What do talented people of color want most on the job? Professional-development opportunities, according to a new Bernard Hodes Group study.

The study, which surveys 751 people, also documents the places people of color are most likely to find job opportunities, why they leave and how progressive employers such as those in The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity^® implement aggressive mentoring, career-advancement and training opportunities to keep them.

Here are some of the top-line findings from the survey:

Why do you want to work there?

• Career opportunities: 29 percent of people of color versus 20 percent of whites
• Training: On a scale of one to five, people of color are more likely to value training opportunities than whites--4.07 and 3.87, respectively
• Brand reputation: Top 50 companies know that diversity branding is a competitive edge when it comes to recruiting top talent, and they invest in advertising, philanthropic and community activities to get their message out. On a scale of one to five, people of color (4.25) weigh corporate reputation more heavily in choosing where to work than whites do (4.16)
• Compensation: 19 percent of people of color versus 14 percent of whites

Despite aspirations for career advancement, many people of color, particularly black women and Latinas, struggle to get ahead. Why aren't more black women getting promoted?

To advance your career, read ASCENT Puts Women of Color in Their Place: Management, and get career advice you can't get anywhere else.

Nearly a third of people of color are actively seeking jobs versus 19 percent of whites, according to the survey, which finds that although people of color spend a slightly higher amount of time than whites with an employer, on average, they're also slightly more likely to switch employers in a five-year period.

 What makes talented people leave?

• Expand skill set: 52 percent of people of color are looking for another job because they want to expand their skill sets, compared with 46 percent of whites
• Do not feel appreciated: 41 percent of people of color versus 31 percent of whites. Nearly 30 percent of people of color say a change in work environment would get them to stay, compared with 23 percent of whites 

Check out DiversityInc's roundtable for career advice and to learn about the impact of micro-inequities--the seemingly insignificant snubs, snide comments and gestures that have major impacts--in the Jan./Feb. 2008 issue of DiversityInc magazine, available soon. Subscribe now.  

How are people of color most likely to search for and find jobs? More than 90 percent of job applicants of color and white job applicants use online sources, but there are differences in where they get and post their information. For example:

·         Fifty-seven percent of people of color post résumés on corporate sites, compared with 47 percent of whites

·         Online ad: 55 percent of people of color versus 46 percent of whites

·         Blog: 10 percent of people of color versus 5 percent of whites

·         Career center at school: 30 percent and 20 percent, respectively, for people of color and whites

·         Employee referrals: 15 percent of people of color, who often trust friends' and relatives' opinions more than corporate web sites about a potential employer, got jobs because of employee referrals, compared with 11 percent of whites

"Our study proves the old truism that 'people don't quit companies, they quit supervisors.' It's great news to know that 1 in 5 of those people find a way to return to the company. And the data demonstrates that the power of community is what draws them back," Paul Austermuehle, senior vice president of Bernard Hodes Group, said in a statement. "Strategy should build on the friendships and sense of belonging that make so many jobs so satisfying in the first place. This takes considerable pressure off of the staffing team."

What do your workers really want? Find out how to recruit and motivate different generations and people with disabilities.

Also, read Why Would I Want to Work There? to get firsthand accounts from DiversityInc readers on why they chose their employers--and more importantly, why they've opted to stay.

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