Sunrock
- Jun 14, 2021
- 3 min read

Diversity & Inclusion Recruitment Strategy

Updated: Jun 15, 2021

Once you’ve developed a diversity and inclusion strategy that incorporates retention, it is time to start thinking about your recruitment process.

Creating Access:

- Build partnerships with multicultural professional associations non-profits, and academic institutions

- Leverage Diverse Job boards

- Social Advertising

- Ask diverse employees to refer their diverse network

- Mitigate bias by investing in "end to end" hiring platforms that use technology to reduce bias in the hiring process

Creating Job Adverts:

The main purpose of a job advert is to attract the right candidate, however, lots of organisations do get it wrong.

Here are some examples of what NOT to do and how to SOLVE them:

- Mistake 1: Using unnecessary corporate jargon

• Solution: According to a study by Business in the Community (BITC), a business-led non-profit based in London, jargon is one of the most significant barriers that keeps talented young people from applying to entry-level positions.

- Mistake 2: Gender-coded words, like “Rockstar,” “ninja,” “strong verbal skills” and “dominate”. Words such as “young and energetic, “work hard/play hard” eliminates experienced candidates from applying for your positions

• Solution: To attract more female candidates, avoid using too many “masculine-type” words (e.g., ambitious, dominate, challenging) in your job posting. Replace skills & experience with, “here’s what might happen on a typical day. Replace strong verbal skills with, in conversations with our buyers and customers, you’ll be our advocate

- Mistake 3: No unique benefits that separate your company from competitors

• Solution: Call out inclusive benefits like parental leave and childcare subsidies

• E.g. PWC says start when you like, leave when you like

- Mistake 4: Equality statement hidden at the bottom of the job position

• Solution: Move your equality statement to the top of your job posting

- Mistake 5: No accessibility for people with disabilities

• Websites must be navigable by keyboard for users who may not be able to operate a mouse (i.e., navigating using the “Tab” on a keyboard)

• Solutions: Videos on websites are closed-captioned for individuals with hearing impairments

What makes a good job advert?

Typical job openings attract an average of 250 CVs. According to research by Glassdoor, only 2% will be invited to an interview - 5 out of 250 applicants.

Don’t use too many “key requirements” bullet points, you discourage female candidates from applying for your positions. Men typically assume they are qualified if they meet at least 60% of the key requirements as oppose to women who assumed they need to meet 90%. Seven bullet point as a maximum!

Incorporate (optional) equality questionaries upon application to understand the profiles and demographic of the candidates applying for your positions.

The Assessment Stage

Why Assess?

- Skills: A snapshot of what knowledge the candidate has gained throughout their experiences that showcase their abilities

- Aptitude: Reveal critical thinkers and problem solvers

- Personality: Determine a “culture add”

Offer each candidate a positive, encouraging, motivating and enriching experience, whether they’re hired for the job or not!

Reviewing and Shortlisting Checklist:

- Have clear policy and practices that protect your organisation from possible discrimination claims

- Panel selection meeting – who is doing what throughout the hiring process. Agree on timescales – factor holidays etc

- If possible, remove names from candidates and review “blind”

- Challenge your assumptions based on names, schools and locations (higher education is a privilege, not a right for all)

- Be open to applicants that have gaps on their CV (common with female candidates that have taken a career break to raise a family)

- Record keeping throughout the hiring process

- Structured Data – rank and score applicants with feedback

- Panel review meeting after every interview

- Question any unconscious bias that may occur between panel meetings

- Proceed to the next stage/stages of the interview process

- Contact unsuccessful candidates

The Final Stage:

- Depending on the size of your team, shortlisted candidates will meet other members of the business to ensure they’re not only capable of the job but a good culture “add” to the organisation

- Contact unsuccessful candidates

- Once an offer has been made to the successful candidate it is important to complete compliance and reference checks, for example, the right to work authentication, background checks, employment verification, educational verification etc.