Diversity expands perception and understanding, brings new ideas, and sparks innovation
Diversity, equality, and inclusion are concepts we should thrive to attain as business leaders and entrepreneurs. And while most people will agree there have been extensive strides made in the past four decades across the business world in general, the IT sector is still lagging behind.
In an April 2022 report on diversity in the IT sector, the fast-growing career planning website Zippia.com reported the following statistics:
- In the US tech sector, 62% of jobs are held by white Americans. Black Americans hold 7% of jobs, Latinx Americans hold 8% of jobs, and Asian Americans hold 20% of jobs.
- In the United States, 83.3% of tech executives are white.
- In 2019, Black Americans accounted for 14% of the national population but occupied just 7% of tech jobs.
- Compared with industries in general, the high-tech industry employs more white workers (68.5% versus 63.5%), Asian Americans (14% versus 5.8%), and men (64% versus 52%).
- Compared to industries in general, the high-tech industry employs a smaller proportion of Black Americans (7.4% versus 14.4%), Latinx Americans (8% versus 13.9%), and women (36% versus 48%).
Source: Sky Ariella. “Diversity In High Tech Statistics [2022]” Zippia.com. Apr. 14, 2022.
We know that diversity is important in all matters of daily life, since it expands perception and understanding, brings new ideas and market opportunities, and ultimately sparks innovation that is less likely to be present when there is a homogenous team of people from one gender, race, or socio-economic background. The question then becomes: how do we expand the recruiting pool for technology jobs in general on both a short-term and long-term basis?
Widening the On-ramp to an IT Sales Career
It would be difficult to argue that segments of our society have significant advantages when it comes to landing a top entry level career position. My perception is based on growing up with limited means in a mixed race, inner city urban environment, but spending most of my adult life in an upper middle-class suburban environment. I observed the difference it made for kids who grow up with tutors to enable better outcomes in the classroom; athletic trainers and summer camps helping them compete at a higher level in sports; having parents with the financial means to send their children to the top schools that attract top employers.
Yet there are individuals with an equal or superior amount of raw talent who can’t count on that extra leg up that disproportionately favors white middle-class applicants. These are the kids who couldn’t get their college degree in four years because they couldn’t afford not to work and earn an income while in school. The ones who never considered a job in technology simply because they did not have a role model or mentor who could help them build the confidence and know-how to get there.
As someone who has hired hundreds of people in the course of my career, I’ve always had a keen eye for “the Grinders,” those applicants who went to college at night so they could work during the day. The ones who had to delay education in order to help out at home, care for an ailing family member, or deal with an illness or disability of their own. Their journey may be slower at the beginning, but the ones who ultimately succeed often find a mentor or a program that serves as a beacon of light to a brighter future and “faster start.”
TSRM’s FastStart Sales Enablement Program: Grinders Wanted
As a company that has been part of the IT channel for decades, TSRM has leveraged our experience in sales training/enablement, recruiting and demand generation to create the FastStart Program, which is a proactive sales resource development program that recruits, trains, and mentors entry level sales reps for IT solution providers. Through a combination of formal training sessions, independent study, one-on-one mentoring, and ongoing exposure to live sales campaigns, the candidates quickly gain the skills, tools, and confidence to succeed as sales professionals in the technology sector.
We focus our recruiting efforts on a wide range of schools across the country and make a concerted effort to uncover a diverse pool of applicants with both traditional and non-traditional academic paths and backgrounds.
We believe that by leveling the playing field and widening the on-ramp to IT sales, we will be helping to create a more diverse environment in the technology sector which will contribute to innovation, inclusion, and expanded opportunities for all.
If you are a college senior embarking on the journey to a post-graduation career OR an IT leader seeking well-vetted and well-trained entry level sales talent, discover more about the FastStart Sales Enablement Program here.
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