Have you sat in a hiring discussion during which someone suggests making an effort to find more diverse candidates and is met with “the most qualified person should get the job”? While it’s not an uncommon attitude, it’s detrimental to your diversity efforts. As HR practitioners, we must remember that diversity hiring isn’t about lowering the bar; it’s about widening the gate.
When somebody suggests creating a more diverse candidate slate, he or she isn’t suggesting that the most qualified candidate should not receive the job. The person is just suggesting that there may be other qualified candidates who aren’t being represented in your candidate slate.
