A new Talent Acquisition unit has been created in the Division of Human Resources, and it is introducing a new search process for administrative professional positions.

The Talent Acquisition team was created through the merger of the search team previously housed in the Office of Equal Opportunity and the State Classified Employment Team. Both administrative professional and state classified searches will now be assisted by this one unified team.

Leaders say the transition enables CSU to streamline  processes, enhance training and build the talent acquisition functions necessary for fostering a thriving, inclusive and diverse workforce in a competitive job market. They say the changes will significantly enhance CSU’s ability to attract and retain talented and diverse candidates while ensuring equity and equal opportunity.

As part of the transition, this week, the Division of Human Resources is launching a search for an associate director of talent acquisition to lead the new department. The associate director will be pivotal in driving talent acquisition strategies, focusing on attracting, recruiting and retaining top talent for CSU. Working under their guidance, the Talent Acquisition team will spearhead the development and implementation of comprehensive recruitment strategies to attract talented and diverse candidates, streamline search and hiring processes, establish robust candidate pipelines, engage in workforce planning and ensure compliance with relevant laws and guidelines.

New search/hiring process

One of the unit’s first offerings is a new search process for AP positions.

Over the course of a year-long pilot, the team, in collaboration with HR leaders across several colleges and divisions, successfully demonstrated that this innovative approach reduces the time to fill a vacancy by 43% and costs 27% less. Additionally, the process did not compromise the strength and diversity of candidate pools and hires. In fact, there was an increase in the percentage of individuals self-identifying as female, minority and Latino within the EEO categories. Thanks to the hard work of those involved in the pilot, the team has the green light to expand implementation and is currently working with additional HR leaders in the colleges and divisions to discuss and strategize implementation.

Details about the process

Some features of the alternate search process include:

• Allows HR professionals to manage the recruitment and search process.
• Features a shortened advertising requirement (7 days).
• Encourages candidate engagement from time of application.
• Eliminates the need for a search committee while accommodating multiple interviewers and feedback mechanisms.
• Simplifies the workflow and streamlines back-end approvals.

More information about the new process is available online, as are descriptions of the three types of searches for AP positions now available at CSU.

Additional updates

In addition to the alternate hiring process, Talent Acquisition is also revamping the boilerplate language about CSU in all job announcements/postings. The aim is to make recruitment language, training, resources and marketing more inclusive, engaging and reflective of the great advantages of being a part of the CSU community.

This month the team is introducing a revamped faculty search chair training, created in collaboration with the Faculty Success team in the Office of the Provost and the Office of Inclusive Excellence. It is an evidence-based workshop focused on building strategic recruitment plans that are inclusive and equitable.

To complement this training, the team has created the Faculty Recruitment Toolkit, a valuable resource equipped with concrete tips, tools and best practices aimed at facilitating equitable and robust search and recruitment processes. This toolkit is designed to assist in the attraction and retention of talented and diverse candidates, further solidifying CSU’s commitment to excellence in every facet of our community.

Questions regarding the various changes can be directed to hr_ta@colostate.edu.