Female & Minority Employment Candidates Look For Diversity In Executive Management & Staff.

When it comes to diversity, actions speak louder than words, according to results released today from a WetFeet study entitled Diversity Recruitment Report 2001. The study found that 16 percent of respondents looked at a diverse workforce as a key indicator of a company’s commitment to diversity while one-third of respondents indicated that they eliminated a company from employment consideration because of lack of gender or ethnic diversity. Among African American candidates, this number is even higher, with 44 percent of those surveyed reported to have dismissed a company on that basis.

“Improvement in diversity recruiting is one of the highest priorities of companies today — and it’s driven by their recognition that a diverse workforce will strengthen their organization and increase their business success,” said Steve Pollock, president of WetFeet. “However, our research shows that companies that are the most successful in this area utilize creative recruitment practices, supported by a strong track record of deployment and promotion of diversity employees within their organizations.”

WetFeet’s Diversity Recruitment Report 2001 surveyed 748 female and minority candidates and included interviews with 12 leading corporations on their diversity recruitment practices. The report, which explored career expectations, job search methods and effective recruitment messaging, was designed to help companies develop more effective recruitment strategies. Other findings from WetFeet’s Diversity Recruitment Report 2001 include:

— Diverse Candidates are Most Motivated by the Opportunity for Advancement and Competitive Compensation

Ninety-five percent of those surveyed rated ‘opportunity for advancement’ as ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ motivating to an employment decision. Ninety-two percent rated competitive compensation and 91 percent rated comprehensive benefits as ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ motivating. Accordingly, one-third of respondents looked at the make up of a company’s executive team and employees as key indicators of that company’s commitment to diversity.

— Women and Men are Influenced by Different Value Propositions

Women place a higher value than men on flexible work arrangements, comprehensive benefits and vacation time. While 57 percent of female survey participants rated comprehensive benefits as ‘extremely motivating’ to an employment decision, only 39 percent of men did. Fifty-two percent of women were looking for work-life balance initiatives, compared to 38 percent of men. Lastly, 42 percent of women were motivated by generous vacation time versus only 28 percent of men surveyed.

— Diverse Candidates are in Demand

The war for experienced candidates is still a top concern for companies. Candidates surveyed interview with an average of
4.7 companies and receive 2.3 job offers.

— The Internet is a Key Job Searching Tool

The Internet still remains the most popular job search tool for candidates. Seventy percent of survey participants frequent corporate websites to search for jobs and 67 percent use general job posting websites. Female and minority candidates preferred general job posting and employment sites, with only 13 percent of candidates turning to
diversity specific websites.

For more information at http://www.wetfeet.com