When the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear twin cases challenging the use of race-based undergraduate admissions at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 80 major employers — from Google and General Electric to Meta and Mastercard — filed a pair of briefs supporting the two institutions. In one, they wrote that they “depend on universities to recruit, admit, and train highly qualified, racially and ethnically diverse students to become the employees and business leaders of the future.”
As we watch for the effects of the court’s recent decision ripple across higher education and into corporate America, I hear employers echo the same sentiments they wrote in that amicus brief. How can they recruit the next generation of employees and leaders who reflect the diversity and ingenuity of this nation? My answer is the same I’ve offered for years, long before the Supreme Court decision: Employers cannot rely on the same set of institutions as recruiting destinations and must broaden their search for early talent. Recruiting from a wider talent pool will always lead to diversity gains because while talent is equally distributed, opportunity often is not.
The court’s decision presents a tremendous opportunity and responsibility for career services at colleges all over the country. With the fall recruiting season underway, here are four things that career services can do right away to help their institutions increasingly connect their diverse campus talent with employers looking to hire them:
Get to know your underrepresented student organizations.
It’s crucial that underrepresented students come to career services for advice and guidance and frequent career events. Career services can deepen partnerships with different groups to co-host events or programs. Or, they can also offer up space, promotion or other assistance for events these groups are organizing themselves.
By forming deeper relationships and establishing trust across your underrepresented students, they’re more likely to attend recruiting events in higher volumes and career centers further establish themselves as a valuable source of connection for employers on their campuses.
Share data regularly and proactively with employers and highlight your “X-factor.”
Savvy employers want to see up-to-date statistics on student demographics by program level and class year. Make sure they have it.
Speak to the special programs your institution is known for and let employers know the number of underrepresented students who are participating. If your high-profile quantitative economics program has a high percentage of Black women or if your up-and-coming computer science department has successfully recruited large numbers of Latinx students, that’s something to highlight. It’s also important to determine which employers and roles might be great fits for your students based on the skills they’re acquiring in these standout programs and beyond these programs. Many employers may not be aware of the diverse talent available on your campus and how that connects directly with the skills they’re looking for in their roles.
The competition to attract campus recruiters is likely to intensify. Knowing and sharing more granular data will help your institution find some niches and stand out in a crowded field.
Partner with other institutions.
If your university lacks large numbers of underrepresented students, consider approaching the career centers at peer institutions in your city or region. It’s possible they’re in the same boat and might be willing to partner on events and programs. Consider hosting virtual career fairs or events with similar institutions (another liberal arts college if you’re a liberal arts college, for instance) farther away. These joint events can boost the number of students you’re connecting to employers.
Employers have limited time and resources. Combining forces can increase volume so it makes it worthwhile for an organization to attend or participate. Once they see what terrific talent is available on your campus, they’ll be more likely to return.
Share career success stories to increase interest in your institution.
Once your underrepresented students find internships and permanent positions, tell the world! Make sure other students know the success their classmates are having in the job market. Tell the admissions office these specific examples so they can share the good news with prospective students and families. That will help raise awareness on and off your campus that underrepresented students are welcome at — and can succeed at — your institution.
The imperative to create diverse workplaces in an increasingly diverse nation doesn’t vanish simply because universities can no longer use an important tool in their admissions toolbox. Rather we have an opportunity in career services to further enhance the connections that can be made between our underrepresented students and employers.
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