This article is part of the comprehensive guide on LinkedIn Sourcing. Read our related content on Boolean Search and LinkedIn Recruit Filters.
A healthy organizational culture is one where diversity is a key criterion in recruitment. In today’s article, we cover the benefits, challenges, and best practices for including diversity in your recruitment process.
Understanding Diversity Sourcing
What is Diversity sourcing?
As we already mentioned, diversity sourcing is a strategic part of the recruitment process that specifically aims to implement initiatives that target specific groups of people from diverse backgrounds.
Diversity and Inclusion in Recruitment and Selection
This can be reflected in your recruitment process by establishing partnerships with organizations and attending job fairs and events specifically designed for specific demographic groups. You can also reach specific networks organized around the diversity and inclusion principle.
The Benefits of Diversity Sourcing on LinkedIn
The best place to start diversity sourcing is LinkedIn.
LinkedIn’s diverse user base
One of the main benefits is that LinkedIn offers access to a diverse user base. Having more than 930 million members in more than 200 countries you get a wider range of profiles with different demographic backgrounds.
Access to underrepresented talent pools
Considering how vast the network is, you also enter a world where you can easily connect with people from underrepresented pools.
Improved employer branding through diverse representation
Moreover, another important benefit is that you increase your employer brand reputation. People are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of diversity and inclusion, and companies that have it are becoming more attractive.
Challenges of Diversity Sourcing
Since diversity sourcing is still a new concept in the recruitment industry, there are some challenges that you should be aware of from the beginning.
Risk of perpetuating unconscious biases
One of the main challenges is the risk of perpetuating unconscious biases. There might be cases when recruiters unintentionally favor people from certain countries or with backgrounds from specific companies.
Limited visibility of diverse candidates
Another challenge lies in the limited visibility of diverse candidates. Some might know this as network biases. When we create our networks, we are more prone to connect with people similar to us. In this way, we create a bubble in which we perform our recruitment efforts.
Resistance from Hiring Managers
One of the challenges we don’t often talk about is related to the resistance from Hiring Managers. A diverse workplace requires diverse internal initiatives to create an inclusive organizational culture and help the company grow. This might be challenging for some Hiring Managers since it requires an expansion outside their comfort zone and moving away from the same-old classic recruitment methods.
Best Practices for Diversity Outsourcing on LinkedIn
However, if you decide you want to include diversity outsourcing in your recruitment process, there are 4 best practices that you can follow.
Define and prioritize diversity and inclusion goals
First things first, you should commit to the fact that diversity and inclusion are important pillars of your company. Once everybody is on the same page, you should define how this translates into specific goals and action points. You can set KPIs to measure your progress as well.
Optimize job postings for inclusivity and diversity
Another thing you can do is review your current job posting templates and scan for any keywords or phrases that are not fostering inclusivity. You should clearly state that inclusivity and diversity are one of your company’s core principles.
Moreover, you can take into consideration implementing Blind Hiring Techniques. This means you don’t focus on gender, names, or educational background at the resume stage.
Leverage LinkedIn’s diversity filters and search features
In our previous article, we covered everything you have to know about LinkedIn’s filters. In a nutshell, LinkedIn offers you the option to source people based on specific criteria and keywords. You can use various formulas to identify what works best for you.
Engage with diverse communities and groups on LinkedIn
Other LinkedIn functionalities you can use to foster diversity are communities and groups. For example, you can join specific groups such as Black Owned Businesses or Women in Tech.
Let us know what your challenges are related to diversity and inclusiveness.
LinkedIn Diversity Sourcing FAQ
What is Diversity Outsourcing on LinkedIn, and why is it important for businesses?
Diversity outsourcing is a strategic part of your recruitment process that aims at attracting and hiring people with diverse backgrounds and demographics. Diversity is important for companies that want to grow and innovate.
How can I ensure that my Diversity Outsourcing efforts on LinkedIn are effective and yield results?
To ensure your diversity outsourcing efforts on LinkedIn are effective, you should set goals, establish clear communication channels, and track and measure efforts.
How can companies ensure they are not perpetuating unconscious biases when sourcing for diversity on LinkedIn?
One way of making sure you are not perpetuating unconscious biases when sourcing for diversity on LinkedIn is by using Blind Hiring Techniques and organizing company-wide workshops to educate people about their biases and how to overcome them.
How can you measure the success of Diversity Outsourcing efforts?
One way of measuring the success of your diversity outsourcing efforts is by looking at your company stats. Are people coming from different backgrounds/countries? Do you have employees from underrepresented groups?
