Editor’s note: Veteran entrepreneur and investor Donald Thompson writes a weekly column about management, equality, diversity and other issues. The columns are published on Wednesdays.
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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – The current job market is like nothing we’ve seen before, a simultaneous mix of “high job openings and low hiring” as Forbes reports. In fact, a recent study from PwC says 65% of American workers are currently searching for new jobs and that the key to attracting top talent is a focus on inclusion. Their advice for organizations who want to win in this erratic market? Address your culture, investigate pay equity, emphasize inclusive leadership and commit to real diversity programs.
As a first step, I’d recommend taking a fresh look at your job descriptions and Careers page. Those are often your first touchpoints with a candidate, and they speak volumes about your organization. To put it bluntly, job-seekers are likely to interpret a non-diverse online presence and non-inclusive language in your job descriptions as a sign that you have a non-inclusive culture as well. Take the time to examine the words and visuals you’re using on your website and social media to ensure inclusive language and appropriate representation of diverse individuals.
Donald Thompson
To learn more, join my team for How to Write Inclusive Job Descriptions: a 30-Minute Workshop on Thursday, September 23 from 12:00-12:30 ET.
At the same time, you’ll want to start preparing your internal team to be inclusive and respectful of diverse candidates. Below, you’ll find a republication of an article I wrote this spring, which lays out six steps for developing a more inclusive recruitment and hiring process. Even if you only have one person in your HR department, these simple changes to your hiring strategy can make a big difference in attracting diverse candidates that are well-qualified for your open roles, so you can win big in this new talent market. Here’s how to start.
- Educate Your Team
Any person who might be involved at any point in the hiring process should understand how bias works and which specific actions they are expected to take to mitigate its impact. Openly communicate the process you are planning and why these steps are important for good business. In all cases, seek to find the best candidate for the role: someone with the right traits and skills who brings a valuable perspective to your current team. Avoid the old trope of a “good cultural fit,” and look for someone who is a “good cultural addition” instead.
- Craft Your Job Descriptions Carefully
Clearly state your organization’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in every job description. Make sure that the posting, application and end-to-end hiring process are fully accessible to candidates with disabilities, and ask a diverse audience to review each posting for how it may imply a certain ability, gender, age, or thinking style.
Use inclusive language for all identities, and pay special attention to gender- and age-coded words. Adjectives that imply competition or dominance — like driven, assertive, fearless, independent, and outspoken — tend to attract men, while words that imply caregiving or collaboration — like sensitive, honest, compassionate, nurture, and share — often attract women. Words like “digital native,” “tech-savvy,” and “high energy” discourage older professionals from applying, and words like “recent college graduate” may even be used as proof of age discrimination.
Use the gender-inclusive singular “they,” instead of the binary “he or she,” and remove all idioms, metaphors or expressions that may be culturally exclusive or confusing, like “knock it out of the park,” “rock star” or “piece of cake.” (If you’re Gen X, like me, singular they might take some getting used to, but it’s now considered grammatically correct by all of the big four grammar groups: The Associated Press, Modern Language Association, American Psychological Association, and Chicago Manual of Style.)
Also, make sure you are carefully considering what experience is necessary for success in this role. Is a college degree truly a make-or-break prerequisite for this position? Does the person really need 10-15 years of previous experience in this field? Take things back to the drawing board to decide what matters and what might be just nice to have.
- Diversify Your Recruitment Platforms
You cannot tap into new talent pools if you’re only looking in the same few places, so get creative about where you advertise. Use diverse job boards and social media to help you spread the word. Expand your search for qualified candidates by connecting with professional associations, community and technical colleges, HBCUs and recruiters who prioritize diverse candidates or who tap into specific demographic groups. Three of my favorites are Circa (formerly Disability Job Exchange), Apres Group for women getting back into the workforce and Jopwell for racially and ethnically diverse professionals, but you can find dozens more online.
- Remove Discriminating Information From All Resumes
Our brains are naturally wired for bias, which means we often sort people into groups with no foundation in facts. Consider using blind recruitment software like BeApplied or GapJumpers, which will help you avoid personal bias by removing names, ages, ethnic backgrounds, education histories and personal interests from all resumes.
- Standardize Your Interview Process
You should be using a diverse panel of interviewers at every stage of the process, including people from multiple demographic groups and from all levels of your organization. If your internal team is not already diverse, consider partnering with external professionals of various genders, ethnicities, ages, abilities and more.
Standardize which questions they will ask, and minimize informal small talk, which often invites bias toward those who share our personal interests, views or hobbies. After the interview, ask each interviewer to complete a standard rubric for their comments and to not discuss their perceptions with each other beforehand, which can actively discourage independent thinking and lead to conformity or groupthink instead.
- Follow Up With Candidates Who Decline
Follow up with job candidates who decline your offers, and ask for their honest feedback on why they did not accept. Communicate that you are trying to learn and to identify potential issues in your process, then be open and ready to receive whatever they may tell you. If you find that diverse candidates are declining at a higher rate than non-diverse candidates, it’s worth following up to understand why. Specifically, ask each person to share their deciding factor in declining the offer. If those factors can be fixed or mitigated, then do what you can to improve the process.
For instance, you may find that the length of time from application to offer is simply too long compared to other jobs in the same industry and market. Therefore, it’s the process that needs to change. Or, you may discover that the candidates did not feel your organization’s environment or values aligned with their own. In that case, you need to evaluate who is involved in the hiring process, how interviews are being conducted and the internal and external perception of your work environment.
In today’s market, winning the best talent requires a thoughtful and intentional approach, but in the long run, it’s one that will help you reap the benefits of a more productive, vibrant and dynamic workplace culture. As you put these practices in place, I’d love to hear what you are learning and experiencing. Reach out to me on LinkedIn and at donaldthompson.com.
About the Author
Donald Thompson is an entrepreneur, public speaker, author, podcaster, Certified Diversity Executive (CDE) and executive coach. With two decades of experience growing and leading firms, he is a thought leader on goal achievement, influencing company culture, and driving exponential growth. He is also co-founder and CEO of The Diversity Movement, a results-oriented, data-driven strategic partner for organization-wide culture change through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Donald serves as a board member for several organizations in marketing, healthcare, banking, technology and sports. His autobiography, “Underestimated: A CEO’s Unlikely Journey to Success” will be available in 2022.
Join Donald’s team at The Diversity Movement tomorrow, Thursday, September 23 from 12:00-12:30 ET for a 30-minute workshop on How to Write Inclusive Job Descriptions.
