Also read: DiversityInc.com Career Center, career advice, CEO commitment, domestic-partner benefits, global diversity, corporate culture

Focusing your job-hunting efforts on companies genuinely committed to diversity makes sense: You'll be more engaged if your employer's values are aligned with your own. But how can you check out a company to make sure it is diversity-friendly?

Step No. 1: Check Out the Diversity Branding

The first step is to find out if the company is recognized for its diversity commitment. The best way is to note if it is one of The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity^® or if it's on one of DiversityInc's 11 specialty lists. In addition, see if the company has been named to or is rated on other diversity lists, such as the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. And see if it lists jobs on diversity-oriented job boards, such as DiversityInc.com's career center.

Deborah Dagit, chief diversity officer and vice president of diversity and work environment at Merck & Co. (No. 8 on The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list), also suggests job seekers attend diversity-related events and "talk to the representatives of the company about their programs. Ask about employee-resource groups, how big they are and what their priorities are."

Step No. 2: Do Your Initial Research

Next, check out the company's web site and see where diversity is mentioned and how prominently. Peruse the policies and executive bios and read the mission statements. Is the CEO quoted on the importance of inclusion? What boards does he or she sit on? Does the company offer same-sex domestic-partner benefits?

"Is what the company says about how it operates and how it sees its community and employees reflected in those materials--or is there a disconnect?" says Theresa A. Torres, director of diversity and employee experience for Verizon (No. 12 in the DiversityInc Top 50). 

Then check news sites and search engines to see what has been written about the company. Add the words "diversity" and then "discrimination" to find the negative and the positive. If the company's been sued for discrimination, find out how the issue was resolved.

What best practices are used by the nation's most progressive companies? Come to DiversityIncBestPractices.com.

Want to know more about finding a job? Read more articles on DiversityInc.com's career center.

Step No. 3: Check Out the CEO

Has he or she communicated the importance of diversity outside the corporate walls? Do a search to find what the CEO is saying to the media. Is he or she a passionate advocate consistently promoting the business benefits of diversity?

If not, it may be "an early-stage diversity company," says DiversityInc Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Barbara Frankel. These companies, she says, "need strong support in making the business case for diversity to senior executives so they can get the budget to advance its diversity initiatives."

To understand the different stages of diversity for companies, contact benchmarking@DiversityInc.com and check out Lessons Learned From the DiversityInc Top 50 on DiversityIncBestPractices.com.

Step No. 4: What Are the Demographics of the Senior Executives?

Most companies post executive headshots on their web sites. Carefully analyze them to ensure representation at all levels and across different departments. Law firms, for instance, are notorious for promoting diversity. But when you view the photos of senior partners at many firms, they're primarily white men.

Also, find out what the executives are saying. "Many today are blogging, which could provide a window into how the company sees its responsibility to the community and important societal issues," says Verizon's Torres.

Step No. 5: Is the Company Connected to Relevant Social Issues?

"Find out which organizations the companies you're interested in are active with," says Dagit. Then go to the sites of those groups to find out how committed the company really is. If only a handful of employees are involved, it may not be a corporate-wide commitment but rather the work of a few community activists or recruiters within the company.

Download prospective employers' social-responsibility reports, which can speak volumes about the culture. "Look at what kinds of organizations they contribute to and other ways they are involved," says Dagit. Find out how much is donated annually to outside organizations through both direct contributions as well as employee volunteer initiatives. Then ask: Are all employees encouraged to participate? Are they volunteering on paid company time?

Step No. 6: Is the Company Making Long-Term Commitments to Equality?

Is it involved over the next 10 and 15 years in global developmental projects? Is it sponsoring pipeline initiatives that aren't directly related to its business sector?

"Is the company supporting early education programs or investing in alternative sources of energy?" asks Torres. "That kind of thinking, where ROI is not always immediate, indicates that the company takes a long-term view."

Merck, for instance, has a long history of philanthropic commitment to multicultural groups that are not directly related to the healthcare industry, including UNCF, GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), The PhD Project and COSD (Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities). Similarly, the commitment to multicultural organizations by Verizon include the National Council of La Raza and the American Foundation for the Blind.