The Business Case for DEI in 2024 | April 24th at 12PM EST

Register for our webinar
June 08, 2022

Inclusive Recruiting: Case Study on Optimizing your Process for DEI


Reach DEI goals via inclusive recruiting

A Fortune 500 financial services employer recently approached us with a new talent acquisition goal – they wanted to build a more inclusive recruitment process all the way from sourcing to hire. 

To support them, we developed quarterly strategy sessions where we drilled in on each stage of the recruitment process. We also provided data-driven recommendations for optimizing each part of the candidate journey. The sessions covered attracting and sourcing candidates, building interview processes, and winning candidates during the offer/sell process.

Here, we’re sharing a key insight from each inclusive recruiting training session:

Session 1: Attracting and Sourcing Diverse Candidates

Use inclusive language in candidate messaging


How to attract diverse candidates: It’s important to signal an inclusive environment in your messaging. This is particularly relevant when trying to attract and source candidates from historically marginalized groups. 1 out of 3 Black candidates and over half of LGBTQ+ candidates have not applied to a job due to a job description that seemed to indicate a non-inclusive work environment. 

Session 2: Implementing Effective and Inclusive Interviews

Where possible, stick to two interview rounds


According to candidates, 90% of employers conduct more interviews than are needed, but how many interviews is too many? Most candidates believe two interviews are enough. And, if there are more than four interviews, employers run the risk of losing candidates. This is significant because 44% of employers currently hold five or more interview rounds, which indicates a substantive disconnect between candidate preferences and current interview practices.

Get 6 Best Practices for Inclusive Interviewing

Download our Tips for Creating a Standardized DEI Interview Question Bank

Session 3: Winning Candidates During the Offer/Sell Process

Give candidates the opportunity to discuss their offer in detail


Let candidates know what aspects of their offer are flexible and give them a space to feel comfortable asking questions about the offer and advocating for themselves. Candidates from diverse backgrounds (women, candidates from historically marginalized groups, LGBTQ+ candidates) are often less likely than non-LGBTQ+ White men to negotiate job offers, which may create unwanted pay gaps. Also, candidates from diverse backgrounds are more likely to accept an offer if the employer provided opportunities to discuss the offer in detail.

These are just a few of the recommendations we shared with the employer. For more about inclusive recruitment processes, here are “6 Practices to Promote Inclusive Interviewing.”

Download our Tips for Creating a DEI Interview Question Bank

Download Tips