This article is written by Janet Morrison, CEO, J. Morrison Group, contributing writer for HCareers. The National Restaurant Association partners with HCareers on an online job board. Read the first part of this article here.

Diversity means difference. And of course, in the realm of human resources, it’s at a minimum the legal mandates of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action. The most successful companies, however, know it’s so much more. It’s about valuing divergent perspectives and cultures, creating a work environment that maximizes the potential of every employee throughout all levels of the organization, and reaching out to a diverse potential workforce. But exactly how do you reach out to diverse candidates?

First, it is important to communicate your diversity employer brand and the inclusion initiatives you have in place. This goes far beyond merely including an EOE tagline in your recruitment advertising. You want to communicate AND demonstrate that applicants from underrepresented groups are welcome in your organization and have an opportunity to succeed and grow.

Where budget allows, you can augment your traditional recruitment marketing plan with diversity sub-brand ads placed with minority publications or Web sites. The more segmented your advertising media, the more you can speak to the employee value proposition your company has in regards to individual diverse markets. For instance, after conducting audience research you may find within your target candidate pool that women highly value job flexibility while African-American males look for company-sponsored training programs. You address each of those individual needs with ads that maintain the overarching employer brand creative campaign while incorporating diverse target audience messaging and visuals.

It is important, however, to remember that ALL employment advertising should incorporate some measure of diversity employer branding. Not only do minority and non-minority employees benefit from identifying with well-respected corporate initiatives, but stockholders expect it.

Niche diversity advertising should only be utilized as a possible media-mix solution if budget allows or response tracking results prove traditional advertising media is not working to pull diverse or passive candidates. After all, even if diverse candidates value different job attributes, most search for jobs the same way non-diverse candidates do.

If non-traditional advertising venues are needed, other alternative diversity sourcing options could include online or in print direct mail, as well as special PR initiatives such as industry articles, association sponsorships, company-sponsored employee blogs, social networking online, industry-expertise podcasts, and much more.

In your traditional recruitment advertising, remember that job requisitions are not job postings. Like any advertising message, the goal is to address the needs, wants, and desires of your audience while creating an emotional connection and a desire to work for your company.

Take advantage of the extra space most online job boards allow for your job postings, as well as company branded job template artwork. Sell your organization’s initiatives for inclusion. Utilize company profile options to showcase videos, written testimonials, and photos of successful diverse employees within your organization. Promote awards and recognition your company gained from diversity organizations. Talk about your community outreach and corporate giving initiatives. Promote your company’s industry standing and reputation. And drive prospective candidates to your corporate career site where they can learn even more.

If your company invests in creating a diverse and inclusive workforce, reach out and let the whole world know. It’s something to be proud of because it’s the right thing to do. It’s also the smart thing to do because it can yield greater worker satisfaction and productivity; increased employee retention; reduced recruiting costs; more satisfied customers; and a significant contribution to the bottom line. So let your face of diversity shine.