Hi, Recruiters,
Ask any company about the quality of talent they want to hire, and they'll probably say "the most qualified person possible."
Duh. Everyone wants to hire the best talent they can afford.
The problem is that, in many cases, I don't believe it's the truth. And it's not just a matter of budget or benefits, but inclusion.
After all, doesn't finding "the best" talent require a hiring experience that can successfully appeal to someone of the highest caliber, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender, age, body, background, ethnicity, religion, military service, or existing disabilities?
Sometimes, when companies design hiring strategies to be "inclusive," they can get caught up in what amounts to satisfying a goal of not repelling a diverse pool of talent.
Don't get me wrong; that's a great step.
But the best companies—the ones that can and do actually hire top talent—take things one step further. They create recruitment experiences that successfully attract a diverse pool of talent. The result is that they stand out from the crowd and, in return, can choose from a pool of talent that more accurately reflects who "the best" really are.
Think about it this way: As a highly skilled woman, what is going to motivate me to accept your job offer over a competitor's?
If you can't answer that question, for me or for talent from more marginalized groups, can you truly say that you're looking for the best there is?
I can guarantee that superstar talent are also looking for their best option. And if they get one whiff of behavior that doesn't reflect an inclusive environment—pre- or post-hire, intentional or not—they will start looking elsewhere.
This is especially true among younger workers. As my insightful friend Katrina Kibben pointed out in a blog post, 55% of Gen Zers say a commitment to DEIB is extremely important when evaluating an employer.
In fact, Kat is just full of wisdom. As I write this, I can't help but think back to a webinar on equitable hiring, where they talk about how building equitable workplaces requires talking about the things we don't usually notice. To illustrate the point, Kat shared a personal anecdote:
"I remember looking for jobs and really wondering if I could belong there, trying to suss out the cues—anything that would make it so that I didn't make another jump and end up at a company where it was bad for me."
When researching one company that wanted to hire them, they noticed on Facebook that the company had previously donated to a staunchly anti-gay politician. Kat, in the interest of their own safety, had to reassess the opportunity.
Intentionality
There's a misconception out there about recruiters' role in equitable hiring. The reality is recruiters don't hire people. However, recruiters can ensure their entire process is inclusive, which can have an outsized impact on hiring outcomes. The key is, simply, to be intentional. A few areas to consider:
At the most basic level, are you using inclusive language?
If a candidate has shared preferred pronouns, are you serious about making sure you address them as they wish and reinforce their preferences with others on the hiring team?
For example, in the same webinar mentioned above, when discussing a scenario where a candidate might be misgendered or addressed by the wrong pronouns, Reese Byrne (They/Them) shares that they would hope someone from the team would be willing to politely correct the individual, in a small way: "I would want [the] manager to say 'Oh, you meant to say 'they,'" or in some way, simply "acknowledge it in that moment."
Have you audited inbound processes, from promotion to application, to ensure they are set up to be inclusive to everyone who applies?
And what about the interviews? Can you assemble a diverse interview panel or implement standardized questions to evaluate candidates more equally?
What about your outbound motion? Have you expanded your talent search beyond traditional channels (at minimum, beyond just LinkedIn)? What partner organizations who represent underrepresented populations are you working with?
How are you mitigating unconscious bias? Do your systems, processes or tools have the ability to evaluate candidates in a "blind" way, without personal background information weighing in?
For ongoing improvement, have you implemented some sort of anonymous feedback system where candidates can provide input on their experience, giving you insight into potential concerns or barriers to address? Are you even asking candidates a question related to how inclusive the hiring experience felt to them?
No company is going to be perfect or have operationalized every possible inclusive behavior.
But when you're in the habit of considering these things you have the ability to be frank with candidates about the areas of opportunity—to express to them that while you don't have everything figured out, you're working on it and value their thoughts. That's really what inclusivity is all about.
Exceptional Lengths
I think there's a tendency within all of us to find a groove that works, and then stay in that lane. But until workplace discrimination for LGBTQI+ employees stops being a prevalent reality, I believe its our duty to do what we can.
Companies want a shot at the best talent. The best talent wants a shot at a work environment where they can truly thrive. You get what you put in. For those doing the bare minimum to create inclusive cultures, there will continue to be a substantial amount of excellent talent that will never hit your radar, because the experience is not designed to attract them.
Think about these words from Steve Jobs, a somewhat successful businessman:
"The secret to my success is that we have gone to exceptional lengths to hire the best people in the world."
What else is happening in hiring?
Aaron's Corner
Aaron Ibañez here. This conversation hits close to home. One company I previously worked for felt they had no other choice than to have me lead a project with a client whose brand and leadership were, among other things, vocally anti-LGBTQ.
Other team members raised objections on my behalf before I could do so. They recalled a discovery meeting in which the client said a bunch of less-than-dignified things (unprompted) about people who were different from them, about people like me.
I remembered that meeting, too, because I was working in a nearby office and could overhear everything being said, including all the things that weren't but should have been.
The entire experience was framed as something that would help me grow professionally and something I would have to endure if I wanted to grow within the company.
Long story short: The project had no legs. There was no need to have involved me in meetings with this client, and my employer could have made different choices the whole time. For me, it was my last straw - I knew I had to get out of there. And, fortunately, I did.
Building inclusive cultures and equitable hiring practices is the first step to ensuring all people can show up to work as their best, fullest selves. Like Shannon said in a recent Recruiter Therapy session, "Ultimately, it comes down to actions. They speak way louder than your rainbow logo." Couldn't agree more. Happy Pride Month!
