The Best Job Boards For Diverse Hiring
Okay, so this is it. You’re ready to bring on a new team member, but you don’t want to just bring on the first person that comes through your door.
You want to make sure that you hire out of the most diverse pool of applicants you can possibly find so that you don’t just talk the social evolution talk — you also walk the walk.
So, how are you going to do it? You don’t just go search for contractors your peers or others in your industry have worked with. You don’t just go to LinkedIn or Indeed. You find diverse job boards that attract strong candidates from totally new pools.
But that’s not the first step.
It all starts with your job listing
This might seem obvious, but I promise, this one’s harder than you think! Because the problem is that most prospective employers get this step totally wrong, and it affects the entire hiring process.
Most companies create a job listing from a company-centric place. They spend the majority of the listing talking about the responsibilities of the job and what they need the candidate to have.
And while, yes, communicating these expectations within your listing is important, there needs to be so much more. For instance, if you’re requiring a Master’s Degree and 5 years of experience, you might be playing into traditional hiring practices that don’t create much space for marginalized communities.
So, what should you include in the listing? It’s important to talk about company culture, and the benefits potential employees will receive from working with you. Do you have lots of space for upward mobility? Will they gain experience in a highly-competitive industry (while still being paid fairly)?
If you want to attract diverse candidates who are excited about the opportunity, you need to speak to their desires. It’s kind of like a good ad for a new dress — that ad could make or break how much you want to put your time and money into purchasing the dress.
Use inclusive language
This should be everywhere — your job listing, your website, your social media handles… many marginalized folks are specifically looking for inclusive language that goes beyond just the job listing.
They want to know that, if they choose to work for you, they won’t be faced with micro-aggressions, discrimination, and ignorance in the workplace. I think it’s a great idea to consult with your HR rep or department to ensure that the language across your platform is completely inclusive and socially progressive.
Post your job listing to the right place
The final step in ensuring you get as many different and diverse candidates as possible is to put your listing in the right places. I definitely think indeed.com is a great place to start, as it’s one of the most popular job sites! You’ll definitely get lots of interest as it’s one of the most reputable and accessible platforms.
But if you want to go a step further, I think it’s important to place your listing on diverse job boards, specifically designed as a safe space for marginalized people.
This job board is specifically for LGBTQ+ BIPOC job seekers. This board is also doing so much to move pay equity forward and does have a minimum salary requirement.
This site is both cost-effective and targeted to women/femme-identifying.
Targeted Facebook Groups
I know, Facebook isn’t the greatest company in the world. But their Facebook groups are created by people, for people, and many of them are amazing places to find diverse hires! Some of my favorites are Black Freelancers & VA Network and How She Did That.
Want a hiring process focused on diversity, equity & inclusion?
Okay! Wow! Sometimes, I forget how much goes into the hiring process, but I promise you that it’s always worth it.
But if you want to go deeper, have someone else advocate for your team, AND have the whole process done for you click here to apply to work with me and the Meg K. Co. team! We’ll help you find the best person for the job — and help you extend your company’s culture throughout the hiring process.
