Embracing Diversity and Inclusion: My Journey Begins

As someone deeply ingrained in the recruitment sector, I’ve always viewed our field as an open place of diversity and inclusion. Yet, it’s only through personal growth and the courage to confront my own limitations that I’ve begun to fully appreciate what these values truly entail. My journey into deeper understanding started with an honest admission: despite being neurodivergent with ADHD, recruitment allowed me to carve out a successful career where I could simply be myself. However, after a conversation with my colleague Liam – I am now aware that this hasn’t been the same for everyone in the industry. This realisation sparked a desire to explore and champion diversity and inclusion more fervently.

?Embarking on a self-awareness course was a step I have taken, acknowledging upfront that mistakes would be part of my learning curve. It was my interaction with Liam, a respected colleague and an openly gay man, that profoundly shifted my perspective and got me on this journey.

?Liam shared his experiences and the unique challenges he faced within life and the industry we work in. His stories, marked by resilience yet tinged with sadness, taught me that being supportive isn’t just about avoiding discrimination; it’s about actively engaging with and understanding others’ experiences.

?Inspired by Liam and others who have courageously shared their journeys, I’ve committed to making tangible changes, starting with updating my pronouns to ‘he/him’ on professional platforms like LinkedIn. This decision, influenced by enlightening conversations with individuals like Matt Ashby-Cooper, signifies more than just personal growth—it’s an invitation for openness, signalling to others that I am an ally, ready to listen and learn.?

?My path doesn’t stop with pronoun changes or courses. It’s an ongoing commitment to learning, understanding, and advocating for a recruitment industry that truly embodies diversity and inclusion. By sharing my story, I hope to encourage others in our field to reflect on their practices and beliefs, fostering a professional environment where everyone, irrespective of their background or identity, feels valued and supported.

?Recruitment I fundamentally believe has improved massively with diversity and inclusion and indeed any business I am part of, I am proud by the diverse workforce we have. It’s not about that, it’s about understanding people’s journey, cultures and how do we make it ok everywhere, so that whoever you are, you can be,”me”.? The power of being, “me” has profoundly resonated in every conversation I have had.

?I extend my heartfelt thanks to Liam and all who have guided me on this path. Your insights and experiences are the bedrock of my commitment to going even further for a more inclusive and diverse workplace. Together, let’s continue to learn, grow, and create an industry that celebrates every individual’s uniqueness, journey and openly admit, we don’t get it right all the time, we are open to learn and also we foster environments that are open to everyone, no matter your background, beliefs or views.. to start this though, we need to seek to understand, we need to ask, learn, embrace and implement

?As the weeks go by I want to update you on my journey and my time spent with Liam, Issac, Hannah, Kas, Matt and many more!

?Thank you?????

#DiversityAndInclusion #Recruitment #PersonalGrowth #Openness #LearningJourney

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