Hiring diverse candidates isn’t just about meeting organizational goals—it’s about fostering an inclusive workplace that thrives on varied perspectives and experiences. Research, such as one from Korn Ferry, consistently shows that diversity in teams leads to increased innovation – to the point 80% of the World’s Most Admired Companies purposely create inclusive and diverse teams to improve team performance and creativity.
However, achieving genuine diversity requires more than traditional hiring methods.
To succeed, recruiters need to identify and leverage inclusive sourcing channels that reach underrepresented talent pools. Drawing from industry insights & proven practices, this blog outlines potential sourcing channels & actionable diversity recruitment best practices designed for seasoned recruiters aiming to source diverse candidates effectively and authentically.
Effective Channels for Sourcing Diverse Candidates
1. Specialized Job Boards
What They Are:
Specialized job boards focus on connecting underrepresented talent with employers. Platforms like DiversityJobs, Black Career Network, and AbilityJobs are specifically designed to cater to demographics that may be overlooked on traditional job boards.
How They Help:
Specialized job boards offer a direct and efficient way for employers to reach diverse talent pools. By posting job opportunities on these platforms, recruiters can engage with candidates who bring unique perspectives and experiences to the workplace.
Many of these boards have partnerships with community organizations, professional associations, and educational institutions dedicated to underrepresented groups. Posting your open roles on a well-established, well-connected job boards means your reach can get a boost to reach diverse and talented candidates
Give Women For Hire a Try
For companies aiming to connect with more female talent, Women For Hire offers an outstanding platform. Established in 1999 and endorsed by outlets like Forbes, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, Women For Hire has built a reputation for connecting top employers with talented women across industries.
This job board is particularly well-known for hosting expansive career fairs in partnership with Fortune 100 companies. In Chicago alone, their event in 2008 drew an impressive 4,000 job seekers. With its rich history of success and proven strategies, Women For Hire continues to serve as a vital resource for employers striving to meet their diversity hiring goals.
2. Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs)
What They Are:
MSIs, or Minority-Serving Institutions, include Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and tribal colleges. These schools are dedicated to educating diverse student populations and often serve as a cornerstone for cultivating talent from underrepresented communities.
How They Help:
MSIs provide employers with unparalleled access to diverse candidate pipelines. Partnering with these institutions allows organizations to connect directly with students who are often underrepresented in the workforce. Many MSIs offer career development programs designed to prepare students for professional success.
Organizations looking to connect with MSIs can consider participating in workshops, mentorship initiatives, and on-campus events. As employers, you can actively contribute to these skill-building initiatives while fostering meaningful relationships with potential hires.
Beyond access to talent, MSIs are often at the forefront of research on workforce diversity. They collect and analyze data on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by underrepresented groups. By collaborating with MSIs, companies can gain diversity recruitment best practices & insights into these dynamics, enabling them to tailor recruitment strategies and better support diverse candidates.
Do It Like ServiceNow
A prime example of leveraging MSIs is ServiceNow’s partnership with HBCU Connect. They launched a 6-week Virtual Learning Experience and Hackathon, challenging students to solve real-world problems while simultaneously providing opportunities for internships and full-time jobs at ServiceNow. This initiative not only resulted in increased hires but also fostered goodwill and established a long-term engagement strategy with HBCU students.
3. Professional Organizations
What They Are:
Professional groups such as the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA), and Out & Equal support individuals from specific communities or professional industry backgrounds. These organizations create networks that empower their members, while also offering employers a valuable channel for connecting with diverse talent.
How They Help:
Professional organizations host regular events and conferences that attract members from across the country—or even globally. Recruiters can expect a mix of workshops, professional development initiatives like MSIs, and recruitment events or career fairs.
By participating in or sponsoring these gatherings, recruiters gain the opportunity to meet diverse candidates face-to-face. These events are excellent platforms for fostering meaningful connections and engaging in conversations about career opportunities.
Active involvement in professional organizations also enhances an employer’s brand as a champion of diversity and inclusion. By sponsoring or hosting workshops, seminars, and other activities, companies can showcase their commitment to supporting underrepresented groups. These actions help position employers as trusted partners and advocates for diversity.
