Kathy Goss: Equity over Equality

To create equity, we have to do things that are above and beyond because we're compensating for the way the system is already stacked against certain individuals. Equality and equity are different in that equality treats everyone the same regardless of need, while equity treats people differently depending on need.

Kathy Goss knows just how vital equity is, especially when it comes to recruiting.

Kathy Goss (she/her/hers) has nearly 20 years of experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion at companies spanning a wide variety of industries and sizes. She currently serves as the Diversity & Talent Practice Leader at Chicago Trading Company. Previously, she built LinkedIn's first Inclusion Recruiting strategy and team, and during her tenure achieved double-digit percent increases in hiring rates for under-represented candidates. In addition to diversity recruiting, Kathy has extensive experience in DEI learning and development, culture change, and data analytics. She excels at breaking down complex problems to design and drive practical solutions that make a positive impact. Kathy graduated from Northwestern University with a B.S. in Learning & Organizational Change and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Chicago SHRM (Society of Human Resources Professionals). She lives in the Chicago area with her husband, 3 children, and their Redbone Coonhound rescue.

In this episode, Kathy provides explanations and strategies for creating belonging, inclusion, and equity during the hiring process.

Listen to this episode and learn about:

Kathy giving credit and thanks to her husband, Shane (5:14)Being a life-long learner (7:11)How Kathy got her voice in this area (10:03)Pivotal allies for Kathy (13:43)Creating policies that benefit the employee and employer (17:21)The difference between equality and equity (23:01)Inclusion and belonging start before an interview (28:03)Pushing back on recruiters to have more diverse candidates (32:26)Building experiences to create connection (34:43)Priorities to focus on for recruiting (41:17)

Links

Connect with Kathy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathygoss/