The Impact of Authentic Equal Opportunity Statements in Hiring Practices

Ruchika Tulshyan: Inclusion on Purpose Ruchika Tulshyan is the founder of Candour, a global inclusion strategy firm. She is a regular contributor to The New York Times and Harvard Business Review. As a keynote speaker, Ruchika has addressed organizations like NASA, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the United States Congress. Ruchika is the author of The Diversity Advantage: Fixing Gender Inequality in the Workplace, and most recently, Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work*. She is on the Thinkers50 Radar list and named as one of Hive Learning's Most Influential D&I Professionals for the past two years. In this conversation, Ruchika and I discuss how leaders can adapt their hiring practices to attract more diverse candidates — and ultimately support inclusion inside their organizations. We discuss the importance of what to both include and avoid in job postings. Plus, we examine how well-intended interview practices can sometimes have unintended results on supporting diversity and inclusion. Key Points Make the hiring process transparent from start to finish. Include an authentic equal opportunity statement. Refrain from using certain words in job listings. Examples include: rockstar, ninja, hacker, guru, manage, build, aggressive, fearless, independent, analytic, and assertive. Emphasize skills and experience over professional degrees. Avoid panel interviews and refrain from asking questions or having conversations about culture fit. Resources Mentioned Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work* by Ruchika Tulshyan Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Get the Ideal Team Player, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 301) How to Be More Inclusive, with Stefanie Johnson (episode 508) Start Finding Overlooked Talent, with Johnny Taylor, Jr. (episode 544) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.