Search Influence is committed to growing the diversity of our team, fostering an inclusive working environment, and helping eliminate barriers of entry into our field. We want the company’s infrastructure—from our vendors, to our interns, to our contractors—to reflect the community and world in which we live and work.
This section of our website provides us the opportunity to demonstrate the concrete ways we move towards this goal.
Recruiting, Hiring, and Talent Development
On an ongoing basis, Search Influence’s Executive team evaluates and updates the company’s recruiting and hiring process to reach a diverse candidate pool and ensure that any individual who qualifies for an open position has an equal opportunity for hiring.
Recruiting
Diversity Employed seeks to connect candidates from diverse backgrounds with employers and professional development opportunities. Generation USA has a digital marketing program in partnership with New Orleans’ Delgado Community College that helps students receive certifications for programs including Google Analytics and Facebook Blueprint. Upon completion of this program, students can qualify for entry-level careers in digital marketing.
Reducing the Gender Wage Gap
In previous updates to the company’s hiring practices, Search Influence removed salary history questions from its application process because these questions can contribute to a gender pay gap.
Certifications
Changes to the hiring process as a result of these learnings:
- Job descriptions now undergo a gender bias check prior to posting
- The interview process now includes a panel interview. Panel interviews reduce biases and increase the likelihood that Search Influence hires individuals who act collaboratively within the company in general and across departments.
YouthForce NOLA Partnership
In Spring 2021, Search Influence welcomed a cohort of six interns.
Since 2015, Search Influence has hosted 19 interns, with two continuing to work at the agency after completing their internships. We pair each YouthForce NOLA intern with a mentor to guide them throughout their experience. The mentor coordinates training with agency subject matter experts and offers feedback as interns progress through the program. One of our early YouthForce interns, who continued to work with us part-time after the program, went on to a full scholarship at Tulane University.
IDEA Committee
About the IDEA Committee
IDEA Mission Statement
The IDEA Committee seeks to facilitate our agency’s ongoing efforts to promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and awareness within and beyond our organization, with a focus on the economic development of local professional and youth minorities.
Commitments, Outcomes and Accomplishments
Company Presentations
In 2021, the IDEA Committee coordinated and delivered 7 DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) presentations to the company to further Search Influence’s collective education and awareness. Presentations:
- Civil Discourse
- Inclusive Hiring
- Words/Phrases w/Charged History
- History of Pride/Gender Identities
- Juneteenth
- ADA Compliance & Architecture
- Neurodiversity and other Invisible Differences/National Disability Month
Updates to Company Graphic Resources and Practices
IDEA identified a stock photography resource for photos of Black and Brown people. In order to elevate this opportunity to diversify our photo libraries, we shared this resource in a company meeting and added it to our stock photography documentation.
Gender Pronoun in Company Signatures
IDEA highlighted the opportunity for Search Influence team members to include their preferred pronouns in their email signature. In addition to providing a step-by-step guide as to how to implement these changes, one of our committee members presented to the company about gender expression and the value of pronoun identification as a way to acknowledge someone’s identity.