Do It Like CitiGroup
CitiGroup exemplifies the value of partnering with professional organizations through its long-standing relationship with the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA). Since 1995, Citi has sponsored various NBMBAA events, including career fairs and workshops aimed at connecting Black professionals with job opportunities.
This active involvement has positioned Citi as a forward-thinking organization committed to DEI. Citi’s sponsorship efforts are regularly featured in NBMBAA’s social materials and content, further boosting the company’s reputation as a diversity-focused employer.
4. Social Media Platforms
What They Are:
Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok are dynamic tools that enable organizations to connect with diverse audiences. With 5.22 Billion Social Media Identities by the end of 2024, recruiters can create interactive & engaging content combined with features like targeted ads, and active participation in DEI-focused groups to create unique opportunities to attract underrepresented talent.
How They Help:
Social media empowers organizations to showcase their commitment to diversity and inclusion authentically. By posting about employee resource groups (ERGs), diversity initiatives, and inclusive workplace practices, companies send a clear message that these values are integral to their culture. This transparency resonates with candidates who prioritize inclusivity in their workplace.
Employee stories and testimonials are the fuel to a lot of diversity recruitment best practices. By sharing personal narratives, organizations can humanize the recruitment process and provide an inside look at the experiences of diverse employees. These stories not only inspire but also reinforce the company’s dedication to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment.
Additionally, many platforms host groups and forums centered around diversity and inclusion topics. Companies that actively engage in these discussions can establish themselves as thought leaders in the DEI space. This visibility allows recruiters to network with potential candidates, gain valuable insights into the challenges faced by underrepresented groups, and tailor their recruitment strategies to address these issues.
Do It Like Oracle & Starbucks
Oracle successfully leveraged Instagram for a campaign that encouraged employees to share testimonials about their experiences at the company. This initiative highlighted Oracle’s inclusive workplace culture, resulting in significant engagement on their social media platforms.
We can also take a page from Starbucks’ 2024 Instagram campaign, which featured testimonials from diverse employees sharing their experiences and stories, which also brought back additional engagement on their DEI Social Media Content.
5. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
What They Are:
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are internal networks within organizations formed around shared characteristics, interests, or life experiences. These groups often cater to specific communities, such as LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, women in leadership, and other diverse employee segments, offering both professional support and personal connections.
How They Help:
ERG members typically have strong ties within their respective communities, both inside and outside the organization, which makes them valuable resources for sourcing talent. These groups can identify skilled individuals from diverse backgrounds who might not be actively seeking new opportunities, to begin the referral process.
Beyond recruitment, ERGs also play a key role in talent development and succession planning. By identifying and nurturing high-potential individuals from underrepresented groups within your own organization, ERGs contribute to building a more inclusive pipeline of future leaders or in-house candidates. This proactive approach ensures that diverse talent is ready for key roles within the company.
Moreover, ERGs can enhance an organization’s employer brand within diverse communities. By participating in external events, attending conferences, and collaborating with community partners, ERGs help demonstrate a company’s commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive work environment. A strong association with ERGs can make an organization more attractive to job seekers from underrepresented groups, positioning the company as a leading advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Do It Like Cigna Group
Cigna’s Building Equity and Equality Program, launched in 2020, exemplifies the power of ERGs in driving diversity and inclusion. The program emphasizes early-stage recruiting and workforce development, with a focus on building relationships with educational institutions such as Howard University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Morehouse College, Tuskegee University, and Fisk University.
Through these collaborations and the active involvement of their ERGs, Cigna supports diversity, inclusion, and equity, creating opportunities for historically underrepresented communities and fostering long-term relationships with future talent.
6. Freelance and Gig Platforms with Diverse Talent Pools
What They Are:
Freelance and gig platforms such as Upwork, Twine, Toptal, and Fiverr offer businesses access to a global talent pool. These platforms can also serve as valuable sources for identifying skilled professionals from underrepresented groups who may not be accessible through traditional hiring methods.
