The employment and business landscape is changing, increasing the need to find savvy individuals to fill diversity talent recruiter positions.  

Globalization, technology, an aging workforce, shifts in demographics and changing perspectives are contributing to the changes.  

Now, more than ever, diversity in recruitment efforts is a requirement, rather than an option if a business wants to remain competitive in their industry. 

A diversity talent recruiter can help businesses find good candidates who are not only well qualified to do their jobs but will mesh well with the company culture. 

Why a diversity talent recruiter? 

An individual who has been trained in recruiting for diversity has a keen understanding of what’s important to prospects.

And they can more easily match the right candidate to the right position and company. 

When your recruitment team is hiring for diversity, you’ll have a good mix of talents, skills, and personalities.

This can lead to greater productivity, engagement and employee retention. 

Benefits of a diverse workforce 

To be competitive in today’s global marketplace your employees should be a reflection of the markets you serve. 

As prospective candidates see your commitment to diversity in the workplace, recruitment and retention rates will grow.

So too will brand loyalty and word of mouth referral. 

This, in turn, will lead to a bigger pool of candidates, giving you more choice in finding the right person for your organization. 

Benefits to your organization 

Maintaining a diverse workforce of individuals with a variety of skills, talents, and backgrounds can encourage both productivity and creativity as everyone strives to reach a common goal. 

And if your employees feel like their contribution to the team is both desired and appreciated, they’ll experience job satisfaction.

This creates a positive environment that’s beneficial for everyone. 

Diversity within your organization can help you stand out as a company, leading to more opportunities for growth and an increase in revenue for your organization. 

By hiring people from diverse backgrounds you’re supporting your organization’s ability to interact with and support customers from across the globe.  

The most obvious example, of course, is language.

Both prospects and customers who either have limited vocabulary or don’t speak English at all will be more at ease when they can speak with someone who can communicate in their native language. 

And when people feel at ease they’ll be more open to doing business with your company. 

A diverse workforce can also add more to your bottom line than might happen otherwise. 

For example, an employee you’ve hired who has a disability knows and understands the needs and desires of your disabled customers – or prospective customers.

They are aware of your prospective customer’s concerns and will be able to make recommendations for products and services that will be of benefit to them. 

As you can see, it is in your best interest as an organization to focus on recruiting for diversity. 

When your commitment to a diverse workforce is evident by your aggressive outreach and recruiting efforts, you: 

• set yourself apart from the competition 
• attract more qualified applicants with a diverse range of skill-sets they bring to the table 
• improve employee retention and job satisfaction rates, leading to higher quality results 
• gain loyalty from diversity minded consumers who strive to only buy from socially responsible companies like yours 

Benefits for your employees  

As all employees are made to feel welcome and their efforts are appreciated, the work environment becomes one in which every employee is happy and excited to go to work. 

This leads to improved customer service and a strengthening of your brand. 

While conflicts can arise, the benefits of workplace diversity far outweigh any issues that may stem from the differences among individuals. 

And, as people from different cultures, generations, and backgrounds learn to work together, mutual trust and respect are built.

As employees recognize the strengths and talents that each team member brings to the table their efficiency improves. 

As the global marketplace continues to grow, employees who are interested in growing with your organization can take advantage of two types of growth opportunities: 

Promotion 

Employees with language skills and multicultural understanding can represent your organization, and help to build your presence in an expanded marketplace. 

Employee development 

Interested individuals can expand their knowledge and expertise of multinational business strategies.

This gives them a new career challenge as they remain open to possible expatriate assignments to help the organization expand its reach. 

 How to diversify your workforce 

Create your diversity policy and then make it known in all of your marketing efforts. 

Your policy needs to spell out goals and strategies that your team can use to ensure that you’re reaching as many individuals as possible.  

Specifically, your diversity policy needs to include: 

• Clearly written job descriptions that aren’t discriminatory against any applicant. 
• Where and how you’ll advertise in order to find as diverse of a talent pool as possible. 
• Guidelines that are in line with current government rules and regulations concerning hiring practices. (to avoid litigation if possible) 
• Clearly stated conflict resolution statement that affords equal treatment for everyone, across the board. 
• Employee management training that includes education about differences in communication and business etiquette to ensure good management practices. 
• Policies in regard to any needed accommodations for individual needs to support employees in their job duties 

No matter the challenges your organization might face by diversifying your workforce, the benefits far outweigh them. 

You’re strengthening your organization when you diversify your hiring efforts.

Why?

Because you’re building a team of individuals with varying skill-sets, experiences, perceptions and communication styles.

And as technology continues to bring the world ever closer together, with a diverse workforce you can quickly respond to changes in the marketplace.

Giving you the tools to meet the demands of business in an effective – and profitable way. 

