Make a Difference with These 9 Inclusive Hiring Practices

Job seekers already invest enormous time and emotional energy into the hiring process. They research companies, tailor their resumes and cover letters, and prepare extensively for interviews. When employers create long, unclear, or exclusionary hiring processes, it becomes even harder for candidates to show up as their best selves.

Inclusive hiring is not just about attracting a wider range of candidates. It is about designing a process that removes barriers, increases fairness, and helps organizations find the right people in a way that is both respectful and sustainable.

1. Make the Interview Process More Inclusive

• Let candidates know what to expect, including the process, timeline, agenda, and interviewers.
• Keep the process reasonable and avoid dragging interviews across many days or weeks.
• Do not ghost candidates. Follow up with both successful and unsuccessful applicants promptly.
• Ask about accessibility needs and accommodate them wherever possible.
• Use clear, concise questions instead of long, multi-part questions that are difficult to process.
• Provide written versions of the interview questions when helpful.
• Allow candidates to use a notepad to organize their thoughts before answering.

2. Be Transparent About Pay

Salary transparency helps candidates make informed decisions about whether a role is right for them. Including a salary range or starting salary in the posting also supports equity and reduces the risk of pay gaps shaped by bias or differences in negotiation.

3. Use Gender-Neutral Language

Keep job postings simple, clear, and focused on the actual role. Remove gendered wording and unnecessary jargon so the position appeals to a wider and more diverse pool of applicants.

4. Practice Literacy Inclusion

• Use short sentences and brief paragraphs.
• Use white space to reduce noise and improve readability.
• Prefer bolding over italics or underlining when emphasizing key details.
• Choose accessible fonts such as Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, Calibri, or Open Sans.

5. Add an Equal Opportunity Statement

A strong Equal Opportunity Employer statement signals a real commitment to fairness, inclusion, and accessible employment practices. It should reflect your organization’s values and your responsibility to create a workplace where people from all backgrounds can thrive.

6. Build Diverse Interview Panels

A more diverse interview panel can reduce bias, surface a broader range of perspectives, and create a more balanced evaluation of each candidate.

7. Widen Your Search for Talent

• Attend events and partner with communities.
• Consider candidates with non-traditional career paths.
• Recruit through career fairs and broader networks instead of relying only on referrals.

8. Offer Timely Feedback

Let candidates know when they are no longer being considered and, when possible, provide constructive feedback they can learn from. This shows respect for their time and effort and helps create a more humane hiring experience.

9. Reflect and Improve

Inclusive hiring is ongoing work. After each hire, reflect on your practices, policies, and culture. Use what you learn to keep improving the process over time.