Recruit Applicants

In order to foster a more diverse workforce you must first create more diverse applicant pools. The following sections outline common elements of the recruitment process and include questions and recommendations as you develop your recruitment strategies for your job and internship positions.

Conduct Outreach

• Cast as wide a net as possible to ensure a diverse candidate pool.
• Post your internship opportunities to Handshake, the UW job & internship board.
• Attend Career Fairs and other recruitment events to meet potential candidates. State your pronouns when introducing yourself.
• Connect with Registered Student Organizations (RSO’s) about your internship opportunities. Be intentional about which groups you contact regarding your positions and be patient about response times from students.
• Reach out to Other Campus Contacts and Career Centers to spread the word about your opportunities to specific departments.
• Utilize diversity recruiting websites for full-time positions as these organizations can highlight job postings to a large, diverse applicant pool.

Communication Strategies

• Tailor your outreach to specific communities and explain why you are interested in them. Avoid tokenizing diverse communities or only contacting candidates because of their identities.
• Follow Handshake’s 8 Dos and Don’ts of Messaging Underrepresented Students.
• Recognize potential bias you may hold about who could, or could not, be right for your positions. Avoid assumptions about who may or may not have the skills or experiences you are looking for in candidates. Allow anyone to show you why they could be right for the role.

Reflect on Your Efforts

• How many applications did you receive? Where did the applications come from? Who ultimately applied? How does that compare to previous recruitment cycles?
• What might have influenced these results positively or negatively?
• How do your efforts reflect the broader student populations you aim to recruit? For example, you can compare your pool to the quick-stats on UW campus enrollment.

• Information Sources

  • • Career & Internship Center, Post A Job or Internship
    • Career & Internship Center, Employer Events Calendar
    • Culture Amp, Why Gender Pronouns Matter
    • University of Washington, RSO Directory
    • Career & Internship Center, Other Campus Contacts and Career Centers
    • University of Washington, Recruitment and Advertising Options
    • Handshake, 8 Dos and Don’ts of Messaging Underrepresented Students
    • Harvard University, Recruiting for Diversity
    • University of Washington, Quick Stats of Student Enrollment