How to Spot Diverse and Inclusive Companies in Your Job Search
So, you've decided to be more intentional with your job search by tailoring it to find companies that value and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion - that's great!
Are you struggling to find companies in your job search who value and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (or DI/DEI) on their team? It’s well known that a diverse workforce leads to more ideas and innovation, which benefits the employees and the company. It's an important core value, but some companies are prioritizing it at different paces. So, how can you specifically find companies that have what you’re looking for? It will take a special approach, but it is possible! Here are 4 steps to guide you through a diversity and inclusion-focused job search.
Look for published articles and evidence of companies that are actively improving the entire landscape of DEI by hiring women, veterans, people of color, a variety of ages, etc. Learn about internal company culture as well. Check LinkedIn for previous employees and ask if they would talk to you. If you can’t find anyone, places like Glassdoor or Comparably can provide insight into employee experience but read them with a grain of salt. People are more likely to talk about negative experiences than positive ones. Understand that the opinions on those websites can be skewed.
What do Diversity and Inclusion mean?
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are top of mind right now, so what do they really mean? Diversity, as defined by AIHR Digital, is "a workforce that’s made up of people from, among other things, different ages, cultural backgrounds, geographies, physical abilities and disabilities, religions, genders, and sexual orientation. a diverse range of experiences—from appearance to thought, likes or dislikes, and identity." Inclusion focuses on how to enable and support employees to thrive and participate through office and company culture.Research Digital Presence
When looking for a DEI-focused company, start by looking at the company's website and read the diversity and mission statements. How do they sound to you? Note the make-up of their internal team. Review their social media channels, blog articles, company announcements, etc. Keep in mind that these are written specifically to show the company’s best side, so think about what they aren’t showing as well.Look for published articles and evidence of companies that are actively improving the entire landscape of DEI by hiring women, veterans, people of color, a variety of ages, etc. Learn about internal company culture as well. Check LinkedIn for previous employees and ask if they would talk to you. If you can’t find anyone, places like Glassdoor or Comparably can provide insight into employee experience but read them with a grain of salt. People are more likely to talk about negative experiences than positive ones. Understand that the opinions on those websites can be skewed.
Dig Deeper Into Job Descriptions
Job descriptions can sometimes provide subtle hints that indicate the organization is working on DEI initiatives, but be mindful. This should be a small part of your research. From inclusive language to removing gender-coded words, many employers are taking the extra step to enhance their ads. This can be as simple as using neutral pronouns like They/Them/You when addressing the job seeker. Not sure what gender-neutral job descriptions look like? Here are some examples:- They (or you) must be a developer with 2-3 years’ CSS experience.
- You are highly confident, experienced, and able to support and teach a team.
Ask Questions at the Interview
You’ll likely be able to ask the hiring manager questions at some point—this is your chance to get a better understanding of the company’s values, goals, and mission. It’s also a great way to learn more about diversity and inclusion practices within the company. What is the mission of this team? What is the range of experience across staff? How does everyone collaborate on projects? Asking questions like these can help the interviewer share openly about how the team works together and what they value in their work.Reflect on the Interview Experience
After your interview, you should have enough information from your research and your conversation with the hiring manager to decide if the company will be a good match for you. Still not sold? Ask yourself a few of these questions:- Did you feel comfortable in the interview?
- Does their work culture promote collaboration and speaking up? If so, do you feel like your voice would be heard?
- Do your core values align?
- How did they show their values in the interview process?
- Were they comfortable and knowledgeable when answering DEI-related questions?
- Did your research match what the hiring manager said in your interview?
Still not sure what to pre-interview research to do? Here are 3 things you need to know before your interview and where to find them.
