What do you do if your sourcing strategies are failing to attract diverse talent?

If sourcing strategies aren't attracting diverse talent, it's time to reassess. I'd start by examining where we're advertising roles and consider alternative platforms that reach a more diverse audience. Additionally, reviewing our messaging to ensure it's inclusive and appealing to diverse candidates may be needed. Collaborating with diversity-focused organizations and implementing targeted outreach initiatives can also help broaden our talent pool. A proactive and adaptable approach is key to fostering diversity and inclusion within our recruitment efforts.

By rethinking your job ads to be more inclusive and appealing to diverse candidates, you can attract a broader range of talent and build a more diverse and inclusive workforce. Use inclusive language that appeals to a wide range of candidates. Avoid gendered or biased terms and focus on the essential qualifications and skills required for the job. Include information about your company's commitment to diversity and inclusion in your job ads. Highlight employee resource groups, diversity training programs, or any diversity awards your organization has received. Before finalizing job ads, seek input from employees from diverse backgrounds to ensure that the language and messaging resonate with a broad range of candidates.

Lack of Diversity and Inclusion A lack of diversity in the workplace can hinder innovation and hinder the organisation's overall performance. Industry expert tip: Adopt inclusive hiring practices, such as blind resume screening and diverse interview panels, to attract a broad range of talent

Review and update job descriptions to eliminate biased language. Expand sourcing channels to include platforms and communities frequented by diverse talent. Partner with diversity-focused organizations and networks for outreach. Implement blind resume screening processes to mitigate unconscious bias. Offer diversity and inclusion training for recruiters to enhance awareness and skills. Establish diversity goals and metrics to track progress and accountability.

1. Review and revise job descriptions to ensure they are inclusive and appeal to a diverse audience. 2. Utilize diverse sourcing channels such as niche job boards, community organizations, and diversity-focused events. 3. Implement blind resume screening processes to reduce unconscious bias in candidate selection. 4. Partner with diversity-focused organizations and attend networking events to build relationships with underrepresented talent pools.

Identify and connect with organizations and professional associations that focus on diversity and inclusion within your industry or target demographic. Attend their events, workshops, and conferences to network with potential candidates. Attend or sponsor diversity job fairs and career expos targeted towards specific demographics or affinity groups. These events provide opportunities to meet and connect with a wide range of diverse candidates actively seeking employment. Expanding your networks requires a proactive and ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion. By diversifying your recruitment channels and actively engaging with diverse communities, you can attract a broader range of talent and build a more inclusive workforce.

Digital sourcing is revolutionizing recruitment across all professions. The most forward-thinking recruiters already use it daily but sometimes struggle to refresh their candidate pipeline. It's necessary to dig deeper into non-professional social networks to identify new candidates who bring diversity. On these social networks, you can reach out to 100% of candidates, not just the 20% who are actively job seeking. This is particularly effective for hiring in skill-shortage areas, thanks to an audience five times larger than on job boards. Another trick is simplified application without a CV, which reduces human biases. You focus on profiles that you would have likely overlooked based solely on a traditional CV!

As a recruiter specialising in senior hiring in IT Services and SaaS, I am passionate about increasing diversity in the sector. If your sourcing strategies are not working, you could consider partnering with a headhunter who can proactively profile the potential talent market and reach out to diverse candidates to represent the opportunity. It is key for a headhunter to partner closely with a client in order to ensure they can articulate the opportunity in a compelling way to diverse candidates. It is also important that the client reviews the interview process for biases and offers diversity training to hiring teams. Additionally, implementing blind resume screening into the process can ensure there are no biases.

Tailor your outreach messages to each candidate, highlighting specific aspects of the role or company that may resonate with their background or interests. Personalization demonstrates genuine interest and can help candidates feel valued. Reach out to candidates through a variety of communication channels, including email, phone calls, social media, and networking events. Different candidates may prefer different channels, so offering multiple options increases your chances of connecting with diverse talent.

Instead of relying solely on traditional methods like job boards to meet potential candidates, we often engage in attending relevant events, community professional meetups, and even voluntary services. These activities enable us to broaden our network and establish more meaningful in-person connections.

Unconscious bias can affect recruitment, favoring certain candidates unintentionally. To ensure equity, we use an equity centered hiring methodology that aligns with our corporate values of dismantling inequities, open & transparent communication, caring teams & communities, and data informed learning. We train our team on diversity, inclusion, and belonging stressing the importance of evidence based decisions triangulating resumes, asynchronous interactive screening and virtual interviews. Our materials including but not limited to job descriptions are reviewed to eliminate biased language, ex. "all star" and "unicorn" which might be polarizing. This comprehensive strategy brings our values to life.

To elevate diversity and foster inclusion, integrate it into core business practices, including hiring, culture, decision-making, and leadership evaluation. Recognize that DEI is a shared responsibility, not just for designated recruiters. Approach efforts with good intentions, empathy, and visible action. Formalize expectations and feedback mechanisms to drive accountability. Experiment and adjust based on employee input. Mitigate bias in recruiting with techniques like blind resume screening and priming interviewers. Consistently act with empathy, building an inclusive culture that fosters diversity, equity, and belonging, leading to improved business outcomes and positive societal impact.