For industry-wide progress in DEI, brands must revisit how talent is being approached, writes Alma Vice President of New Business & Agency Communications Michelle Cobas in Adweek.

“I was recently contacted by a recruiter and to say the conversation didn’t go well is an understatement. From the tone as he delivered his opening line, I knew this conversation was unlikely to be a fruitful one.  ‘How would you like to work at a general market agency?’ If he knew me, he’d know I don’t look at opportunities because they’re multicultural or general market—I look for agencies with good people who do good work, so I told him, “It all depends on the agency.”

I proceeded to share what I’d been up to in the five years since our last contact (he hadn’t bothered to check) and highlighted what I was most proud to be a part of. I mentioned that I respected the people I work with and that it had been a good experience so far. We talked about my boss, a multicultural thought leader whom the recruiter has solicited for work in the past. And I emphasized I was proud of the ground we’ve gained in earning recognition from the industry at large for the caliber of our thinking and creativity—all of which I’d put up against any of the big “general market” agencies.

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