As a Business Librarian, I regularly hear from small business owners who are struggling to find qualified employees. When I learned that Colorado’s Office of New Americans, opens a new window had several resources to help business owners hire immigrants and refugees, I knew I wanted to share these great resources with the community.
Why hire immigrants and refugees?
Immigrants and refugees bring valuable skills, experience and perspectives to a business. They can help reach new markets, customers and partners, both locally and globally. At this time when many businesses are having a difficult time finding and retaining qualified, talented employees, this population is ready to be hired. In addition, they can enrich workplace culture, fostering innovation and creativity.
Resources for hiring immigrants and refugees
Here are some steps you can take to hire immigrants and refugees more effectively and fairly. The Colorado Office of New Americans, opens a new window has created several excellent resources to help with this process:
- The Employer Checklist, opens a new window provides an excellent overview on how to prepare job postings, advertise and recruit immigrants and refugees.
- The Action Steps for Employers, opens a new window provides further documentation to assist with interviewing and onboarding.
- They have a set of on-demand videos titled Working with New Americans: From Recruiting to Upskilling Webinar Series, opens a new window.
Hiring immigrants and refugees is not only a smart business decision, but also a way to show your commitment to diversity and inclusion. By following the tips in this blog post, you can tap into the rich and diverse pool of talent that immigrants and refugees offer, and benefit from their skills, experience and perspectives. You can also help them achieve their career goals and contribute to the economic and social development of your community and country.
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