How Companies Can Actively Recruit Women More

Source: LumiNola / Getty

“Well, women just don’t apply enough” is an excuse I’m quite frankly tired of hearing from companies that don’t seem to employ many women. They’re just taking their hands out of the matter entirely, rejecting the fact that they could, in some way, be responsible for the fact that women “just don’t apply enough.” Maybe there is no “just” about it. Maybe the company has certain policies and practices that are not appealing to women. Perhaps the company even does things that frighten women and make them feel as if they aren’t welcome. I know it all sounds very sinister, but a lot of companies do this without even knowing it. They’ve just had their way of doing things for so long, they don’t see the inherent bias against women in their system. Here are ways companies can actively recruit more women.

Source: Cultura RF / Getty

Look at branding

Companies should look at their branding. Websites, brochures, billboards, bench ads. Are there many images of women? If so, what are those images? Is the woman an empowered role in the company? Or is she a lost-looking client who requires assistance from the male professional? Are there women of color represented? Is there diversity across the board? Those things matter.

Source: PeopleImages / Getty

Edit job descriptions

Job descriptions should be edited to say “they” rather than “he.” It may seem like such a small thing, but reading that male descriptor, over and over again, gets into a woman’s subconscious and says this company wants to hire a man for this role.

Source: kate_sept2004 / Getty

Involve women in the hiring process

If the company already has women in their employment, they should involve them in the hiring process. There should be a good mix of men and women conducting interviews, and reviewing resumes.

Source: KidStock / Getty

Offer better maternity leave

Offering better maternity leave and family benefits is an excellent way to attract more women. Remember that a lot of mothers work today, meaning that a lot of the women reviewing job applications have to consider how the benefits plan will affect their families.

Source: Sidekick / Getty

Provide women’s wellness programs

Invite successful women to speak at your company on a variety of subjects that might enrich the lives of your female employees. This could be a financial adviser speaking on financial wellness, or a nutritionist speaking about healthy living for women through each life phase.

Source: Drazen_ / Getty

Make it clear that diversity matters

Post a notice on your website, job descriptions, and any marketing materials where it’s appropriate stating that diversity within the company is important and a priority. Create support groups within your organization for Black women and Latina woman and female executives.

Source: PeopleImages / Getty

Find women’s social media groups

Don’t forget about the power of social media. Discover social media groups with women that might be interested in working for your company. There are hundreds of very specific such groups. Post your job applications there.

Source: Drazen_ / Getty

Share the word with a woman influencer

Get to know influential women in your industry and share the word with them that your company is hiring. They’ll have access to the proper avenues to spread that news.

Source: Capuski / Getty

Eliminate bad apples

None of these steps will be very useful if companies don’t take a hard stance against sexual harassment and misogyny in the workplace. Any employees who do not conduct themselves in an acceptable manner should be removed swiftly. Remember that there is no excuse for misogynistic behavior—not age, status, or anything.

Source: Cecilie_Arcurs / Getty

Use minimal language in job descriptions

What we mean by this is, do not ramble on, listing 45 hyper-specific skills the job requires. Men will apply to a job if they meet just roughly 60 percent of the requirements, but women often won’t apply unless they meet 100 percent of the requirements. The longer and more complex the job description is, the less likely a woman will believe she meets 100 percent of the qualifications.

Source: Cultura RF / Getty

Create mentoring programs

Ask higher up women in the company if they’d be willing to mentor the less advanced women employees. Create a network that empowers the women within the company.

Source: Courtney Hale / Getty

Support women-centric causes

If your company has the budget for philanthropic efforts, direct some of those towards women-centric organizations such as those that find housing for homeless women with children or those that provide medical clinics to women who cannot afford to see a doctor.

Source: CHBD / Getty

Don’t require gender on resumes

Simply don’t ask that applicants put their gender on the resume. It’s a very easy thing to do. Eventually, genders will be revealed in the interview process and there’s no way to stop that. But at least gender won’t factor into who makes it to the interview step.

Source: kate_sept2004 / Getty

Have a woman “test” your interview process

Ask a woman you trust—who can be open with you—to sample your interview process. She should look at the application, and go through ever step of the interview process. She can point out any inherent biases against women that may exist in the process.

Source: AzmanJaka / Getty

Sing praises of your successful female employees

Sing the praises of the successful women in your company loud and proud. If it’s a large company, send out a company-wide email profiling the wonderful women within it and the work they’re doing. This is one way of telling current employees that the company supports women, and so they may tell interested female applicants they know to apply.