How to Talk About Diversity in Your Resume, Cover Letter, or Job Interview

Should you tell an employer upfront in your resume, cover letter, or job interview about your race, gender, sexual preference, cultural upbringing, age, mental illness, or physical disability? Could it kill your job application or might it bring you closer to a job offer?

Given how diverse the workplace is, would it help a job candidate to tout his diversity training or his experience managing and working with diverse groups of people?

For insight into how and when to address issues of diversity in the job search, I asked neurodiversity counselor, Jan Johnston-Tyler, the following questions:

1. Why would an employer welcome a job candidate's diversity training / experience?
2. What are some tips for talking about differences appropriately, in writing and in the interview?
3. Do you have some advice for heading off prejudice if a job seeker believes he or she might be a target of discrimination for being "non-American"?
4. To improve the US workplace, what areas of diversity awareness need the most attention?
5. How important is it for a job seeker to mention that she has had diversity training?
6. Can you give some examples of when it might be useful to mention one's personal "diversity status" on a resume?

How to Address Diversity in Your Resume and Job Search

Answers by Jan Johnston-Tyler
1. Why would an employer welcome a job candidate's diversity training / experience?

Smart employers always want employees with broad training and experience – these employees can be depended on to help smooth over group issues, mediate informally, and lend an elder statesperson's voice to a sometimes chaotic and reactive workplace. This has little to do with age, and everything to do with world or real life experience.

2. It's not easy to talk about differences, whether those differences are your own or someone else's. What are some tips for doing so appropriately in writing and in the interview?

This is a very tough question because some diversity is visible, and some is not. For example, a job seeker might be devoutly religious, and be uncomfortable in a workplace where swearing, blue comments, and a 'rock and roll' attitude prevail – this is a matter of corporate culture fit. Other types of diversity, such as disability, become very difficult to discuss, because most employers are not well-versed in ADA laws of what can and cannot be asked, and because disability frequently makes people uncomfortable. In both cases, the wise job seeker – and employer – will be upfront about these matters. Employers should be upfront about corporate culture – "We’re a bit wild here, sort of a typical teenager of a company" – and about what the expectations of the employee might be – "I’ve never hired a person who is blind, so please forgive my ignorance. Can you tell me what sort of accommodations you might need to do this job?" In short, it makes no sense to not talk about potential challenges.

For potential employees, disclosure is a very personal thing. Again, some diversity is obvious, such as wearing a burka or being blind. In these cases, if there is a possibility of a challenge in the workplace or the need for special accommodations, the potential employee should bring it up first, with a solution already prepared – "In the past, I've used software such as Dragon Speaking Naturally to do all my email – I have a copy, and will gladly use it in my job." This takes the question out of the interviewer's mind about "what might I need to provide for this employee?"

For hidden disabilities, such as Asperger’s Syndrome or bipolar disorder, it is a different story. Despite the incredibly high prevalence of 'mental illness' (one in five Americans have a diagnosable mental illness), most employers are frankly scared. In this case, it is generally better to wait until hired, and in need of accommodations before bringing it up. While employers may not appreciate this, it is legal and moreover, frequently the most appropriate choice for the employee because disclosure prior to an offer is likely going to lose the employee the job.

3. Are employers becoming more hesitant to hire job seekers who are not first-generation Americans to avoid government monitoring of their businesses? Do you have some advice for heading off prejudices if a job seeker believes he or she might be a target of such discrimination?

I do think that this is an issue, but not because of governmental oversight. I believe it is because the economy is so poor, immigration is such a hot issue, and so many people seem to be reactive to 'others' taking American jobs (even if the job seeker is American!). Right or wrong, there is evidence that recent immigrants or those here on Visas have a better chance of being hired if they have acculturated to American ways, and if they have minimal accents. In short, it’s less about color, culture, or religion, and more about assuring an employer that they "fit in" to an American workforce.

4. To improve the US workplace, what areas of diversity awareness need the most attention? How can a job seeker make a difference, even if he or she isn't involved directly in diversity awareness training?

Two areas need continual attention: first, that of racial, religious and cultural discrimination, and the second is the education of American employers and human resource workers about the realities of hidden disabilities such as depression, autism, and schizophrenia.

We all are aware that in the next 20 years we will have a shortage of educated/trained workers as the baby boomers retire. As employers, we must open our eyes to the excellent employees we may have overlooked before because of color, religion, or differing abilities.

5. How important is it for a job seeker to mention on her resume that she has had diversity training? Is there a bottom line benefit to the employer if a job seeker has had such training?

I urge everyone to include all corporate or business-related training on their resume. If it is extensive, you can group them into different types, such as financial, managerial, program management, etc. Diversity training today is a bit like sexual harassment training in the 80s – it is frequently a corporate mandate for managers in larger, more progressive companies. For individual contributors, it shows that the employee cares enough about his/her career to take the opportunity to learn and develop managerial talent.

