Committing to Intentional Hiring
By Maia Alexander, Vice President of Talent and Culture
I find it hard to believe that I joined Hatcher six months ago in May 2021. At that time, our team included more than 40 talented colleagues. The acquisition of Horne Creative Group in July was an instant growth spurt creating a team of 50, accompanied by the realization that several more key hires were needed to serve our growing portfolio of clients and capabilities. Today, we have nearly 60 enthusiastic, gifted, and diverse colleagues, all of whom we brought on board by being intentional in hiring more diverse talent in all departments across the firm.
Hatcher’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is accomplished internally with annual DEI training, open information sharing, and transparent conversations about how we can contribute to an equitable and inclusive community.
Our goal is to proactively cultivate an inclusive, hybrid work environment that allows everyone to be themselves at work and find a place of belonging within the Hatcher community. Achieving this goal allows us to continue to diversely recruit and, ultimately, retain talent. Here are a few tips on how to identify and advance more diverse applicants through the screening process:
Dig deeper into work experience. When you’re reviewing 20-plus resumés, you often first touch on the highlights — education, current company, role, and proficiencies. While you can learn a lot from qualifications, the hidden gems are found with additional research. I often narrow my selections for hiring managers, regardless of potential diversity or culture adds, by looking up current employer websites to identify relevant aspects of an applicant’s work experience and determine if they align with Hatcher’s work. I also note resumés of interest to share with hiring managers in case they don’t recognize the same candidate potential that drew me in.
Discuss how your organization supports its employees. During initial screening, in addition to asking standard questions on why an applicant is attracted to the organization and what expertise they would bring, I invite applicants to ask questions about culture, training, and collaboration within our community. I also intentionally share our commitment to professional development, dynamic team structures, and how we prioritize DEI in our work. To keep prospective employees engaged in the hiring process, I share how Hatcher will support their career goals and how that sets us apart from other organizations they may consider. The interview process is a two-way street. All candidates should leave with a strong impression of the firm, not solely based on your answers to their questions, but the information you proudly volunteer.
Be honest about potential growth opportunities. Once candidates have gone through our structured interview process and we’ve determined they possess the desired skill sets and would be great cultural fits, we look at growth opportunities within Hatcher, specifically, if the team is willing to support candidates in becoming successful. We identify mentors, additional training, and how we can support a successful onboarding process. Ultimately, we seek to provide opportunities for all hires to bloom where they’re planted!
If you look at the backgrounds of recent hires, you’ll see a diverse range of experiences that collectively contribute to Hatcher’s continued success. We’re a community committed to sustained diversity and continued growth. Our newest team members attest to that! Please join me in welcoming:
- Tiffany Browne, Director
- Lauren Bush, Senior Director
- Emma Edick, Production Specialist
- Ashley Flowers, Senior Associate
- Imani Goodall, Digital Marketing Associate
- Sophia Handel, Video Associate
- Cataysha Lee, Digital Marketing Associate
- Mana Mostatabi, Senior Director
- Cindy Ramos, Graphic Designer
- Jaz Washington, Talent and Operations Specialist