovered their own paths. In addition to partnering with Housing & Residential Education for recruitment of students, Roo Hiremath supported the operations needs of the group with program and activity creation, event scheduling and food ordering.

Our first gathering was held in the new Burwell Center for Career Achievement. The Shopneck Pavillion was great space for hosting an evening of fellowship and learning between students and alumni. We were able to sit around the beautifully structured large table to share experiences, hopes and expectations for involvement in the Industry Exploratory Mentoring Group (IEMG).

Our second meeting was a City Trek to Urban Putt in downtown Denver. We used this as another team building opportunity with students, alumni mentor and staff. We were able to share more stories and get updates on mentee goals. Our intent with the social outings was to help foster connections between mentor and mentee that felt accessible and fun rather than formal and high stakes, as some students may view connecting with a mentor. The goal was always to humanize our mentor.

Our next meeting included three DU alumni from three very different backgrounds who were all employed by Medtronics. We wanted to highlight those alumni and that company because of the very different roles each of them played within the same company. They were all able to share their experiences and pathways to their current roles within Medtronics. Mentees were really interested in the fact that our guests shared the good and the bad parts of their academic and career timelines. The students were also very interested in their interactive presentation as well as the advice each of the alumni provided to the group.

Since we couldn’t find a time for our students to meet, we determined that our final communication with the mentees would be to provide resources for Career & Professional Development as well as a request for feedback regarding the mentoring program.

The IEMG program supports each area within the 4D student development model (Careers & Lives of Purpose, Intellectual Growth, Wellbeing and Character) along with a strong focus on developing career readiness competencies as identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) that include Career & Self Development, Communication and Professionalism.

Our exploratory venture (City Trek) took us on a visit to different organizations around the Denver area. We still relied on our Career & Professional Development (CPD) colleagues for their career readiness expertise. Our alumni mentors, City Treks and CPD trainings will all combine to help our students reach the following learning outcomes:

• Understanding of how to review careers and jobs that make up an industry of interest
• Communication & Networking skills
• Understanding how a mentoring relationship can be used to support goals
• Resume and cover letter creation or updates with Career Advisors
• Awareness of what professionalism means in different industries
• Resources for career exploration and alumni/professional mentoring

For our next step, we are looking at ways to make the program scalable in order to offer this opportunity to more students and alumni mentors.

The University of Denver’s faculty take immense pride in the roles they play as not just academic teachers and experts, but as career and life mentors for their students as well. AT DU, building a constellation of mentors starts on day one for students, and is a vital component of the 4D Experience. Now in its 8th year, the Faculty Career Champion award is a true example of just that, as it demonstrates the ways DU faculty foster the 4D Experience for students and help them pursue careers and lives of purpose. The Faculty Career Champion is a student nominated award that celebrates outstanding faculty mentors and tells the compelling story of how DU faculty impact students’ career and professional development goals. Presented by the entirety of DU Career Services (Career and Professional Development; Daniels Career Services; Korbel Office for Career & Professional Development; Graduate School for Social Work Career Services; in addition to the Sturm College of Law Career Development Office), recipients are selected after an exhaustive nominating process. 

For an overview of previous years’ Faculty Career Champion, click the links below: 

2024 Faculty Career Champions

2023 Faculty Career Champions

2022 Faculty Career Champions

2021 Faculty Career Champions

2020 Faculty Career Champions

2019 Faculty Career Champions

2018 Faculty Career Champions

2017 Faculty Career Champions