6. Can you give some examples of when it might be useful to mention one's personal "diversity" status on a resume?

Personally, I never recommend directly including personal information of any sort on a resume because it may appear as being "overly associated" with a particular group. Remember, managers want employees who fit in to their company’s culture. However, one can include organizations and affiliations they have done volunteer work with – which can be a "back door" way of noting ethnicity, religion, etc.

The other place where diversity may be noted is in the cover letter or the resume's objective or statement section if it directly applies to the job. Some examples include:

"As a Latina student studying law, I have extensive experience working with Spanish-speaking clientele, and wish to use these skills…"

"As a person with Bipolar Disorder, I am well-aware of the challenges these individuals face in terms of securing adequate public housing…"

"Although blind since birth, I have become an exceptional reader of people, and use that skill to my advantage as an HR generalist…."

My thanks to Jan Johnston-Tyler of EvoLibri for this interview. To see another Job Lounge post with Jan's advice, please read Counselor For Job Seekers With Autism.

6 Ways Not to Get a Stressful Job

Question
I have been ill for quite a few years. I suffer from fatigue, and have trouble concentrating when I get tired or stressed. Basically I don't want a job where I will be working overtime. How do I convey this to a prospective employer? How will this affect my employment opportunities? (See answer to this question...)

Long-Term Illness on Resume

How do you list long-term illness on a resume? Let's say you were hospitalized for clinical depression for two years, and unable to do anything but recover during that time.

This question came up in a train-the-trainer resume workshop I gave last week for resume counselors at a government-funded employment agency. Here's a solution the group came up with:

1. Use years (no months) in the work history.
2. For the gap in employment, list "Caregiver for household member" as the job title.

As one job counselor in my workshop pointed out, it's none of the employer's business that the job seeker was ill, what kind of illness he had, or how he was treated for his illness. He was, in fact, a caregiver during that time -- he was caring for himself (a member of his household).

I thought this was a very creative approach to handling a lengthy illness on a resume. It's honest, doesn't go into unnecessary details, and hopefully keeps the job applicant in the running for a job.

Counselor for Job Seekers with Autism

In response to a previous post, Help for Job Seeker with Autism, Jan Johnston-Tyler sent this email.

I'm a counselor in private practice working with neurodiverse teens and adults, including those on the autistic spectrum.

There is a huge variance in presentation of those with autism, ranging from mild impairment (requiring basic guidance and some scaffolding skills) to major impairment (requiring supported employment).

Because there aren't any simple answers, you first have to determine the level of disability/level of functionality. Once you've established this (white collar worker? skilled laborer? unskilled laborer?), the next thing to establish is what his/her career desires are -- does she want to work with animals? Study to be a graphic artist? Don't 'dumb down' this part of the process -- most folks on the spectrum are highly intelligent, and resist and resent being talked down to.

Once you have an idea of function and possible career paths, the trick is to create a plan toward an end career -- it may take several steps (certificate of achievement --> AA --> BA), with each completed step being an 'exit' if need be.

One thing to be careful of -- many vocational rehabbers make the huge mistake of putting high functioning autistics in customer service roles, which is a huge mistake. Many people with autism/ASD have difficulty under stress, and can 'go off' on customers, resulting in being fired. These individuals need to be working in calmer environments, frequently either in small groups or alone are good choices.

If you have any questions, let me know via email. Also, please check out my website, EvoLibri.

Take care,
Jan Johnston-Tyler
Neurodiversity Counselor

Disclosing Disability in Job Interview

The Legal Reality: Meredith on the Job by Helen M. Russon, Esq. is the continuing story of Meredith, a 32-year-old certified public accountant who was recently diagnosed with a chronic disease, multiple sclerosis (M.S.).

In this segment of the story, we learn how Meredith handled a tough question during her job interview, “We need dependable people here. Can you tell us how much time you missed from work last year because of illness?” Meredith's level of M.S. is referred to as relapsing-remitting, meaning she has spans of time in which she expereinces more disability than other times. For that reason, she answered the question, "I was sick a couple of times, but not for very long. And I made it all up through overtime." Her answer was honest without disclosing her M.S.

Meredith won the job but later faced the problem of how to maneuver a lot of stair climbing at work. She researched her legal rights for requesting "reasonable accomodations," using the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) as her guide. Despite knowing her legal rights, she was concerned that asking for an accomodation might limit her ability to advance in her job at that firm.

From the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission(EEOC), she found “Enforcement Guidance on Pre-employment Disability-Related Questions and Medical Exams,” where she learned the interview question should not have been asked. But if she had refused to respond to the question, perhaps she would not have gotten the job.

Russon's article concludes:

The legal reality is that the world of work is ambiguous—and right now the culture of her workplace may be Meredith’s only guide as to what to expect next.