According to Forbes, aligning with a recruiter helps companies “find, recruit and retain more diverse candidates.” The guidance a staffing firm can provide during hiring is always valuable, but ensuring they build diversity is even more essential. Below are some of the ways a tech staffing firm utilizes a combination of strategies and protocols to approach hiring through a diverse lens:
How a Staffing Firm Builds Diversity
- Blind Hiring: To practice inclusivity, a staffing firm must set protocols to reduce confirmation bias and stray away from preconceived notions. A great way to do this is by eliminating or de-prioritizing information in a resume or application that can sway opinions or trigger unconscious biases. For example, by eliminating addresses and college names, we avoid a moment where someone could be judged based on their demographics. Or even something as simple as a name can prompt confirmation bias because it can cause hiring managers to make decisions based on unconscious assumptions.
SHRM-CP Katherine McNamee assigns each candidate a number and refers to them by this number until they are interviewed. This is not the only approach; candidates can be informed at the onset of the engagement to not include this information or use a platform or software that can mask this information.
- Unbiased job postings: Take a closer look at job descriptions and double-check for language that is gender-coded or promotes ageism. Harvard Business Review’s Language Matters Report found that 44% of women would be discouraged from applying to a job with “aggressive words.” Therefore, remove language that could deter women and instead replace it with neutral wording. This might sound challenging, but today, there are applications that employ data science to highlight triggering words and even suggest better alternatives!
Furthermore, ageism has become a growing concern. To avoid age discrimination, open applications to all ages by including essential skills and capabilities, not preferences. Lastly, avoid using jargon that can make candidates feel they are unqualified, excluded and isolated. Forbes notes: “for new recruits, learning the corporate language can be difficult, time-consuming and sometimes alienating.” Someone’s first impression of a company shouldn’t be unwelcoming, so make sure doors are opened to everyone from the initial point of contact.
- Partner with a diverse staffing company: Start on the right foot by securing a diverse firm. A recruiter won’t have the necessary tools to match a candidate’s talent with their best match if they aren’t exposed to a diverse culture in the first place. Forbes states that a hiring committee should represent a variety of positions ranging from entry-level to company leadership. But most importantly, the people on these committees should come from varying generations, backgrounds, and personalities.
Staffing Firms Should Also Prioritize Diverse Thinking
At SSi People, we believe diversity is not a trend, but rather a part of our identity. We know how to reach and attract diverse candidates through targeted social media groups and job boards, ensuring we connect with people from all backgrounds.
We are proud that 76% of our external team is made up of individuals from diverse communities and 42% of our employees are women. In addition, our community outreach creates opportunities for diverse groups through our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives that empower individuals to succeed by actively working to create equity in the communities where we operate. To discuss strategies on how your organization can attract diverse talent, contact us today.