 

Diversity talent recruiter openings.

Maybe you’ve seen them on the job boards and thought to yourself, “yeah, I can do that, but what are these companies looking for in a recruiter?”

Glad you asked!

A talent recruiter should have a lot of skills. Companies need recruiters with a capacity to learn quickly and the ability to routinely discover great prospects.

They need people who are well organized and are proficient with technology.

But most importantly, they need recruiters who have great people skills.

Why people skills?

Because recruiters who know how to connect with people who have different backgrounds, perspectives, expectations, etc. are worth their weight in gold.

Finding a great fit is more than names, dates, and numbers on a resume’.

Someone can look great on paper, but a good diversity recruiter, after time, will be able to pick up on subtle clues that tell them whether or not a particular individual will be a good fit with a corporation’s culture.

When they’re able to match candidates with employers…and those matches are great for both, the diversity talent recruiter will have companies knocking down their door, looking for help with their own hiring needs.

Which makes the diversity recruiter’s job even easier because they’ll easily grow their database of contacts!

So as you can see, people skills are vital as a diversity talent recruiter.

The following people skills can help you thrive as a recruiter because they’re directly related to your ability to perform well.:

1.Resourcefulness

You might not consider resourcefulness a people skill per se, but it really is.

Why?

Because it requires you to have a keen understanding of how people think, what they will likely do and what they want from you and the company(ies) you’re recruiting for.

Even if what they want is for you to try someone else.

For example, you can use Boolean search tactics, networking and social media to find great talent, but what should you do if that talent chooses to ignore you through those “normal” channels?

Think outside the box, of course.

Study everything you can about your prospect from their public offerings and search for anything you can use that will catch their eye.

For example, maybe you see that they spend their downtime volunteering at the local shelter and you happen to have a rescue dog. A casual reference could spark a response.

In other words, find some kind of common ground with the prospect who is ignoring you and reach out again, making note of what you have in common.

That is being resourceful!

2.Persuasiveness

Studies show that 69% of employed individuals are actively searching for new jobs…31% are content to stay as they are.

Often, this smaller percentage of “content” individuals are actually among the best candidates, so don’t leave them out of your recruiting efforts.

Most recruiters will ignore the passive employees to go after the other pool of prospects.  

You, however, are a recruiter who does things differently.

You go after those individuals who will be a great fit for your client…no matter what group they might be included in.

And you do your best to show the “satisfied” employees that the grass really is greener on the other side.

3. Listening Skills

How many times have to you tried to listen to someone speak, only to realize that you were so busy forming your response in your own mind that you missed most of what they said?

It happens to all of us…but to be a successful recruiter, you need to sharpen those listening skills until you can almost read the speaker’s mind!

Only by listening…and observing…carefully will you be able to discern the needs and desires of both the client and the prospective candidates.

Your success as a diversity talent recruiter depends on your ability to listen well and to learn the needs of your client and all candidates.

Do this by asking as many questions as you can, in order to gain a deep understanding of what the company desires in their employee and the prospective employee expects of their employer.

Bottom line, the more you know about both parties, the better the match and the more satisfied both your client and their new employee will be.

4. Body Language Skills

People often say things with their bodies that they wouldn’t admit to out loud. That’s why learning to read body language – at least on a cursory level – can help your diversity recruiting efforts.

Body language can also be a two-way street, helping you to express yourself as well.

For example, if you want the candidate to feel that you’re trustworthy and reliable, your body language should be open and relaxed.

5. Ability to build relationships

When you truly care about helping people, this particular skill will come naturally to you.

If you like to meet new people – even when you’re not working at building your network – this type of job is perfect for you.

Take the time to cultivate the relationships you create. Realize that good relationships are built on the premise of “give and take” so be open to opportunities where you can give more than you get.

If you’re approachable and easy to engage, you’ll quickly build up a network of people and connections who can help you thrive as a diversity talent recruiter.

People usually like to help those they like, know and trust, so it’s important to develop a long view of the relationships you’re building as a recruiter and keep in mind that the next candidate for your client could be someone you never imagined.

When you keep your eyes open for opportunities to help everyone you come across, in whatever way you can, you open up doors for yourself as well.

Some people call it “karma”, others call it “reaping and sowing”, but whatever you call this ancient principle, practice it often and see your career take flight.

 

 

There may come a time when the only kind of recruiter positions you’ll find on any job board are diversity talent recruiter jobs. 

Why? 

Because as more companies realize the importance of having a diverse workforce they’ll be searching for recruiters who can provide a diverse spectrum of great candidates. 

Why employers are posting diversity talent recruiter jobs

Two driving forces behind this trend in talent recruitment are changes to demographics and the emergence of global markets.

