Ventera Senior Recruiter Jaime Foster
How do you work with people to create or foster diversity in the workplace?
As a recruiter and a member of DRIVE, Ventera’s Employee Research Group focused on DE&I, I am frequently involved with our diversity initiatives. This year, I took an inclusive hiring bootcamp to learn about new ways to expand our candidate pools and identify historically underrepresented talent. I’ve piloted several new sourcing strategies & job boards. In addition, we’ve made several changes to our internal recruiting and hiring to formalize and streamline the process by focusing on data-driven decision making and more objective feedback.
Has diversity played a role in your leadership style? How have your past experiences influenced how you approach your work, your colleagues, and the world as a whole?
These past few years have been eye-opening to say the least. The current state of our country is so filled with hate. As a new(ish) mom, I want my son to grow up in a better place. I want him to be educated on inequalities that exist today and be inspired to create change.
In my role as a recruiter, I can make a difference in how we approach hiring, inclusivity and diversifying our employee base. In terms of work style and collaboration, the more perspectives you have, the more creative and innovative you will be as a team and in turn, as an organization.
What does it mean to you to have a commitment to diversity and inclusion? How do you think we can continue to support the need for social change?
It means everything to me, both in the workplace and in my personal life, to continue to self-reflect, educate, and create a more inclusive world. As a woman and a member of the Italian community, I’m accountable for speaking up for what’s right even when it’s uncomfortable.
What does it mean to you to be Italian-American?
Well, funny story actually. I grew up in a very Italian family in Rhode Island, my dad is one of 5 Italian brothers, so you can imagine what our Sunday pasta dinners were like. For Christmas a few years ago, we gave my dad a “23andMe” test. Turns out, my dad is only 12% Italian! It was an absolute shock to our family, most of whom won’t even acknowledge the results. So, it turns out I’m not as Italian as I originally thought, but I still love pasta!