Student Employment: Posting Jobs

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Hiring students for on-campus jobs is easy with Handshake. Handshake is a tool that Career Services uses to share thousands of off-campus jobs with students. Each CU Boulder undergraduate and graduate student has a Handshake account, regardless of their major or year.  

Using Handshake ensures that all CU Boulder students have equal access to campus job opportunities. All CU Boulder departments and employers of students can use this system free of charge.     

With Handshake, you can: 

  • Hire students for on-campus jobs (students must meet certain requirements to be eligible to work in a student job class).
  • Help students find internships and job opportunities from local and worldwide employers seeking CU Boulder talent.
  • Sign up for on-campus job fairs and view CU Boulder career fairs, panels and other industry-focused events. 

 

Getting started with Handshake

Visit our on-campus department directory: Handshake Department Directory. 

  • If your department is listed, click the invite link to create your Handshake employer account.
  • If your department is not listed, email studentemployment@colorado.edu with the following information:
    • Department name
    • Brief description of your department (include location on campus)
    • Website link
    • Email(s) of staff/faculty needing Handshake access  

If you only need access to view and search internships, jobs and career events (for advising or assisting students), complete this form. 

 

Writing a job description

Having a clear job description helps both students and supervisors by explaining the details of the role. It allows students to see if they are qualified and interested, and it sets expectations once they start working. A good job description also helps supervisors find strong applicants and provides guidance for supporting a student’s growth and learning. 

A strong job description should include: 

  • Specific responsibilities. Outline what the student will do daily, if they will be a part of any larger projects and who they will interact with or report to.
  • Qualifications and application instructions. Clearly state the required or preferred experience, any physical or time commitments, and how to apply (e.g., via Handshake, external links and any specific documents required).
  • Skill development. We encourage you to integrate the foundational skills that students can develop into your job descriptions. Contact Career Services for guidance.
  • Work-study eligibility. If the job is a work-study position, be sure to clearly state ‘work-study’ in the job title and description. 

Review sample on-campus job descriptions

 

Posting a job on Handshake

Faculty and staff can post a job on Handshake in five steps. 

  1. Log in to your Handshake employer account.
  2. Click on “create job” from your individual employer account dashboard.
  3. Write an effective and clear job description.
  4. Fill out job posting details and the required sections beyond the job description.
  5. Post the job.
    • If you’d like to close the job posting before it's scheduled end date, learn how to close a job posting.
    • If you plan to hire for the same or a similar position in a future semester, simply duplicate an existing posting and make the necessary updates. 

Get more tips and guidance with our On-Campus Job Posting Guide.