Smart companies know that the benefits of a diverse workplace are only gained when all of the individuals brought together are a good match.  

Their current recruiters may not have the knowledge and skills needed to find diverse prospects for their company. This is one of the reasons why these organizations need diversity talent recruiters to help fill their vacancies. 

Are you biased? 

Everyone, no matter who they are, has certain biases.  

We all see the world in a different way and our biases can impair our attempts to recruit for diversity. 

For example, imagine two individuals who have the exact same skill-set, and nearly identical experience, but one attended a prestigious, “ivy league” university and another a good state school.  

Which candidate would you, as a recruiter, bring to your client? Why? 

Is the employer really interested in diversity? 

Just because an employer states they want a diverse workforce, that doesn’t mean they’ve put the processes in place to ensure one. 

And if they do have a process is it clear, actionable and explicit in how it will be implemented? 

The processes they do have in place for recruiting could actually be precluding the best candidates. (e.g. using poorly written job descriptions) 

When searching for diversity talent recruiter jobs ask your prospective employer or client about the processes they use to find diverse talent.   

Listen for concepts such as blind resume screenings and value-based hiring practices for hints that the company truly is seeking to diversify their workforce. 

How to stand out as a diversity talent recruiter 

Challenge how you view the world 

How you view the world is going to be different than how others view it. It’s simply human nature. 

This doesn’t mean that you’re racist, sexist, etc. But it does mean that you have a particular way of doing and thinking about things. This fact can impact where you source candidates and how you interact with them. 

By understanding your own biases you’re more likely to question your own decisions to avoid reflexive judgments and to make more rational and equitable decisions. 

Write outstanding job descriptions 

The importance of writing a great job description to attract diverse candidates cannot be overstated. 

For example, studies have shown that gendered language can dissuade women from applying. If you’re trying to attract diverse talent, it’s important to make the language as neutral as possible.  

In some cases, the employer should note that they’re actively seeking and encouraging diverse candidates to apply to a position. (e.g. for in jobs which have historically been attributed to a specific gender)

Stay on top of the industry

Educate yourself on the latest changes in legislation and the recruitment industry. And connect with organizations dedicated to diversity to help your recruitment efforts be as effective as possible. 

What to expect in the interview 

Companies and agencies are searching for recruiters who have the ability to source qualified candidates who are a good match with their clients.  

You may be asked about any and all experience you’ve had in sales and/or in customer service. These skill-sets are intricately connected to success as a diversity recruiter. 

Other topics the interviewer may ask could include your expertise in using recruitment tools. They may ask for ideas for finding diversity candidates with the skills and qualifications clients need.

Resources for diversity talent recruiter jobs 

It’s not difficult to find diversity talent recruiter jobs…all of the major job boards can be a good source, but don’t stop there.  

Recruiters have reported success when using the following resources too.: 

• LinkedIn 

If you’re looking for a diversity talent recruiter job, it should be among the first places you look. 

And while you’re looking for a job you should also be making connections and building your network. These two things will help you shine as a diversity recruiter. 

• Mogul 

Mogul is described as “an award-winning worldwide platform enabling women to connect, share information, and access knowledge from each other.” Their job board features employers who are looking for women candidates to fill their job vacancies.  

You can proactively reach out to these employers and offer them your services as a diversity talent recruiter. When you land the job, you can also use Mogul to find great talent for your clients! 

Finally, don’t be afraid to reach out to companies who are advertising for recruiter jobs that don’t mention diversity in the job description.  

It could simply be an oversight, or they could be unaware of the benefits of having a diverse workforce. Either way, when they see that you’re on top of industry changes and can deliver skilled candidates who are a great match, they’ll be glad you joined their team. 

 

 

 

 

For more than 20 years I’ve been involved with talent acquisition, starting as a healthcare recruiter in the US Navy.

I recruited nurses, physicians, dentists, and other patient-facing healthcare positions.

And while my background was Information Technology, I really fell in love with recruiting. There’s nothing like the ability to empower people’s lives by helping them connect with career opportunities.

Change

Although the tools used in recruiting have changed over the past two decades, the fundamentals of recruiting haven’t. Good recruitment practices are essential.

The biggest changes in recruiting are the tools and techniques for sourcing and finding talent.

In some cases recruiting has become more transactional and less strategic, but great recruiting should always start with a strategic alignment to the business needs of the employer.

When I started recruiting, we didn’t have all the technology that we have today. AI, social media and other sourcing tools and platforms were not available.

Recruiters had to rely on good research and “detective-like” skills. We used the library, city directory, white pages, yellow pages, newspapers, and other print media to find people.

Sometimes we showed up at the golf course on Wednesday afternoon or the bowling alley on Friday night to connect with and meet people who matched our target roles.

