How do you demonstrate diversity recruitment expertise to employers?

Diversity not only defines literal talent of different backgrounds and cultures but the diverse thought processes, ideas, perspectives and engagement that these individuals bring to the organization. More diverse teams are proven to be more profitable by 36% (companies in the 25% vs bottom 25% of cultural diversity) , have higher innovation revenues and performance advantage (via a Harvard / McKinsey study) If you have a diverse work place, you can go into detail of how diversity has positively impacted your organization and how you plan to continue including diverse groups; diversity planning is an ongoing process.

We could talk quantitative metrics or we can talk humanity. This is one of those humanity things that I don't think should devolve into corporate speak. I understand the need to tie things back to revenue, but it's quite intuitive. I've had the pleasure of helping build startups for some awesome names and the one thing that remained true of my companies that did the best, was they hired diverse talent. Of backgrounds, ideas, looks, likes. We're talking about PEOPLE. Not a number, a human. It should not be an initiative, simply part of the process, and I think labeling that way does a disservice. And now I've probably lost everyone 😂 You want to demonstrate your diversity recruitment experience DO IT!

In a perfect world - there would be no need to communicate the benefits of diversity for an organization. Diversity by definition brings diverse thought processes, ideas, solutions to problems, and leadership abilities to an organization. This allows workers to have more opportunities to be heard, be seen, and to be included in driving solutions to challenges - heightening the sense of ownership one has in their work and the organization. When employees have a heightened sense of ownership, they invest more energy, productivity, and time into seeing the wins - which improves engagement, allows for more efficient and effective programs, and ultimately drives a reduction in turnover. In sum: you should treat humans like humans.

Benifits of Diversity in your organisation 1. Wider Talent Pool 2. Great decision making ability 3. Better creativity 4. Good Decision making ability 5. More profits 6. Excellent productivity

The organisation has many advantages from diversity, illustrating how it inclusitivity contributes to achieving business goals, such as increasing market share, enhancing brand reputation, improving employee engagement, and reducing turnover. Successful diversity initiatives have resulted in a tangible positive impact of fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.

What does 'diversity' actually mean? Many organizations dominate the definition with gender and race - and this fits with recent research showing that it is precisely these characteristics that recruiters think of when it comes to diversity. But diversity includes socio-economic backgrounds, age, disability, community, and more. Because of this, it's crucial to assess the culture with a lens on intersectionality - does promoting gender diversity detract from the inclusiveness of certain groups or other areas where diversity is required? Diversity is particularly important for recruitment because, without an understanding of individual needs, you cannot tailor the candidate experience to meet the needs of each candidate.

In my experience as a Recruiter, if a candidate comes to the interview prepared by doing their own research, this truly showcases commitment especially regarding culture, diversity and inclusion. It’s important to me, as it should be for everybody, that when taking the step onto coming into a new company, that you agree with the company’s culture and practices. This provides a better understanding for the candidate as well as an ease of mind for the Recruiter as they now know the candidate is comfortable with the company’s stance. As a Recruiter, we want the candidate to feel as comfortable as possible with the decision they’re making by choosing the company they’re possibly joining!

I thoroughly assess the organisation's current culture and practices by establishing their mission, vision, values, policies, and diversity-related programs. Additionally, I analyse information from their website, social media, job descriptions, and reviews to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges in diversity recruitment. I also speak to the employees and listen and observe to the general day to create deeper understanding This comprehensive approach allows me to tailor strategies that align with the organisation's specific needs and goals for fostering an inclusive workforce.

Missing the most important thing - demonstrate how you challenge hiring managers, during the job brief, to open their eyes to more possibilities. No point going out to recruit diversely if the hiring manager is displaying -isms and phobias. Still far too many companies are only talking about it not demonstrating it.

You need to understand the biggest challenges and demonstrate expertise in strong sourcing and talent attraction in the areas where the organization needs to see improvements. A recruiter should be able to demonstrate knowledge of effective tools to eliminate biases from the talent attraction process, job postings, and what organizations would be great partners for attracting individuals to be more inclusive of various groups they are struggling with. In addition, there should be demonstrated knowledge of how to measure and interpret data to show success and progress being made in the areas of focus.

