One DHS People, Access and Culture · Learning path · I'm hiring or designing a role

Inclusive hiring and selection

You are responsible for a hiring process and want it to find capable people the current process may be screening out.

Outcome: By the end, you will have an inclusive hiring plan for a specific position: job-related requirements with alternatives, accessible outreach, a structured rubric and interviews, accommodation offered to everyone, a bias check built into deliberation, and a plan to review stage-by-stage outcomes with your HR partner.

Situations that may fit this path

Six steps to work through in order

  1. Test what the work requires — Use Ask to work through the requirements, the rubric, and the outreach plan for this position. Answers will say what they are based on and what needs your HR partner. · Ask a question — program page /ask?path=gp-6
  2. Consider community context (If relevant) — If outreach names particular Minnesota communities, read the relevant brief for how to reach people and what not to assume. · Explore Minnesota Communities — program page /minnesota-communities
  3. Choose practical resources — Use the eight-stage lifecycle, the job-relatedness check, and the accessible meeting guidance for interviews. · Inclusive hiring lifecycle — program page /resources/ja-inclusive-hiring-lifecycle · Is this requirement job related? — program page /resources/ja-job-relatedness-check · Accessible and culturally responsive meetings — program page /resources/ja-accessible-meetings
  4. Draft your inclusive hiring plan — Complete the plan for this position. Leave out candidate and employee names. Use the downloaded checklist to write your answers in a tool you normally use. This page does not save them.
  5. Review your work — Confirm that each requirement is tied to the work, accommodation is offered to everyone, the rubric is written, the panel is prepared, and outcomes will be reviewed with HR.
  6. Take it to the right people — Bring the plan to your HR partner and hiring panel. DSD staff can also request a consultation to think through a difficult position. · Find the right person — program page /support/right-person?matter=hiring_or_workforce

What a useful result looks like

Still needs work

Ready to use

Inclusive hiring plan

Position title and unit (required)
The position, not a person.
Requirements and what work each one predicts (required)
One line per requirement: the requirement, the work it predicts, and the credible alternative that shows the same ability.
Where and how you will reach people outside your usual networks (required)
Include community partners, plain-language posting, visible salary range, and the accommodation statement.
Screening and interview rubric (required)
The written criteria applied the same way to every candidate. Replace culture fit with specific behaviors the team needs.
Accommodation and access at each stage (required)
How accommodation is offered to everyone, and how each stage is accessible without disclosure.
Panel, HR partner, and reviewers (required)
Who is on the panel, how they were prepared, and which partners reviewed the plan.
What you chose not to assume (required)
About candidates' paths, communication styles, or what confidence looks like.
Who owns each follow-up (required)
Including who will review stage-by-stage outcomes with HR.
Outcome review date (required)
When you will look at who applied, advanced, and was hired.

Review your notes against

Questions to bring to Ask

One DHS People, Access and Culture