We spent more time using the telephone to get past gatekeepers and reach our prospects. Today we use email, Inmail, tweets, and other electronic messages and social media to reach these people.

I believe the things that haven’t changed are the focus on connecting great people to great opportunities and making sure we do the right thing to make people’s lives better and not work just to make a placement.

Impact of technology

I think that the biggest driver to the changes in recruiting is technology.

The tools available today are superior to the phone book, print, and networking that were used when I first started.

Today, tools change so quickly that a recruiter has to be a continuous learner. A recruiter who loves the profession and is hungry about learning and always trying to get better at engaging talent has the advantage.

The days of just being a transactional paper pushing recruiter are numbered.

Many of the transactional tasks can be automated or outsourced to someone who doesn’t need to be a strong recruiter or sourcer.

To succeed as a recruiter, an individual doesn’t have to be passionate about technology, but they need to accept it as part of the profession and use it to be competitive.

In short, embrace the technology. Actively seek to learn how to use it, be ethical, be brief with outreach and show value.

But, it’s not just about the technology.

Recruiters must have the communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and relationship building skills to gain trust and build relationships with both the employer and the candidate.

This has not changed as a requirement, but many recruiters lack these fundamental competencies.

Technology and users’ rights

While it’s a little early to truly understand the real impact that GDPR will have on how recruiters connect with candidates, it’s important to look ahead at how changes will impact the industry.

Even though GDPR is a European Union (EU) Regulation, there is a global impact on recruiting because of the nature of the global economy and the increasing number of multi-national corporations with global hiring needs as work becomes more virtual.

There are more systems collecting personal information and recruiters depend on those systems to reach candidates. GDPR is not isolated to the EU, so recruiters will need to ensure that their tools are compliant.

They can do this by reading and understanding GDPR and how it is being implemented in the countries they recruit for.

We can’t just stick our heads in the sand and pretend it doesn’t exist.

Asking more questions from tool providers and ensuring that they implement processes and the right capabilities in their tools and systems will be key to helping recruiters continue to do their jobs.

Recruiting for diversity

Diversity recruiting can be confusing.

It’s difficult because recruiters and companies are still in the early stages of figuring out how to increase diversity in the candidate pipeline without implementing discriminatory practices against demographics they’re not looking to hire.

In short…they need and want their hiring practices to be transparent and equitable across the board.

For example, some companies take the extreme measure of saying I only want to see candidates from a certain demographic.

This means recruiters will need to become more knowledgeable and confident with advising their employers and clients on the implications, risks, and approaches to hiring for that demographic while maintaining a fair and unbiased process.

Recruiters and employers will have to work to achieve balance in the area of diversity recruiting.

The “Diverse Recruiting Experts” Way

My approach is to make diversity recruiting part of our normal process. We see diversity recruiting as an integral part of what we do and don’t make it a special program.

I have dedicated much of my career to including diversity as part of the process. It means looking for a broad range of people with a variety of backgrounds, skills, and demographics as part of the normal recruiting process.

Finding the talent is one challenge, but the other challenge is preparing hiring teams to assess people among the diverse pool of candidates during the interview process.

Lots of work to do with finding and assessing the talent.

Interviewer capability is probably the more difficult problem to solve.

 What works best now

The best option for successful recruiting is to take a long-term view of getting to know the talent.

Recruiting is a simple business.

We need to understand what the company needs in order to meet their business objectives, and we find the people with those qualifications.

We partner with hiring teams to look for people who have the competencies, skills, and behaviors to do the role today or potential to grow into the role.

The best approach is to understand what you’re looking for and proactively engage the talent by building trust, adding value and developing relationships before you ever know about a specific job.

Companies with strong employer brands and recognition in the communities where they want to hire will be better positioned to hire the people they need to meet their current and future needs.

Looking ahead

We need to make recruiting a recognized profession where there is an actual degree in recruiting and not just a subset of the HR function.

Recruiters are an interesting breed.

We are part HR, part marketing, part sales, part researcher, and part business developer. Our profession requires a life-long learning mindset, organizational skills, communication skills and influencing skills.

Recruiters must be curious, problem solvers, creative and empathic.

We must also be able to balance rules that are black and white against gray areas that require judgment and courage to stand up against things that are not right.

What doesn’t work

Just putting butts in seats to make a placement without having empathy for your candidate or the employer is out!

You must care about the people and employers to be successful.

The talent market is competitive…candidates have choices and want to work with people they trust and if a recruiter doesn’t build trust and make the connection, it will be difficult to hire.

No longer can you just post a job and have people apply.

Sourcing and finding talent are required to attract and hire great people. If you are not looking for candidates, chances are they are not looking for you either.