How to recruit diverse candidates

Promoting a diverse workforce is not only our social responsibility; it's also a fruitful one for everyone involved. A diverse workforce is a better workforce, boosting innovation, creativity, and overall output. 

However, is intention matching reality? The Michael Page Talent Trends report revealed only 32% of employees feel their workplace is inclusive. But raising that number is not as simple as it seems. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) remains a nuanced framework that requires a thoughtful, ongoing approach. The following recruitment strategies will help you retain and attract diverse candidates. Incorporating them will lead to a well-rounded team representative of different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.

Develop a diversity recruitment strategy

Like any mission to inspire change, your pursuit to create a diverse workforce should be intentional. Creating a recruitment strategy provides actionable steps towards progress and simplifies the process, making it easier to enforce.

Your strategy should include clear dos and don’ts, along with measurable goals aligned with overall business objectives. For optimal results, be sure to share your diverse recruitment plan with other recruiters, hiring managers, and stakeholders on your team.

Identify areas for improvement

Unconscious bias can present itself in multiple ways. The challenging part? Knowing where, why, and how it occurs. 
It can be uncomfortable to acknowledge where your organization falls short. However, taking responsibility will help you better determine ways to improve diversity in the hiring process. To mitigate bias, consider implementing alternative recruiting methods. These include:

• Blind resume reviews: Avoid looking at names, profile pictures, or years of experience—anything that could reveal a candidate’s gender, race, or age.
• Structured interviews: Establish a set of standardized questions to ask each applicant, which will allow you to measure them equally.
• Sample assignments: Asking candidates to perform a work assignment is a fair, efficient way to assess their capabilities.  

Optimize your job descriptions

Your job descriptions might be turning away diverse candidates unknowingly. They're one of the first steps of recruiting, so it's critical to refine your job postings if you want to expand your applicant pool. 

Consider the language and requirements you include in your descriptions. For example, those that use more neutral terms receive 42% more responses than those that use gendered words. More job ad best practices:
 

• Did you know most women won’t apply for a job unless they meet 100% of the requirements? Only include essential requirements to prevent discouraging qualified candidates from applying. 
• Avoid using excessive jargon and complex language. Remember, to target a larger group of people, your descriptions should be as accessible as possible. Clarity and conciseness are key!
• Showcase inclusive benefits, such as wellness initiatives, paid parental leave, and flexible work arrangements.
• Communicate your DE&I initiatives to show job seekers diversity is important to your company.

Diversify your sourcing methods

If you want to widen your talent pool, you might be inclined to post your open jobs on the most popular job sites. But your efforts shouldn’t stop there.

To attract more diverse candidates, recruit and advertise open roles on other sites as well, particularly those that feature diverse groups. Top diversity recruitment websites include:

• Diversity.com
• BlackJobs.com
• HispanicLatinoProfessionalAssociation.com
• Fairygodboss.com
• WorkplaceDiversity.com

Offer internships targeted towards underrepresented groups

Internships are a great way to attract younger professionals and college graduates—but you can take it a step further.
 
Offering internships can increase brand awareness and further motivate diverse job seekers to join your team. Additionally, narrowing the number of applicants to target a specific group ensures a more streamlined selection process. An efficient hiring journey will keep candidates more engaged and eager to learn more about your company.

Advertise your dedication to DE&I

One of the best ways to attract more diverse candidates is to advertise your company’s DE&I values and efforts. Glassdoor found that 76% of job seekers consider diversity an important factor when evaluating organizations and job offers. 
Share your initiatives on your website, social media, job postings, during interviews, and across all channels. As a bonus, regularly highlighting your commitment will encourage you to continuously pursue your efforts.

Partner with a recruitment agency

If you need more guidance when recruiting diverse candidates, a recruitment agency can help. Michael Page DE&I specialists are dedicated to helping you build an inclusive workforce. Contact us and a consultant will be in touch to discuss your recruitment needs.