The Association Blog

This easy policy change to your hiring & recruitment strategy can result in big gains

In the animal welfare sector, we’ve been talking about removing formal education requirements, particularly for entry-level positions, for a while now. There’s even been research conducted through Intelligent.com to support the practice, which perpetuates inequity.

Intelligent.com quotes professor Diane Gayeski, PhD., who shares, “Due to the expense of attending college, earning a bachelor’s degree is generally more difficult for people from traditionally marginalized groups and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds….Eliminating a bachelor’s degree can open jobs up to individuals who weren’t able to attend college.”

In last month’s Roundtable, Todd Cramer, CAWA, shared what happened when Potter League for Animals removed educational requirements to better align with their DEI goals. (Spolier alert: Although the change was made several years ago, Cramer is still receiving positive feedback from applicants. To be clear, it’s important to point out the relaxing of requirements does not refer to specialized positions, such as legal and veterinary professionals. )

“We removed educational requirements from job descriptions and job postings and replaced them with a list of what we call success factors,” shares Cramer. “The first success factor is that the person will embrace their own uniqueness and the individuality of others. I’ve had applicants comment that when they read that, they felt like they’d be welcome, and this is a place that they’d want to work.”

Have you reassessed this requirement at your organization in order to create a more inclusive work environment? If you feel uncomfortable removing it altogether, consider:
Required: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education or experience.

For more tips on creating long-term change as you work toward creating a more equitable and inclusive community, listen to the Roundtable.