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A New Hiring Platform Helps Connect Employers And Top Talent Of Color

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Black and Brown professionals want more from their workplaces, a sentiment reflected in a recent For(bes) The Culture study that finds just 19% of these employees are extremely satisfied with their employers. 

Sharon Smith-Akinsanya, the CEO of diversity, equity and inclusion marketing firm Rae Mackenzie Group and author of Colorfull: Competitive Strategies to Attract and Retain Top Talent of Color, is answering this call. In January, Smith-Akinsanya founded the People of Color Careers Social Hiring Network to help bridge the professional equity gap. 

The decision to launch the network was partially inspired by companies seeking long-term ways to promote racial equity. “George Floyd’s murder took place right in my backyard of Minneapolis, Minnesota,” says Smith-Akinsanya. “That’s when I began receiving phone calls from CEOs and policy makers who wanted to help close the income and equity gap across the nation.”

The platform, whose clients include U.S. Bank, Thrivent and Andersen Windows & Doors, is meant to be a one stop shop for professionals to connect directly with recruiters and hiring managers, as well as  company executives and employee research groups. Company partners pay for access to the platform; professionals gain access for free. 

“Black and Brown employees are in the catbird seat,” Smith-Akinsanya told Forbes in a previous interview. “[Companies are thinking], ‘what are we going to do to maintain our competitive edge,’ because they can't have it unless they are competing hard for top talent of color and unless they are doing a really good job around equity. So Black and Brown professionals have the floor.”

The organization plans to report its outcomes beginning next quarter. In the meantime, Smith-Akinsanya is carving out plans to transform the online platform into an app and global resource group for professionals and workplaces. 

“It’s another avenue for employers to have one space where they can find us,” says Smith-Akinsanya. “A lot of times, I hear companies say they can’t find professionals of color. So we’re solving that problem for you.”