11 Tactics to Attract Diverse Employees and Get A Bang Out of Your Recruitment Efforts

In a time marked by labor shortages and hailed as the great resignation, diversity recruitment strategies reinvent the wheel and introduce palpable energy to the hiring process.

However, decades of reliance on homogenous workforces sway the best diversity recruiting efforts. Finding potential employees with the right characteristics for good performance while ensuring these candidates come from diverse backgrounds is tough.

Nonetheless, diversity recruitment is a burgeoning trend, not a mere short-term, stop-gap measure – so working with a sustainable diversity recruitment strategy is crucial—though challenging to draft.

This article will help you move the dial on your diversity hiring strategies and get a bang out of your recruitment efforts; stay tuned!

11 Tactics to Improve Your Diversity Recruitment Strategy

1. Build your recruiting strategy from the inside

While specific steps and procedures can help you hire diverse candidates, there is no foolproof strategy for building a diversity recruitment strategy.
Diverse workforces thrive best in companies where diversity is at the heart and soul of its culture. This means your diversity recruitment strategy is only as strong as how well your most minor employee can align with company values.

So we recommend you ‘show don’t tell’

Show employees that their opinions count. What are the desires and pain points of potential hires? Address them in your interviewing section; tackle pending issues and revisit long-standing concerns.

Successful diversity recruitment strategies are built from the inside—don’t tout the suit if you can’t put in the work. If you truly value diversity, your actions will support your values.

2. Reach out to networks that function as a hub

Every industry has multiple market segments with thousands of highly talented folks. And the men and women that make up these segments use different mediums for interaction.

Whittling down a comprehensive list of the top talents within each segment is almost impossible, so recruiters shy away from the option, settling for familiar talent pools.

If you want to find the right talent for your diverse workforce, you must cast a wide net. Improve your diversity recruitment strategy by reaching out to networking groups, alumni associations, and other networks that already function as a hub.

3. Start your search from within

It’s not every day you’ll come across employees who understand the essence of diversity and possess a portfolio that’s worth its salt.

So even with a highly detailed diversity recruitment strategy, there is no guarantee that your hiring efforts will be a great success or a damp squib.

Diverse employees are connected with the diverse job candidates you’re seeking. Sometimes referrals and recommendations might find you the right candidate.

Also, many diverse organizations host events, publications, and conferences that attract a broad audience. If you put the word out where your audience is, there is no limit to what you can achieve.

4. Make your diversity recruitment strategy easy and fun

Many CEOs try to come off as principled and socially responsible when hopping on the diversity recruitment bandwagon for the first time.

It’s okay to opt for the noble outlook. But don’t make the mistake of working with a stiff or rigid diversity hiring strategy to keep face.

Keep your recruitment strategy warm, friendly, and welcoming

For instance; you can invite job candidates to write a one-page solution to a problem that involves a diversity challenge at work—opt for a topic that’s easy, inclusive, and fun to talk to about; then use the opportunity to share ideas, build rapport, and identify their overall goals for diversity.

5. Target sources where diverse candidates congregate

There are lots of local and international talent pools. It’s tempting to place your job ads locally since most recruiters believe it’s easier to control the candidate sourcing process that way.

But hey, to find top, diverse talents, you must approach a broad audience and be intentional with your search

Place career ads in media whose readers/viewers are diverse; religious, cultural, and ethnic publications, T.V. stations, websites, etc. If possible, reach out one by one to diverse candidates and ask them for participation.

Putting in the time to research and identify where diverse candidates congregates will help establish a long-term hiring pipeline.