By Mary Ann Melody, NAB Show Daily
Hiring diverse talent brings new viewpoints, strategies
The media and entertainment industry has taken multiple steps in recent years to diversify its workforce.
The first step has been to examine internal procedures even before a single résumé crosses the hiring desk.
Words matter and how an advertisement for a broadcast position is written impacts not only who is ultimately hired, but who even considers applying for the posting.
Today’s NAB Diversity Symposium, held for the first time virtually last fall, will provide strategies for those in the media and entertainment industry looking at their diversity, inclusion and equity processes in the workforce.
LANDING THE BEST
The symposium’s overarching theme will focus on the topic of recruitment, but sessions and speakers will probe the entire hiring process, not just how to land the best talent, said Michelle Duke, president of the NAB Leadership Foundation and NAB’s chief diversity officer.
“We’ll really dig into recruitment and talk about what steps you might be overlooking and, therefore, not attracting the talent that you are seeking as it relates to diverse talent,” Duke said.
Another key element of the symposium will be tapping into the brainwork of some existing organizations that already have their foot in the door with prospective candidates or future prospective candidates, such as college students. These types of organizations include the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the American Association of Colleges and Universities.
“What is it that [employers] need to do to build those pipelines so they have a shot at attracting some of those candidates?” Duke said.
Employment opportunities for women, minorities and others skirting jobs in management or breaking into what was a seemingly unattainable position have new communities to lean on for support.
A representative from #GALSNGEAR, an organization that supports women in the industry through educational opportunities, mentoring, public speaking, technical training and networking events, said more women than ever are seeking positions that were traditionally male-dominated.
These include production and post-production jobs such as cinematographer, post producer and unscripted and documentary editors. However, women are still few and far between in visual effects design, narrative editing, sound design and technical director positions.
“At #GALSNGEAR we have worked with university programs across the country with simple strategies to be more inclusive around technical training and access to gear and helping them bring in tech-savvy speakers — who happen to be women — and can inspire the next generation of makers,” said Amy DeLouise, chief executive officer of DeLouise Enterprises LLC and founder of #GALSNGEAR.
Community helps support not only up-and-coming novices in the media and entertainment industry but anyone at any point in their career, DeLouise said.
#GALSNGEAR is teaming up with NAB Show, Marvel and NVIDIA Omniverse to present today’s 4–6 p.m. session, “Omniverse Meets Multiverse: Remote Workflows, Creative Results with #GALSNGEAR.” The session, held in the Create Inspiration Zone and open to all, will take a hard look at how working remotely has created innovative results.
“Storytelling has not just been changed by necessity during the pandemic, but now new creative and collaborative opportunities have emerged,” DeLouise said.
The innovation of blockchain technology in the content supply chain will be touched upon, and how customized, enhanced content is something to look for in the future, DeLouise said.
Two years ago, #GALSNGEAR launched a leadership program to help companies accelerate women’s leadership skills and networks. The collaboration continues during NAB Show on Tuesday with the one-day #GALSNGEAR Women’s Leadership Summit, which requires prior registration.
“We know the pandemic exacerbated the ‘broken rung’ — women in early management jobs missing out on promotions — especially for women of color,” DeLouise said, citing 3.5 million women who dropped out of the workforce during COVID-19.
The day will focus on three key areas of leadership style, leadership brand and industry trends that affect leadership decisions, DeLouise said. Highlights of the day will be a discussion by Ellyn McKay, founder of CEO Vision, walking attendees through the “8 Dimensions of Leadership.”
“No one style can take you all the way to success, so the workshop will unlock ways to develop cross-style leadership strength,” DeLouise said.
During the Women’s Leadership Summit, DeLouise and McKay will be joined by Eva Jannotta, who will lead a thought leadership discussion on building a professional brand.
5 KEY Takeaways
- Businesses should seek actionable tools to put into practice immediately after NAB Show.
- Remember, the first step to solving a problem is to identify it.
- Become part of a community of support — they do exist.
- Whether a novice or further up the management ladder, take your career where you want it to go.
- Mentor younger employees so they can step into leadership roles in the future.
