Beyond the Buzzwords: DE&I's Essential Role in Talent Acquisition

I distinctly remember clicking on the Instagram advertisement for a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) certification course at Cornell University back in 2020. It sparked my interest in learning more about DE&I, and I quickly enrolled. Throughout this course, I had the space to assess some of my own unconscious biases and grow as an ally. The certification also ignited an even greater passion for enhancing equitable recruiting practices across my corporate talent team.

As Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist at Morgan Properties and Co-Chair of the DE&I Council, I lead the charge in incorporating DE&I into our hiring blueprint. We're not just adding buzzwords to our website; I'm talking about meaningful research to spot our biases and evolve how we attract and vet talent. No shortcuts.

Words really matter when it comes to attracting new talent. I started by dissecting our job descriptions line by line, finding subtle expressions or word choices that could discourage qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds. Now, my team highlights transferrable skills and experiences in our job descriptions rather than focusing on rigid requirements. From 2022 to 2023, Morgan Properties saw a 39.37% increase in the number of applications per corporate opening. Growing application rates suggest my team is engaging prospects we would have previously missed.

How we approach interviews has also evolved. Our top priority is maintaining consistent screening procedures and questioning. On the surface, these changes seem simple. But, these tweaks help us better evaluate a candidate’s skills and how they fit the role rather than comparing them to other applicants.

There are no excuses anymore; hiring diverse talent needs to be a standard practice. I'm energized by the positive growth talent teams can incite, even through minor changes in how we word a job description or interview an applicant.

My advice to other talent leaders on this DE&I journey is to start by critically assessing your company's hiring biases and how you retain diverse talent. Companies must promote an inclusive work environment where employees believe they can grow for diversity to flourish. Then you can implement a talent acquisition process that resonates with diverse candidates. Our teams, companies, and communities will be more equitable for it.