The Hiring System: Part IV: A Closing Message to Keesha
This is #IncreaseDiversity, a weekly series sharing best practices for employers who want to implement effective diversity recruitment programs. In this edition, we are exploring the hiring system through a five-part composite case study demonstrating the career experience of being underrepresented in the hiring system. In Part 1, we introduced you to a character named Keesha and the obstacle course she faces to land a job. In Part II, we discussed how career coaches and employers can support Keesha while on her job search, during the hiring process, and once employed. In Part III, we discussed how employers can leverage the value upon which Keesha was hired. Welcome to Part IV, A Closing Message to Keesha.
Dear Keesha,
You have reached a decision point all over again. Your ability to navigate the bias that is baked into the hiring process is connected to your feelings to achieve the next career opportunity, remain in your current role, or give up and exit the workforce altogether.
I hear you asking, “Is now the time to bet on myself with another employer?”
I know that you are contemplating, “Am I enough?”
Your experience is valid. The hiring system is biased and creates a unique obstacle course for you to overcome.
I wish the playing field were already leveled for you, Keesha. And until we get it there, here is something that I want you to know. The obstacle course is a terrible thing to experience when you are trying to progress in your career. But there is a silver lining. An obstacle course can also build endurance. It builds capability. It builds capacity. It builds character. And each time you enter and navigate it, you only get stronger.
As you build that strength, you build resilience. Do you think it is by accident that you have such a deep well of resilience to tap? Resilience, Keesha, is a part of your legacy. You have your ancestors to thank for that.
So many individuals and organizations are working to make the world a better place for you, Keesha. At JTC, we are working to help you navigate the bias baked into the hiring system. In addition, we are working with recruiters to empower them to dismantle the bias through effective diversity recruitment programs. Although the needle is moving, there is still a ton of work before us.
Therefore, as you tirelessly move your way through the hiring system, I would like to leave you with 10 tips:
Tip #01: Learn to release false narratives about yourself. I understand how easy it can be to accidentally fall victim to the stereotypes about you. It is easy to internalize other’s thoughts and perceptions of who you are and what you are capable of. That is why it’s important to know the truth about yourself. Knowing yourself is the most powerful weapon to combat false narratives about your identity.
Tip #02: Learn to validate yourself. Keesha, learn to take performance reviews and feedback seriously, but not personally. Receiving feedback (i.e., interview rejection, performance reviews) seriously is to hear the essence of the message and adjust strategically. Taking feedback personally is to feel rejected as a person. It is dangerous to give the power of self-validation to others. Learn to validate yourself. Approve of yourself and you will never need to wait for another person’s approval again.
Tip #03: Know that equity is not charity. I shared this in Part II, but it is worth repeating. You do not need handouts. You do not need special treatment. You do not even need employers to bend the rules in your favor. For you to successfully make it through the hiring system, you need employers to see the bias, disrupt the bias, and radically reduce the bias to build equitable processes. Helping you to win does not mean giving you an advantage. It is not charity. It means removing the landmines and roadblocks that are creating a disadvantage for you. That is equity. Equity is what you are seeking, Keesha.
Tip #04: Be clear on what a good environment means to you. I hear you, Keesha. I can only imagine that you may feel paralyzed to try a new job search because of what you have experienced with past employers. Furthermore, I imagine you are on the search for a good environment for you. Just be clear on what a “good” environment means to you. Does a good environment mean a fun environment, or a safe environment, or a growth environment, or a blend? Also, what would be happening, exactly, if you were in one of those environments? What would be your confirmation that you made it? Clarify and define an ideal environment for you. This will enable you to build questions for employers that you can ask during your interview.
Tip #05: Feel normed. Visit communities that feel like safe havens and remind you that your whole self is standard, normal, and culturally fitting. Find a community where you are not marked, and you are not the one who creates diversity. These are considered “normed environments.” Visit your normed environment, especially if you are struggling to understand or remember the value in your identity.
