Hidden Gems: Alternative Talent Pools
“There is a common saying that talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not”
- Beth Mily, Chief Executive Officer of Geekwise Academy
During this time of uncertainty, we know that finding talent is an ongoing struggle for many businesses. As of July 2020, Maryland’s unemployment rate was 7.6%. While that may seem reasonable to some, if you are the organization who needs employees “now” then it becomes a relative number. Many hiring professionals prefer more predictable results.
Good news: There may be a way to increase that likelihood.
Who are you considering for positions within your organization? Have you considered hiring an individual with a disability for one of your open positions? Many times, these talented candidates are overlooked because businesses think they are either not fully capable due to the disability, or an employer feels the organization may not be able to offer the necessary accommodation(s) the prospective employee may need. There are resources available to assist an employer in both of these areas.
Also, what does your hiring process look like for someone with a disability? Are there obstacles to them in the application process that you may not have considered? Have you engaged someone with a disability to help review your recruitment process, to ensure barriers to successfully navigating that recruitment process are eliminated? Barriers may include “language” in your job description and use of certain technology to access the application process.
Something to think about: Are you sure your hiring process doesn’t create barriers for individuals with disabilities?
Have you considered the benefits of hiring someone with a disability?:
Increased hiring pool
ROI - Tax and other financial incentives including productivity benefits
Increased diversity
Increased work ethic/dedication
Enhanced staff morale
New look at creativity and problem solving
And this list represents only a few of the many benefits!
Have you considered hiring an individual who may have a “not-so-perfect background?” In other words, they may be justice-involved in some way. This is another large pool of often qualified candidates who are frequently overlooked or screened-out of positions. Many individuals with a justice-involved situation may have simply been in unfortunate circumstances, and need a second chance. Others will honestly admit that they made a mistake when they were younger, and if they had it to do over, they would certainly make different choices. How many people do you know that have made some mistakes in their past, and yet are not penalized for the rest of our lives due to some of those “dumb mistakes?”
Something to think about: When was the last time your reviewed how you determine “background check criteria?”
Have you considered the benefits of hiring someone with a justice-involved background?:
Being open to hiring those with previous convictions may greatly expand the applicant pool
Your hiring practices can be viewed as inclusive/non-discriminatory
The organization could be helping someone in the local community get a new start
They'll be looking out for you since you looked out for them
They may have transferable skills applicable to success for the job
They are likely to stay with you longer because you offered them a second chance
There could be tax incentives for employers
Why not increase YOUR candidate pool by considering applicants that may be outside of your usual consideration?
Additional Resources:
https://disability.careercast.com/article/benefits-hiring-people-disabilities