The Recruiting Book Club

The Diversity Recruiting Blueprint: How to Build Inclusive Talent Strategies with Cody Horton

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In this episode of The Recruiting Book Podcast, Carmen Hudson welcomes Cody Horton, a longtime colleague, diversity champion, and the author of The Diversity Recruiting Blueprint. Cody’s journey is both inspiring and instructive, starting from his time in the Navy to becoming a pioneer in diversity recruiting and talent acquisition.

Cody discusses his unconventional career path, from technical roles at Microsoft to founding his diversity-focused recruiting business - eventually acquired in 2022. Throughout, Cody shares personal anecdotes about his early challenges, including breaking into corporate America after his military career and navigating tokenism in the workplace.

This conversation touches on:

  • Cody's transition from technical roles into recruiting and how Carmen helped shape his career in corporate talent acquisition.
  • The importance of equity in DEI efforts and the risks companies take by deprioritizing equity amid shifting political landscapes.
  • The evolving role of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and why companies need to properly resource and compensate these groups to avoid burnout.
  • The dangers of 'culture fit' hiring and the shift towards ‘culture match’ or ‘culture add,’ emphasizing alignment with values and mission.
  • Recruiting best practices, including the need for standardized and competency-based interviews, mitigating unconscious bias, and slowing down to build more diverse talent pools.

    • Cody also provides his take on how companies are quietly maintaining DEI work while navigating public backlash, and he stresses the importance of curiosity and embracing AI tools in recruiting to remain competitive.


    Follow Carmen Hudson on LinkedIn

    or visit www.carmenhudson.com


    Connect with Cody Horton on LinkedIn

    or learn more about his work by visiting www.codylhorton.com


    Get your copy of The Diversity Recruiting Blueprint by Cody Horton for expert guidance on building diverse teams and advancing DEI initiatives in talent acquisition.

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