Recruiting has gone virtual. And as we continue moving forward through the pandemic, organizations are now embracing the benefits of end-to-end virtual recruiting to attract talent and rapidly increase diversity in their hiring pipelines. Today, HR executives and recruiting professionals worldwide leverage technology and pair it with a personalized touch to attract top, diverse talent. 

In today's digital-first corporate world, everybody is looking for the best and brightest. Here are my top tips for 2021 and beyond that will give you the edge:

Look outside of traditional platforms and personalize your pitch.

When searching for talent, large recruiting platforms such as Indeed, LinkedIn, Monster, and Ziprecruiters are great resources for casting a wide net. However, the traditional platforms don't allow diverse talent to surface on an equal opportunity basis. Nearly 30% of LinkedIn users are Caucasian and male, so now many diverse users are migrating to private, professional online groups. 

There are now professional groups for nearly any niche. Private groups are all about community and provide ample career advancement opportunities. The advantage of recruiting in these groups is that they provide a transparent window into how different members interact with each other, which allows you to see firsthand how a potential candidate professionally communicates. When you find a potential candidate, a personalized message goes a long way. When you write a personalized message to request an interview, I suggest sharing something they said that resonated with you and why you feel they might be the right fit for an available position.

Highlight your brand and culture at every touchpoint. 

On average, it takes a potential candidate three to four touchpoints with a company until they decide to apply for a position. When a candidate receives and reads your message, they will likely open another browser and click on your website. They will then read through the job posting to see if the position sounds right for them and then research your company on Glassdoor. They will also look at your social presence and check what pops up first when your companies' name enters into Google.

So before you even begin searching for diverse talent, each touchpoint must highlight your brand authentically. Utilize every viable social platform to diversify your presence. Each touchpoint allows you to showcase your company mission, inclusive culture, core values, equitable benefits, D&I initiatives, office life, and team photos. If any touchpoint doesn't feature your brand positively, you may not receive a response. Take the extra time needed to make sure your company is visible on every relevant platform and that your brand messaging inspires the candidate to reply.

Create detailed and inclusive job descriptions.

The best and the brightest are often passive window shoppers when it comes to making a career change. They are likely employed, thus either floating their resume to gauge outside interest or waiting for interview requests to hit their inbox. So when they do pass by your job posting, the more inclusive the language in your job description, the better chance for more applications. 

ZipRecruiter found that listings with gender-neutral language receive 42% more applicants. The gender-neutral language will ensure the candidate doesn't second guess the opportunity because of unneeded slang, industry jargon, or masculine language. Avoid words like headstrong, aggressive, or decisive. Instead, focus only on essential skill sets and using inclusive language like adaptable, curious, and creative. The more you can paint a picture that places the candidate in the position, the better opportunity you're going to have to book an interview. 

Offer to set up meetings with current employees. 

Assuming you get all of the first four steps right and score a meeting with that unicorn candidate, you will undoubtedly showcase your organization in the best light during the interview. But as a way to promote transparency, at the end of the interview, offer to connect them with select current employees. 

Providing a candidate with the opportunity to connect with current employees shows that you have nothing to hide. The fundamental question a candidate will ask the current employee is, "so what is it like working here?" Encourage your employees who take the meeting to be open and honest, and report with feedback about the meeting. Candidate-employee meetings are a great addition to your hiring strategy. You glean insights you wouldn't otherwise receive, which will ultimately help you make better hiring decisions.

We live in a new world for hiring. Still, there has never been a more abundant time to authentically connect with people who can help drive and grow your business into the future.

Follow these five steps and start attracting top, diverse talent today. Share this with other leaders in your network.