How to Write a Diversity and Inclusion Resume
There’s no doubt that having a diverse workforce is beneficial for companies. However, there are challenges involved in creating a successful diversity and inclusion resume.
Writing a resume is a daunting task it requires some strategic planning. There are hundreds of different resumes out there, each designed to highlight a different skill set. If you want to get hired, you need to stand out from the crowd.
This blog post will show you how to create a resume that highlights your skills, global diversity and experience while making sure it’s diverse enough to appeal to multiple employers.
Diversity and Inclusion: What Is It?
First things first, what exactly does diversity mean when it comes to employment and odes inclusion strategy work?
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, “diversity” means “the recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, training, retention, or other terms or conditions of employment of people who identify with one or more groups historically discriminated against.”
The EEOC also defines “diversity inclusion” as “the practice of recruiting, hiring, promoting, compensating, training, retaining, and treating employees without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information.”
So, if you’re looking to be hired by a human resources manager who values diversity, then you should make sure your resume reflects that.
How Does a D&I Resume Look?
A typical resume looks something like this:
• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Email address
• Date of birth
• Education
• Skills/Experience
• References
So, how do you write a professional diversity and inclusion resume?
1. Make Sure Your Skills Are Accurate
When writing a resume, it’s straightforward to overstate your abilities. You may have been working on a project for several years, but a potential employer who may be a diversity manager won’t know about it if you don’t mention it on your resume.
It’s also possible that you’ve had a job title change since you last worked. For example, if you were a manager before, you might now say that you’re a team leader. It’s best to keep your skills up-to-date. This way, you can showcase your current work history and demonstrate that you’re still relevant. also, include any other useful employee engagement activities and strong project management skills you possess.
2. Include Experience That Reflects Your Goals
If you want to hire an employer that supports diversity and inclusion, you need to include some experience showing that they value these qualities.
For instance, you could list volunteering at a local LGBT center. Or maybe you helped organize a conference for women in tech. Whatever you choose, make sure it demonstrates that you want to work with people from various backgrounds.
3. Don’t Forget About References
You wouldn’t go to school without references, so why would you apply for jobs without them? When applying for a position, always ask for three references. It will ensure that you have plenty of options available to you. And even though most companies prefer to see two or three, you never know where a reference might lead you.
4. Keep It Short & Sweet
Your resume shouldn’t take longer than one page. If you’re having trouble keeping it short, try breaking down your experience into bullet points instead of paragraphs. Also, avoid using too many fonts and colors. Employers tend to favor simple designs that are easy to read.
5. Be Professional
Even though you’re not going to be meeting anyone face-to-face when you send out resumes, you still need to put a little effort into making yours look good. Don’t use fancy fonts or graphics. Instead, stick to plain text.
And don’t forget to proofread your resume. A typo here or there can throw off an entire application process.
6. Add Keywords
As we mentioned earlier, keywords help recruiters find you more easily. So, make sure to add the right ones to your resume.
Some examples include:
• Diversity & Inclusion
• LGBTQ+
• Women in Tech
• Black History Month
7. Use Appropriate Formatting
There’s no reason to use Comic Sans or Times New Roman font. Stick to standard formats such as Arial or Calibri.
8. Proofread Before Sending Out Applications
Once you’ve written your resume, it’s time to start sending it out. But before doing this, make sure to double-check everything.
Look through your resume for spelling mistakes, grammar errors, and typos. Then, fix any problems you find.
9. Follow Up With Emails
After you submit your applications, it’s essential to follow up with each company individually. Make sure to thank them for their consideration and let them know how much you appreciate their interest.
10. Stay Positive
While you may feel discouraged after receiving rejections, remember that everyone has different experiences. So, don’t think about what happened and focus on what you learned from the interview process.
Showing Diversity and Inclusion on Your Resume
When writing your resume, you should show employers that you support diversity initiatives and inclusion. It is especially true if you want to get hired at a place that values those qualities.
To do this, you first need to understand what these terms mean. After all, they aren’t exactly common knowledge.
What Is Diversity?
Diversity refers to differences between individuals. These could include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability status, veteran status, etc.
So, how can you demonstrate diversity initiatives and inclusion in your resume? Well, you can start by highlighting the following:
1. Working with diverse teams
You can highlight that you worked with different employee resource groups using different inclusion strategies. For example, you could mention that you worked with someone older than you or someone who had a disability. Still, you can mention that you have participated in talent management or inclusion initiatives activities.
It is a great way to show that you have empathy for others and that you value diversity. Also, it shows that you will not be affected by different diversity strategies used in workplaces. Once you include this information in your resume, you’ll stand out among other candidates.
2. Volunteering in an organization that supports diversity
You can show that you care about others and value differences by volunteering in organizations that promote diversity. And since companies like to see evidence of community involvement, this is a great way to stand out.
For example, you might say something like, “I volunteered at my local food bank where I taught ESL classes.”
3. Participating in activities that encourage diversity
When applying for jobs, you can list activities that you participated in that promoted diversity. For instance, you might have volunteered at a local LGBTQ+ center or attended a conference where speakers discussed diversity issues.
At the same time, if you work for a company that promotes diversity, you can mention this in your cover letter.
You can also highlight the fact that you are part of a team that helps other groups succeed.
4. Having mentors who represent diverse backgrounds
Mentors play a significant role in helping employees grow professionally. So, when you write your resume, you can mention that you have mentors who come from diverse backgrounds.
Having such mentors is a great way to learn more about diversity and inclusion. However, ensure that you only name one mentor per position. If you have multiple mentors, make sure that each person represents a different background.
5. Supporting diversity initiatives
Companies and diversity managers often offer training programs to help employees better understand diversity and inclusion. If you’re interested in learning more about these programs, you can mention them on your resume. Informal training assists partners to cope and working together. So if you have received any informal training, mention it.
You can also mention using social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are great ways to reach out to potential employers.
If you use these sites, you can post images and videos that promote diversity and inclusion.
6. Demonstrating cultural competency
Cultural competency is another way to show that you support diversity. It means being able to communicate effectively across cultures. When writing your resume, you can use inclusive language such as “people of color” instead of “black” or “white.”
While at it, ensure to use inclusive language, it applauds the firm’s diversity recruiting efforts. You can use inclusive language when speaking with others. For example, you could say “folks” instead of ‘man’ or ‘woman.’
7. Being aware of unconscious bias
Unconscious bias happens when we don’t realize that our thoughts affect our actions. It can lead us to stereotype certain groups of people.
When you apply for a job, you can be mindful of your own biases and avoid stereotyping. Remember that not all stereotypes are negative. For example, some may think that Asian-Americans are hardworking and intelligent.
8. Showing respect
Respect is important because it shows how you treat others whether they are your colleagues or business partners. When writing your resume or cover letter, you can mention showing respect by using inclusive language.
9. Showing leadership skills
Leadership skills are vital because they allow you to influence others. Therefore, when you’re looking for a new job, you should highlight your leadership experience.
For instance, if you’ve been an active member of a community organization, you can include this information on your resume.
10. Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to gain experience and build relationships. However, before volunteering, you need to consider whether you want to volunteer for a nonprofit or a business. It is a method companies use in talent acquisition.
A nonprofit will likely ask you to do things like fundraising or serve food. On the other hand, a business will likely ask you to work on projects related to their company including taking part in their training programs.
11. Using technology to improve diversity
Technology has made life easier. But, it’s also created challenges. For example, it’s become harder to find jobs.
So, if you’re looking for a job, you should take advantage of the technology available to you. You can use online resources to search for employment and even look up companies and a diversity manager you will be happy to work with.