Tip #06: Know when to release and move on. Sometimes our loyalty can cause us to overstay our welcome. When it is time to move on, the signs become clear, however, you must be willing to see them. To see the signs more clearly, create professional standards. Acknowledge when your employer is not meeting your professional standards. When there’s misalignment between your standards and the treatment, it can cause stress and can ultimately affect your mental health. So, if your efforts to improve your work environment do not work, it is time to move on.
“Many [Black women] are leaving nonprofit and corporate jobs because they aren’t having the same success as their counterparts,” she says, while referring to the fact that Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs among women, having grown by more than 600% between 1997 and 2017. “We hold the most degrees and yet, we are still not represented at the highest ranks of leadership, boardrooms and academic positions."
Tip #07: Know that what is happening to you is bigger than you. What you are experiencing while on your career path is systematic. You are navigating a system that was created to hold the most powerful positions for white men. It is changing, Keesha, for the better. But there are still many policies, practices, and behaviors that continue to preserve the original system that must be disrupted and dismantled. Your experience is valid and you are not alone.
Tip #08: Connect to someone who can help you navigate the hiring system. Keesha, the obstacle course is less daunting than it used to be, in part, due to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and enforcement agencies like the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the OFCCP. There is no doubt that the ancestors had a tougher go at it. But even though there may be less landmines and the cost to enter may not mean physical death, you have still got an obstacle course before you that requires effective navigation. Work with a person who can help you to understand and navigate the terrain you are experiencing. Look for a career coach, mentor, or sponsor who is culturally competent. It is not enough to understand your goal, anyone who supports you must also understand how vulnerable you are to experiencing the obstacle course embedded in the hiring system.
Tip #09: Bet on yourself. My wish for you, Keesha, is that you build your confidence to bet on yourself. Your career affects a significant portion of your life. As a matter of fact, how you land in your career largely impacts your life and how you show up in life massively impacts your career. I know the road to a great career has been tough, but do not stop now. You can bet on yourself through an employer or you can bet on yourself through your own entrepreneurial ventures. But remember that no matter which vehicle you select, stay in the driver’s seat, and keep driving until you reach your destination.
"No matter which vehicle you select, stay in the driver’s seat, and keep driving until you reach your destination." - Jenn Tardy
Tip #10: Take pride in being ambitious + different. Your ambition will take you to places where it is likely that you will create diversity by way of your race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, ability, sexual orientation, etc. It is likely that you will be the first of “your kind” to have access to positions that have been around for centuries. Take pride that you are moving the needle. Somebody has to be the first and I’m inspired that you found the courage to reach for more.
Remember, Keesha, that all of your experiences, both good and bad, are preparing you for what’s next. And when you do reach your next level, be sure to make one hell of a splash.
Sincerely,
Jenn Tardy | Pronouns: she/her | Mom, Entrepreneur, Daughter, Resident Badass, Mind Reader
Join us next week for Part V, where we will unpack some commonly asked questions about this article series.
In the meantime, let’s take some time to unpack today’s article. Please share a comment below or use the comments section to answer one of the below questions?
Which tip resonated most with you and why?
What is your message to Keesha?
Do not forget to like, comment, and subscribe to the newsletter. This is part IV of a five-part edition. Join us next week, August 04, for Part V: FAQs.
Part I: Keesha meets the hiring system
Part II: How career coaches and employers can disrupt the hiring system
Part III: How employers can leverage Keesha’s spectrum of perspective
Part IV: A closing message for Keesha
Part V: FAQs
******************
✅We will use the weekly #IncreaseDiversity newsletter platform to do five things:
Challenge organizations to dig more deeply when it comes to diversity recruiting and retention programs
Clarify misconceptions or demystify complex topics related to diversity recruiting
Share best practices in diversity recruiting and retention
Answer frequently asked questions related to diversity recruiting and retention
Build a safe learning community for hiring professionals
✅ Need support implementing an effective diversity recruiting program at your organization? Visit me and learn about our flagship Diversity Magnet Recruiter Bootcamp + Diversity Recruitment Consulting Services.
✅ Want even more #IncreaseDiversity? I will broadcast LIVE weekly (starting August) from my LinkedIn profile page. I will discuss important issues affecting employers who are working toward increasing diversity. Connect to me to be alerted.