Download - Recruiting for diversity (1)
Recruiting for Diversity in TechPresented by: Laine CampbellApril 30, 2014
Key Points
● Challenging the Meritocracy● Review the interviewing process● Have, and enforce, a code of conduct● A consistent and vocal message● Reaching out to other communities
Challenging the Meritocracy“governance by those who have skills and ability”
reinforces privilege, by ignoring it and gives power to the majority without encouraging diversity
Challenging the Meritocracy“governance by those who have skills and ability”
The Pro-Meritocracy ArgumentsAnyone can get in, progress and be heard. As long as they are good enough…
Hard work is rewarded, much like the lessons we all learned growing up...
Challenging the Meritocracy“governance by those who have skills and ability”
The Pro-Meritocracy Argument RebuttalsAnyone can get in, progress and be heard. As long as they are good enough…
And the self-confidence to demonstrate their skills publicly and to demand recognition for it.
This is found most often in white, middle and upper class men.
Challenging the Meritocracy“governance by those who have skills and ability”
The Pro-Meritocracy Argument RebuttalsHard work is rewarded, much like the lessons we all learned growing up...
What I learned being working class, cajun and southern is not what you learned. Add race, being lgbtq, disabled etc.. and you cannot expect shared experience.
Don’t speak out to avoid notice.Don’t seem like competition.Ambition is unattractive.They will assume…They will judge…
Challenging the Meritocracy“governance by those who have skills and ability”
What else?
Accept contributions that are less than perfect. Diversity creates collaboration.
Offer roles to those who don’t ask. Dive into their goals and aspirations.
Call out the success of the quiet ones. Encourage peer congratulations.
Create anonymous submission channels. Lead by example.
Further Reading
● FLOSSPOLS, sexism, and why meritocracy really isn't (Nerdchic)
● Questioning the merit of meritocracy (Geek Feminism blog)
● Geeks, meritocracy, and gender (Scientist Carrie)
● Where meritocracy fails (Selena Deckelmann)
The Interview ProcessInterview Questions
The face of the Company - Who do they speak to?
Bring up diversity and culture
What environment do you create?
The Interview ProcessThe questions you ask in interviews matter!
do not reinforce the boys club by asking heavily gendered questions centered on video games, superheroes, scifi.
yes, these are topics women can enjoy, but they are predominantly the realm of the young, the male and the heterosexual.
causes self-selection out by candidates turned off by such environments
minimizes abilities of those not informed of the question’s paradigms (like standardized tests)
●
The Interview ProcessThe face of the company - recruiting
assemble a diverse group to give input on what the ideal candidate is
select for the whole person: analyze past one or two contributing factors to success: what about adversity? collaboration? Open-mindedness?
avoid making a big deal about a person’s diversity, it can lead to tokenizing, hiring people who are not good fits and setting them up to fail
recognize when you are asking a person to “step up” because their background is different enough that you must set the bar higher
The Interview ProcessThe face of the company - recruiting
avoid gut instinct. if uncomfortable, particularly with someone different, question! sleep on it. reevaluate.
do not seek to replicate yourself - common interests become impossible to maintain in medium to large orgs. focus on values, not homogeneity
keep the personal conversations out of it! this is business, and personal dives can distract, shift views from the core needs and cause discomfort
The Interview Process
further reading● Dropbox's hiring practices (Venturebeat)
● 10 hiring and interviewing tips for diversity (Verna Myers Consulting Group)
● Wanted: More Women Coders at Etsy (Forbes)
The Code of Conductdefine acceptable behavior for your organization
who it applies to (staff, contractors, guests, customers)
define unacceptable behaviors (intimidation, harassment, abuse, discrimination, derogatory and demeaning behaviors)
and targeted communities (race, lgbtq, women, disabled, reproductive status, age, citizenship, national origin)
encourage everyone to participate, and discuss expectations, enforcement and impact
How to get it out thereput it on your webpage
reference it in github, on sales collateral, on event promotions
include it in your guidebooks
share it with potential employees
remember - this models behavior for similar organizations, as well as your own staff
Reaching Outyou can’t expect normal channels to bring diversity to you
look for diverse coders and technologists on twitter, github, stackoverflow, linkedin, quora, etc...
participate in targeted events (lgbt meetups, transh4ck, lesbians who tech)
invite diverse individuals to speak at your own meetups and techtalks
encourage via scholarship, internships and sponsorships
Githubhttps://github.com/pyladies/pyladies
LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/groups/Women-In-Technology-sponsored-EMC-1001387
Quorahttp://www.quora.com/Women-in-Technology-1
blackbird.ioblackbird.io/code-of-conducthttp://www.linkedin.com/company/[email protected]