What are the most important factors when selecting a staffing service for promoting diversity in recruiting?

1 Experience and reputation

One of the first things to look for in a staffing service is their experience and reputation in the field of diversity recruiting. You want to work with a partner that has a proven track record of successfully placing diverse candidates in various roles and industries. You also want to check their references, testimonials, and reviews to see how satisfied their clients and candidates are with their services. A good staffing service should be able to demonstrate their expertise and credibility in diversity recruiting with concrete examples and data.

2 Diversity policy and practices

Another key factor to evaluate is the diversity policy and practices of the staffing service. You want to make sure that they share your values and commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity. You also want to see how they implement their policy and practices in their own organization and operations. For instance, you can ask them about their diversity statement, their diversity training programs, their diversity metrics and goals, their diversity audits and reviews, and their diversity awards and recognition. A good staffing service should be able to show that they walk the talk when it comes to diversity.

3 Diversity network and outreach

A third essential factor to consider is the diversity network and outreach of the staffing service. You want to work with a partner that has access to a large and diverse pool of candidates from different backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and skills. You also want to see how they reach out to and engage with diverse talent in various channels and platforms. For example, you can ask them about their diversity partnerships, their diversity events and initiatives, their diversity job boards and forums, their diversity social media and content, and their diversity referrals and recommendations. A good staffing service should be able to show that they have a strong and active presence in the diversity community.

4 Diversity screening and matching

A fourth important factor to assess is the diversity screening and matching process of the staffing service. You want to work with a partner that has a clear and consistent methodology for identifying, assessing, and selecting diverse candidates for your specific needs. You also want to see how they match the candidates with your organizational culture, values, and expectations. For example, you can ask them about their diversity criteria, their diversity assessments and tests, their diversity interviews and feedback, their diversity reports and profiles, and their diversity follow-ups and support. A good staffing service should be able to show that they have a reliable and effective system for finding and placing diverse talent.

5 Diversity feedback and improvement

A fifth crucial factor to examine is the diversity feedback and improvement approach of the staffing service. You want to work with a partner that is open and responsive to your feedback and suggestions on how to improve their diversity recruiting performance. You also want to see how they measure and monitor their diversity outcomes and impact. For example, you can ask them about their diversity surveys and evaluations, their diversity analytics and dashboards, their diversity best practices and lessons learned, their diversity challenges and opportunities, and their diversity action plans and strategies. A good staffing service should be able to show that they are constantly learning and improving their diversity recruiting practices.