How They Help:
- Diverse Global Talent:
These platforms host professionals from a wide range of backgrounds and geographies, providing recruiters with access to a diverse array of talent. A significant percentage of freelancers on these platforms come from underrepresented communities, offering employers the opportunity to build inclusivity into their project teams. - Flexibility for Unique Circumstances:
Freelance and gig work is often attractive to individuals with unique life circumstances, such as single parents, people with disabilities, or those residing in remote areas. The flexibility and autonomy offered by these platforms make them an excellent resource for organizations committed to fostering diversity. - Advanced Search and Filtering Options:
Many freelance platforms include robust search and filtering tools that help recruiters identify candidates based on specific skills, experience levels, or even demographics like location and language proficiency. While in most cases, these filters do not explicitly provide filters for DEI attributes, their advanced features enable organizations to build diverse project teams and engage underrepresented talent effectively.
DEI Recruiting? Give Twine a Try
Twine is a freelance platform designed to champion diversity and inclusivity by allowing its talent to identify and proudly display their diversity affiliation and status. Thanks to this feature, recruiters can prioritize hiring from underrepresented groups by setting preferences within its hiring tools to better match their candidates.
Additionally, Twine supports anonymous hiring, removing names and other indicators of gender, cultural heritage, or age from applications. This approach helps reduce unconscious bias and fosters equitable hiring practices.
7. State and Local Workforce Agencies
What They Are:
State and local workforce agencies are government-run organizations that connect employers with job seekers, focusing on individuals from economically disadvantaged or underserved communities.
How They Help:
- Access to Overlooked Talent Pools:
Workforce agencies work with marginalized populations, including those facing barriers to employment. By leveraging these agencies, employers can discover talented individuals who may not be represented on mainstream job boards, contributing to a more inclusive recruitment strategy. - Workforce Development Initiatives:
These agencies often manage programs aimed at enhancing employment opportunities for economically disadvantaged groups, including veterans, people of color, individuals with disabilities, and other underrepresented communities. Collaborating with such initiatives can help organizations nurture skilled talent aligned with their DEI objectives. - Supporting Skill Development:
Partnering with workforce agencies allows companies to invest in training programs and career development for diverse candidates. This creates a sustainable talent pipeline, demonstrating the organization’s commitment to both community upliftment and inclusive hiring practices.
Do It Like Heroes MAKE America
Heroes MAKE America, an initiative by The Manufacturing Institute in partnership with Walmart, supports transitioning service members by helping them translate their military-acquired skills into competencies recognized by civilian employers. This collaboration also developed a platform enabling military-connected individuals to showcase their qualifications through verifiable digital badges, easing their transition into high-demand manufacturing roles.
8. Hackathons and Community Events for Marginalized Groups
What They Are:
Hackathons and community events are industry-specific competitions or networking opportunities designed to empower underrepresented demographics, such as women in technology, BIPOC professionals, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
How They Help:
- Direct Engagement:
These events allow companies to interact directly with talented individuals in informal or skill-based settings, fostering authentic connections with potential hires. - Showcasing Support for Marginalized Communities:
One common diversity recruitment best practices is sponsoring or participating in such events, organizations demonstrate a genuine commitment to supporting and uplifting marginalized voices. This not only enhances their employer brand but also attracts candidates who value diversity and inclusion. - Talent Identification and Networking:
Hackathons and community events often highlight highly skilled individuals who excel in problem-solving and innovation. These settings provide an opportunity for recruiters to identify top talent and expand their professional networks.
Do It Like Google
Google is a prominent sponsor of the Lesbians Who Tech Hackathon, which brings together LGBTQ+ tech professionals and allies to collaborate on innovative projects. The event provides a platform for participants to showcase their skills, creativity, and ideas.
Additionally, Google hosts its own DEI-focused hackathons, such as the Women Techmakers She Builds AI Global Hackathon, which offers cash prizes of up to $40,000. This initiative aims to create AI-driven solutions addressing DEI challenges, reinforcing Google’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
9. Refugee Employment Services (RES) and International NGOs
What They Are:
Organizations such as Talent Beyond Boundaries and the Tent Partnership for Refugees focus on connecting displaced individuals and refugees with employment opportunities that align with their skills and experiences.
How They Help:
These organizations connect companies with highly skilled refugees and displaced individuals worldwide, providing access to talent pools that are often overlooked in traditional hiring methods.
