Best Practices for Creating a Diverse Search Plan

Determining Opportunities for Diversifying Staff

• What are the current and future needs of the office? Who do we serve?
• What is the current make-up of the department/business unit?
• How many and what type of positions are expected to be vacant?
• Are any of these positions in an underutilized job group for women and/or minorities (contact the Diversity and Access Office for additional information)?

Evaluating Job Descriptions

• Is the job description aligned with a commitment to staff diversity?
• Does the job description use language that attracts diverse staff?
• Does the job description include criteria such as "experience working with a diverse population?"
• Does the job description accurately reflect the skills and education necessary for the position?
• Are essential and marginal functions of the position clearly stated and consistent with current needs and/or responsibilities of the position?
• Does the job description include any biased language? Remember to use his, her, he/she, or s/he when you occasionally need to stress the action of an individual.

Diversifying the Applicant Pool

• If you are utilizing a search firm, does the firm present a diverse interview pool?
• Contact the Diversity and Access Office to determine the current availability of qualified women and minorities for a position in the relevant geographic areas (e.g., San Mateo and Santa Clara counties).

Interviewing Applicants

• Review the interview pool and ensure that it is inclusive of women and minorities.
• If a search committee is used, is it diverse?
• Review proposed interview questions to ensure there are no illegal questions (e.g., age, disability, children, etc.).
• Ensure that hiring managers understand the process to implement reasonable accommodations if necessary for the interview.