Businesses should use the ethnic media for recruitment to tap into a wider
talent pool, according to Trade and Industry secretary Patricia Hewitt.
Speaking to British MEPs in Brussels, Hewitt said employers would lose out
on well-qualified recruits from ethnic minorities if they only recruit through
traditional channels.
"This represents an opportunity for managers seeking to recruit talent
in their own firms," she said. "So when a manager is considering
placing a job advert in the national press, they should think about advertising
in the ethnic press as well."
"Recruiters should be asked to go the extra mile to make sure they are
reaching out to everybody."
Hewitt highlighted a recent Performance and Innovation Unit report, which
finds that UK productivity has suffered because many highly educated people
from ethnic backgrounds have poor employment prospects.
"We do not recognise often enough what a source of competitive
advantage we gain from our social diversity," she said.
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