How to answer diversity questions in an interview is one of the questions that The Muse has.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important for both employers and job seekers.I have seen firsthand how questions of DEI are being centered in the hiring process for all roles, as the former head of people at two quickly growing startups and the founder of a nationally recognized workplace inclusion strategy firm.The competitive advantage provided by a team that reflects the diversity of their customers and brings a wide variety of viewpoints to the table is what employers want.They need candidates who will help rather than hinder their efforts to foster a welcoming and supportive environment.
Consumers are starting to hold companies accountable for their statements.Companies want their employees to represent them well.With those goals and concerns in mind, interviewers are starting to ask candidates their thoughts on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
It is no longer sufficient to only prepare for the traditional interview questions and role-specific questions about your skills and background in digital marketing or customer service if you are looking for a job.I advise all job seekers to expect interview questions about diversity and inclusion, from my experience in the hiring world.
To help you succeed in the hiring process with an inclusive company, I have put together this list of DEI questions you may be asked along with advice on how to answer them and sample answers.
Most people think of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the same way.Employers want to know that you understand the true meaning of each term, but also find merit in each concept and share a commitment to fostering them in the workplace.
If you want to get points with the interviewer, you need to know how diversity, equity, and inclusion is defined and important to you.In addition to race and gender, diversity also includes age, sexual orientation, religion, military service, people with disabilities, and other experiences that are reflected in a company's workforce.
It is important for you to make it clear to your future employer that you are a champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion.Your relationship to DEI is just that.It is possible to talk about how and why it is important to you in your own language.
Three important topics to me are diversity, equity, and inclusion.I think diversity means representation across a wide range of experiences.We can more successfully achieve our goals if we can connect with coworkers with different perspectives than we do.A sense of belonging is referred to as inclusion.In order for a company to achieve the benefits of diversity, it has to be inclusive.In an inclusive workplace, employees feel more comfortable sharing their unique ideas and perspectives because they can sense that their differences are respected and appreciated.
Equity is important for making sure that every employee is included in the decision-making process, that everyone feels fairly compensated for their work, and that they have access to the same opportunities.Everyone I work with has an equal opportunity to grow and succeed and that is very important to me.The values of diversity, equity, and inclusion help create a workplace culture that drives the business forward.
When a hiring manager asks this question, they want to know if you are aware of the challenges that can arise in diverse environments, but that you can appropriately address them.If you have a relevant experience, be aware that your interviewer is not going to open the floor for a vent session.
Candidates can be tripped up by this question.You don't want to talk about how difficult it was to connect with a colleague of a different gender or religion.Answering the question at face value is not enough when you are coming up with an answer.To show that you have thought through ways to overcome the challenges, you will want to dig deeper.Keep your answer positive.
verse teams can be challenging and drive innovative solutions.You get more ideas, but also more people pointing out holes in them, if you bring diverse perspectives to the table.Everyone is pushed to think and work harder when there is a debate.It is one of the most challenging aspects of working in a diverse environment.If I notice that we have gotten to a solution fairly easily but we haven't heard from someone on the team, I'll ask that person to weigh in.I have found that inviting someone into the conversation can mean that we end up with a stronger solution.
It is difficult to thrive in a diverse work environment.The diversity of perspectives can make the process harder, according to research.It takes a lot of effort to create a type of connection and understanding that will result in positive business outcomes.The goal is to determine how active you will be in building a bridge of understanding between yourself and your colleagues.
It is important to get to know and understand someone before making a decision.It takes a lot of work to get to know your coworkers beyond your nine-to-five projects.You will want to show you recognize the power of relationship building when you answer this question.
I take the time to get to know everyone I work with on a personal basis.This should be done in the form of a scheduled lunch or coffee.I find times when I pass each other in the hallway or breakroom to quickly connect on a personal level.What matters to people outside of work and what drives their engagement at work are some of the things I like to know.This builds a relationship that helps instill trust.It is easier to understand one another when there are differences of opinion.
Employers want to know how active you are in creating an inclusive environment.It's not enough that you won't make offensive comments of your own.Most companies are looking for employees who will stand up for what they believe in.
You will want to show your willingness to take action when you answer this question.In the event of a sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise problematic situation, your interviewer wants to see that you won't be a passive bystander.They want to see that you won't overstep or ignore company protocol in your response.
This is a good time to share a personal story if you have experienced a similar situation before.If the situation was happening in front of you, as well as what you would do if you heard about it, you can reply with an answer.
I view it as my job to interrupt the bias regardless of who makes the remark or action.I want the statement or action to stop because it doesn't reflect the company's values or my own.I might say that we don't talk like that.If I heard about an incident that I didn't know about, I would inform the company's human resources team so they could address it.