Refugees often bring a wealth of diverse experiences and adaptability due to their unique career paths shaped by displacement and resettlement. By hiring through RES and NGOs, companies can benefit from the innovative perspectives and resilience these individuals bring.
Refugee employment services frequently provide language training, skill development workshops, and career counseling, ensuring candidates are prepared for the workforce. Partnering with these services allows organizations to integrate skilled individuals who are ready for employment.
Do It Like St. Joseph’s Care Group
St. Joseph’s Care Group in Thunder Bay, Ontario, collaborated with Talent Beyond Boundaries to hire skilled healthcare professionals who were previously displaced due to conflict. This partnership has enabled them to welcome six highly skilled healthcare workers, with plans to onboard another 26 candidates.
This initiative demonstrates how organizations can address skill shortages while championing diversity and supporting displaced individuals.
Actionable Diversity Recruitment Best Practices
Tailoring sourcing strategies to attract diverse talent requires a structured, intentional approach. Below is a detailed, actionable guide to help you optimize your efforts.
1. Audit Your Current Efforts
Purpose: Understand your current state and pinpoint areas for improvement in sourcing diverse talent.
Step-by-Step:
- Analyze Your Data: Start with a full review of your talent pipeline, tracking key metrics such as applicant demographics, pass-through rates at each hiring stage, and team composition across departments.
- Benchmark Your Diversity Metrics: Compare your numbers with industry standards using reports from sources like the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
- Identify Talent Gaps: Are there roles or departments where underrepresented groups are noticeably absent? Break down the data by factors such as gender, ethnicity, and role level.
- Audit Your Sourcing Channels: Map your recruitment channels (e.g., LinkedIn, career fairs, employee referrals) and assess whether these platforms are inadvertently excluding certain demographics.
- Seek Insights from Candidates: Conduct surveys or interviews with applicants to uncover potential barriers, such as inaccessible application processes or biased screening practices.
2. Adapt to Regional Diversity Needs
Purpose: Leverage geographic and community insights to design region-specific sourcing strategies.
Step-by-Step:
- Research Local Workforce Trends: Study census and employment data to identify the largest underrepresented groups in your area. Focus on bridging gaps in representation.
- Establish Regional Partnerships: Build connections with HBCUs, HSIs, Tribal Colleges, and local advocacy organizations. These partnerships can provide a direct link to diverse talent pools and increase your visibility in underserved communities. If you don’t know where to start, grab Rakuna’s Free Directory of 50+ Students & Professional DEI Organizations.
- Show Up Where Talent Is: Attend or sponsor community-focused events such as regional career fairs, networking sessions, or cultural celebrations that prioritize underrepresented professionals. Start planning your career fair travel plan with the Spring 2025 U.S. College Career Fairs List.
- Expand Your Reach: If local talent pools lack diversity, implement remote work options to attract candidates from other regions.
- Measure the Impact: Track outcomes of regional initiatives by monitoring application trends and conversion rates for underrepresented groups.
3. Provide Support Beyond Sourcing
Purpose: Remove barriers and create an inclusive hiring journey that empowers underrepresented candidates.
Step-by-Step:
- Build a Mentorship Pipeline: Pair diverse candidates with mentors at your organization. A structured mentorship program provides insights into company culture and builds confidence during the hiring process.
- Host Targeted Resume Workshops: Create virtual or in-person events to help candidates refine their resumes and tailor them for industry-specific roles. Engage hiring managers to provide real-world feedback.
- Simplify the Application Process:
- º Design intuitive application platforms that guide candidates step-by-step.
- º Offer tutorials or live Q&A sessions to clarify application requirements and interview expectations.
- Create Interactive Forums: Facilitate informal discussions with recruiters and diverse employees to answer candidate questions and showcase your company’s DEI efforts authentically.
- Ensure Transparent Follow-Up:
- º Keep candidates informed of their progress and next steps promptly.
- º Provide meaningful feedback to those not selected and maintain a connection for future roles.
To Conclude…
By engaging with these inclusive sourcing channels, your recruiting team can access a broader, more diverse talent pool while fostering an equitable hiring process. As diversity recruitment evolves, adapting innovative and inclusive approaches will be key to attracting and retaining top talent.
