Recruiting for Diversity… Recruiting an Ally!

This week we celebrate Pride Week and it’s given me time to reflect on my own role as a Talent Acquisition Lead at Alcoa.

We all have personal stories that underpin why we’re passionate about diversity. I believe mine comes from during my younger years of not always having experienced a sense of belonging or inclusion but often feeling I was on the outside looking in. I’m driven by not wanting others to have to experience what I had to go through, to influence a culture towards increasing inclusivity.

As a Talent Acquisition Lead for Blue Collar and Entry Talent here, I have the ability to do just that. I work in an all-female team in a predominantly white cis male heterosexual business, not unusual in our industry. The reality is diversity is hard to attract but perceptions and attitudes are changing, minority group numbers are increasing but we still have a long way to go. 

How do we do that and ensure it is sustainable?

We do that by not recruiting solely for the diverse candidate. It’s not about the quota, it’s not about the target, it’s about recruiting for the ally as well. Recruiting for the individuals that are going to stand up for those in the minority, that are going to call out those behaviours that aren’t acceptable, that believe in inclusivity and bring those around them along for the journey. It’s not about recruiting solely for the technical skills, the knowledge, and the experience, it’s about recruiting for the right attitude and behaviours.

We work hard to provide a recruitment process where an individual feels comfortable to be themselves, by simple acts such as wearing an LGBTI ally T-shirt, acknowledging country, asking our potential employees what inclusion and diversity means to them. Demonstrating from the outset that inclusivity is part of who we are, integral in our “Care for People” value.

But it doesn’t stop there, we have to be comfortable as Talent Acquisition Consultants to have those uncomfortable conversations, to call out the bias (and we all have them so there’s no shame), to turn down the candidate with all the experience and knowledge because they’re not an ally for change, and acceptance. 

Everyday it’s our job to challenge the perceptions, ask the confronting questions because all of us have the ability to enact change in the culture we work in.

Finally, this week we will be celebrating Pride Week across our sites where I feel privileged to be on Alcoa’s EAGLE Steering Committee – Employers at Alcoa for Gay and Lesbian Equality. Look out for Alcoa Allies sharing content of the great celebrations happening all week both here in Australia and Globally!