I tailor my approach and skills to meet each organisation's specific needs and goals. Using my experience, I can help sourcing, screening, interviewing, and hiring diverse candidates while emphasising my ability to use data-driven strategies to measure and enhance diversity recruitment outcomes. Moreover, I demonstrate my cultural competence, empathy, and adaptability to collaborate effectively with diverse groups and stakeholders, ensuring a successful and inclusive hiring process.

Since being diagnoised with ADHD nearly four years ago. I am very open with being a Neurodivergent. The main "challenges" I see is people not wanting to disclose this sort of information at all, especially if they are out of work because they think they will be treated differently. Working across the Civil Service, I am impressed with the "Fair, open and Honest" phrase. The Interview process is down to your experience and eliminate name,address,age,education. To remove the unconscious bias. Most businesses have this now or "should". If they don't, try to do research on the company but even better, see who is a Neurodiverse champion in the company because they are normally Neuro themselves. Feel comfortable from one to another!

Asking the right questions is the most important part. The right question enables the interviewee to express and reveal themselves in their answer. Ensuring the right questions are being asked is paramount

I recently interviewed with a company that has Diversity front and center on their career page. It is emphasized on their job postings, LinkedIn, and in the messaging that comes after you apply. They do a great job of showing that Diversity is important to them - however, in every photo that is in that section or in the branding, it is all white guys working, meeting, etc. When this was brought up, the feedback was well received. The organization updated their website to include more accurate representations of the diversity in the office and at various job sites, as well as including actual employee stories and testimonials of what a real day-in-the-life is like.

Even in situations where you may not be selected for a role, you can still maintain a connection with the hiring team, recruiters, and other relevant parties via LinkedIn or traditional networking. When an organization wants to do a better job at recruiting diverse candidates, you can be a resource and share tools, best practices, etc. Over the long term, this will build trust, demonstrate continued expertise, and could lead to future opportunities there or within their network to land the job of your dreams.

In my experience the best way to demonstrate diversity recruitment expertise to employers, is to emphasize these key strategies: 1. Showcase past success in attracting diverse talent through measurable results. 2. Highlight knowledge of inclusive recruitment practices and policies. 3. Demonstrate the ability to build diverse talent pipelines. 4. Share experience in mitigating bias throughout the recruitment process. 5. Provide examples of collaborating with diverse organizations and networks. 6. Exhibit a commitment to ongoing diversity training and staying updated on relevant trends. 7. Illustrate how you create an inclusive candidate experience. Remember to tailor your approach to each employer's specific needs and values.

4. Share your experience in mitigating bias throughout the recruitment process, underscoring your commitment to fair and objective hiring practices. 5. Provide concrete examples of your collaborations with diverse organisations and networks, demonstrating your ability to connect with diverse talent pools. 6. Exhibit a commitment to ongoing diversity training and staying updated on relevant trends, showing your dedication to continuous improvement in diversity recruitment. 7. Create an inclusive candidate experience, highlighting your efforts to make all candidates feel valued and respected. Remember, each employer is unique, so tailor your approach to align with their specific needs and values.

To effectively showcase diversity recruitment expertise to employers, here are 7 key strategies: 1. Emphasise past successes in attracting diverse talent, showcasing measurable results to demonstrate your impact. 2. Highlight your in-depth knowledge of inclusive recruitment practices and policies, showcasing your commitment to creating diverse and equitable workplaces. 3. Demonstrate your ability to build diverse talent pipelines, emphasising your talent acquisition strategies that attract underrepresented candidates.

Companies and their leadership need to understand BIAS and how it affects their current team before attempting to dive into DE&I and recruitment. It is more disappointing for diverse hires to experience a buttoned up recruitment process that results in a completely different company culture. Feel free to reach out and discuss! -Jaclyn

To effectively showcase diversity recruitment expertise to employers, here are 7 key strategies: 1. Emphasise past successes in attracting diverse talent, showcasing measurable results to demonstrate your impact. 2. Highlight your in-depth knowledge of inclusive recruitment practices and policies, showcasing your commitment to creating diverse and equitable workplaces. 3. Demonstrate your ability to build diverse talent pipelines, emphasising your talent acquisition strategies that attract underrepresented candidates.