When you are recruiting, you are dealing with people; not purchasing equipment or supplies. As a hiring manager you also have three levels of people to be accountable to: your manager, your peers and those who report to you.

Oddly enough you have more control with the staff who you have hired than the staff that you “inherited”. Having a good diverse group reporting to you can make your job and ultimately your life easier. You need good people who can help you achieve your budget and department or group performance standards. Start by evaluating your hiring process:

• Does your recruiting and hiring process help or hinder your abilities to find a diverse workforce at all levels?
  
• Are you applying the concept of diversity to its fullest extent (gender, ethnicity, generational, cultural, lifestyle, etc.)? The components of ethnic background and culture are not the same thing.
  
• Are you using diversity to reflect your community, your customer base or both?
  
• What is your diversity scorecard now?

The Hiring Process from Start to Finish

When evaluating your company’s process look, at the basics. First, do you have a system in place to recruit and hire a quality workforce or do you just “fly by the seat of your pants”?

• Do you have clear objectives as to the diversity issues to be achieved including career progression?
  
• Do you know where this diverse workforce is and how to attract them?
  
• How much of your current workforce (if any) reflects the recruits you’re trying to attract?
  
• What are your current practices in regards to using educational systems/institutions?
  
• What’s your level of involvement in civic, community or professional associations where your targeted recruits can be found?

In some markets or fields highly sought after, diverse candidates have a “shelf life” of fresh fruit in July. They are also currently employed and/or have other companies making them offers. If your organization doesn’t act efficiently, smoothly, and correctly you’ll have to start the process all over again. In the mean time you’ve spent time and money, plus you still have those positions unfilled. You and your existing staff can become overtaxed if this shortage continues on a prolonged basis.

However, by evaluating the hiring process before you begin, your objectives will be clearer and the process of recruiting diverse candidates will go smoother in the future.