Some people don't understand the importance of workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion.You may be asked this question by your interviewer because they want to know how you would respond.
It is helpful to talk about how you could use the data.People who don't understand the personal benefits of working in a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment might be more convinced by the "business case" and how these values are proven to affect the company's bottom line.McKinsey research shows that companies in the top quarter for racial and ethnic diversity are more likely to see financial returns above the median for their industry than their less diverse peers.A study by Harvard Business Review showed that companies with higher-than-average diversity had higher innovation revenues.
You would tailor your methods based on the values and motivation of the person you are trying to convince.Specific stories or case studies might be better for some people.
If you have already had to convince someone about the importance of workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion, now is a good time to share your story.
If I encountered colleagues who were unaware of the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the first step I would take would be to present them with facts.There is a lot of research on the financial benefits companies reap when they have a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.I am aware that some people may be aware of the research, but still unconvinced.If that were the case, I would encourage them to seek out a diverse team in order to think beyond their own experiences and assumptions.
I would translate that into scenarios for our company.If we were struggling to bring in new audiences within certain demographic groups, I might mention that a more diverse and inclusive internal team could help us achieve our goals.
Interviews almost always include a question or two designed to gauge how you are likely to behave in practice based on what you have done in the past, and this one is specifically intended to assess your ability to translate your values and beliefs into action.
It's time to implement the STAR method when you hear "tell us about a time when" or any similar request for a real-life example of how you've handled an issue in the past.You can use the STAR method to give a fitting example.STAR stands for something.
If you do not have a grandiose story about making sweeping changes at an organization, don't worry.Your interviewer will want to know how you bring the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion into decisions and actions.
I was an office manager for a fast-growing tech startup.I was the only woman in the company.We had the chance to name the conference rooms as we were moving into a larger office.I oversaw a lot of the move, including naming the rooms.I wanted to create a democratic process, so I invited the rest of the team to give name suggestions around a theme of famous innovators.Most of the suggestions I received were for men.I attended a diversity and inclusion workshop where I learned that naming conference rooms after men could be a turn off for female candidates.I shared this context with our team when I asked for another round of suggestions and we were able to work together and create conference room names that everyone loved.After that, I felt better showing female candidates around the office and we were able to increase the number of women at the startup.
It is important for all employees to embrace and champion inclusion, but especially for those in management and leadership roles who can set the tone for others.Employers want to know that you won't be just a bystander, but will help make the work environment a friendlier place where everyone feels encouraged to contribute and feels positive about their opportunities for growth, regardless of their background.
You can show how you will shine in your role as a leader by answering this question.Share an example of how you made others feel appreciated.Your answer to this question should show how you helped make team members feel welcome, and highlight a specific way that you embraced and uplifted them.
This could show up in many different ways, from how you run one-on-ones or team meetings to the way you respond to reports that need flexibility in their schedules.Pick an example that feels right to you.You could say:
I want my team to feel capable of success.This can be seen in the way I run meetings.Before the meeting begins, I always send out an agenda and welcome additions to it.This makes it possible for everyone to voice their ideas and concerns, even if they don't feel comfortable speaking up or doing their best thinking on the spot.I pay attention to who is speaking up and who their ideas are getting heard in the meeting.I will change the conversation to make sure that each person is included in the process and feels good about the next steps.
We all have biases.They can affect how we interact with others.Subconscious biases can come out in subtle ways for those in positions to hire others, such as feeling that a candidate isn't a good fit.Employers want to know if you have biases and what steps you will take to avoid them when looking for new team members.
The first thing to do is admit that the problem exists.When you answer this question honestly, your future employer will appreciate your self-awareness and vulnerability.They will appreciate hearing about the steps you will take to get rid of biases.It is an excellent time to share an example of how you have overcome biases in the past.
biases are all around us.They can get in the way of the hiring team.Ensuring that the job opening is broadcast to as many diverse networks as possible is the first thing I do to minimize bias in my hiring process.From the start, this helps bring in a wide range of candidates.I make sure to look at each candidate's skills and abilities.I don't pay attention to gaps in their career history, which might reflect time off to care for children and disadvantage women.College pedigree is unrelated to performance but can disadvantage people of color.I use a structured interview process where I make sure to ask every candidate the same questions so that I can evaluate them on a set of criteria.
Over the course of several years, using these strategies allowed me to grow the most diverse department in the organization and it really boosted our creativity and performance as a team.We exceeded our goals every quarter because we did better work with more perspectives.When other hiring managers started asking about what I was doing differently in the hiring process and how to eliminate biases in hiring across the company, they were more than happy to share what had worked for me.