5 Ways to Support and Hire More Indigenous Workers

In the United States, according to a recent Brookings report, “Native Americans are facing more economic stressors than all other racial/ethnic groups.”

Worldwide, employment statistics for Indigenous people are eye-opening. In the United States, American Indian and Alaska Natives make up about 1% of the workforce and have a higher unemployment rate than White or Black Americans. Their communities were hit hard economically by the pandemic. In Australia, Indigenous people experience higher-than-average unemployment too. About 47% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are employed, compared with 72% of the non-Indigenous population. 

“Australian businesses,” writes David Mallett, managing director at Indigenous-owned and operated Yanun Project Services in Adelaide, “need to rethink their recruitment strategies to ensure they allow young Indigenous workers to reach their potential, or risk missing out on this talent pipeline.”

How can you rethink your recruitment strategies? Here are five tips to recruit and hire more Indigenous workers. 

1. Recognize cultural differences

To make Indigenous candidates feel welcome and comfortable during the recruiting and interview process, it’s important to practice inclusivity, recognize cultural differences, and implement an equity mindset.

In a blog post for McLean & Company, Chevon LaForme addresses a few of these differences. Chevon, who works in the finance department of Canada’s Info-Tech Research Group (of which McLean is a division), is White and has ancestry ties to Anishinaabe-Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and Kanyen’kehà:ka (Mohawk-Bear Clan), Six Nations of the Grand River. 

She writes that there are a number of differences recruiters should be aware of when hiring Indigeous people. For example, it may be admirable in non-Indigenous cultures to be boastful and even a little flamboyant about your accomplishments in interviews, but Indigenous people value silence and feel that “soft-spoken words carry the farthest.” Many Indigenous people believe that it is distasteful to focus on themselves and prefer to speak about group accomplishments rather than those they achieved individually. 

Many also tend to prefer oral, or spoken word, over print. When they nod, it often signifies understanding, and not necessarily agreement. And above all else, Indigenous people value community. For Indigenous employees, Chevon writes, “work is often motivated by a group need.” 

She also adds: “Keep in mind that Indigenous people and communities are still healing at different paces depending on each person’s or community’s experiences with various issues around land, treaties, and systemic racism.”

To conduct interviews with sensitivity and a greater understanding of Indigenous culture, it’s helpful for recruiters and hiring managers to engage in cultural competency training. LinkedIn Learning offers Cultivating Cultural Competence and Inclusion and Developing Cross-Cultural Intelligence. You can also check out these guidelines provided by the Canadian organization Indigenous Works.

2. Recruit at tribal colleges and vocational schools

In the United States, there are 37 Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). By recruiting at these schools, you can tap into a pipeline of approximately 30,000 full- and part-time students who are working toward a college degree. There are several state colleges that also have large American Indian populations, including Oklahoma State University and New Mexico State University. 

When reaching out to schools, don’t forget to recruit at vocational schools too. According to an article in Diversity Officer Magazine, “Native Americans who aim for higher education too often get funneled into vocational schools, and are three times as likely to attend two-year colleges compared to white Americans.” So, broaden your reach and keep an open mind about where you might find the best candidates.

3. Consider dropping the degree requirement 

Higher education has not served Indigenous people well. In the United States, only 16% of American Indians have a bachelor’s degree, compared with 32.1% of the overall adult population. The numbers are similar in Canada, where 11.3% of the First Nation, Inuit, and Métis population has a college degree, compared with 29.3% of the non-Indigenous population. 

One of the main reasons for this is that the cost of college can be prohibitive. “Experts say poverty is one of the biggest impediments for Native Americans earning a college degree,” reports the American Indian Graduate Center. If you’re looking to recruit Indigenous talent, you might want to consider dropping the requirement of a four-year degree. 

“I want employers to reconsider this narrow focus,” David writes in Smart Company, “so that they can open doors to Indigenous young people, level the playing field, and ultimately benefit their own bottom line.”

His own story is a great example. David joined the Australian Special Forces after finishing secondary school and spent a decade working as a Navy clearance diver and Special Operations sniper. 

Following his military career, he worked in project management for various organizations, including Iluka Resources and AECOM, while also earning two master’s degrees. “I was fortunate that these companies saw my potential,” he writes, “and took me on prior to having obtained my first degree. Without that foresight, I would not be where I am now.” 

David’s story highlights something else: There’s a rich pool of Indigenous talent that has served in the military. In the United States, American Indians serve in the armed forces at a higher rate than any other demographic. Since 9/11, nearly 19% of American Indians have served in the armed forces, compared with 14% of all other population groups. 

4. Attend Indigenous hiring events and national conferences

One of the best ways to recruit and hire Indigenous talent is to attend hiring events and national conferences. In the United States, these include gatherings for groups such as the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), and the National Congress of American Indians. In Canada, you might want to check out the Aboriginal Professional Association of Canada and the Indigenous Professional Association of Canada. 

There are also organizations that help companies tap into Indigenous talent, including Indigenous Works in Canada and Native People’s Recruit and Nativehire.org in the United States. In Australia, check out Aboriginal Employment Strategy, a nonprofit recruitment service. 

5. Create your own pipeline

One thing your company might consider is starting a scholarship program that would help Indigenous students obtain a college degree. AT&T, for example, has made significant contributions to scholarship funds at the American Indian College Fund. Cenovus Energy, in Calgary, offers its own scholarship program, while the global consulting firm BCG does the same in New Zealand. You might also follow the example of TD Canada Trust, which has an Indigenous Internship program for postsecondary students.

Krystal Abotossaway, an Ojibwe who is senior manager of diversity and inclusion at TD in Toronto, writes that one of the ways she’s helped this program be successful is by cultivating relationships with young Indigenous people, rather than just trying to fill a slot. “I’ll start building relationships with prospective summer interns in January,” she writes, “and keep circling back to answer questions or share roles that match their skills based on what I learn about them as our relationship develops.”

When she visits an Indigenous community, Krystal goes out of her way to highlight how TD can benefit the community, which is highly valued in Indigenous cultures. She’ll talk, for example, about how people can access resume workshops or mentorship through the bank’s Indigenous Resource Centre. She also likes to mention that TD has a collection of Inuit art. “We talk about community over dollars,” Krystal says, “which reflects Indigenous values.” 

Final thoughts: It’s hard to be what you can’t see

David Mallett emphasizes how important it is for Indigenous people to see other people who look like them at a company, so they can imagine working there. He writes: “You can’t be what you can’t see.”

When you recruit Indigenous people — and make them feel like they truly belong — it opens the door for others. As David writes: “By creating legitimate pathways for Indigenous youth to be able to excel and reach financial freedom with rewarding careers, they in turn act as role models for future generations and ultimately, real change can occur.”

*Photo from LinkedIn

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