5 Questions for EmployDiversity's Raul Ray

Rau Ray launched the diversity job marketplace EmployDiversity.com back in 2003. It is one of the oldest running diversity job sites on the internet.

1. What is the origin story of EmployDiversity?  

The idea of connecting employers to prospective job candidates came to me while I was in college at San Jose State University. During that time, I was majoring in Human Resource Management. I was intrigued by the idea of helping both sides find each other but I didn’t know from a technological standpoint or cost on how I could make this happen.  Internet was still a few years away. I continued on with my education by going to law school.

I passed the bar and started my legal career. I never gave up the idea of a job board. From 1988 to 2000, I worked as an attorney, saved some money and in 2000, I found a company name SearchEase to build our first job board platform using their license software. They worked with me to customize the platform. We finally launched in 2003. With customization, we could do so many different things. I was like a kid in a candy store because I had many ideas for the site.  In 2015, we moved our platform to Smartjobboard. I have been happy with our SJB experience ever since.

2. What is your background?

I have been a licensed California attorney for over 36 years. I received my J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law. I was born and raised in San Jose, California. I have family ties to Central and South America. I was a personal injury lawyers for many years but my famlly history ultimately led me to practicing immigration law. My family is from both Panama and Colombia.

I have represented clients from all over the world.

3. Why are you so passionate about DEI?  

DEI is dear to my heart because of my own professional life experiences and because I firmly believe that if the playing field was really level, then we wouldn’t need DEI. My goal was to create a platform to serve as an online tool for employers to use to find qualified job candidates from diverse backgrounds who would be valued and enabled to bring meaningful contributions to the company’s overall success. 

4. How should employers think about diversity from a high level? 

I believe the approach to DEI should not just be top bottom, but bottom top as well. Leadership on DEI can only go so far if mid and lower level management are not on board with the overall DEI initiatives of the company. I don’t believe in lowering the bar for the sake of putting up people numbers. What I do believe in is employing effective DEI Strategies focusing on systematic changes to internal processes that perpetuate inequity.

5. Why should employers try EmployDiversity?   

There are several benefits to working with EmployDiversity:

• We are a niche job board allowing employers to tap into a network of diverse job seekers. Our site attracts over 1,000 job seeker profiles each and every month.
• Employers on our site have a wider reach and visibility to targeted diverse job seekers who are actively looking for job opportunities. Listings are distributed to state unemployment resources.
• By advertising on our platform, employers send a positive message to diverse job seekers about what they value in candidates as well as evidencing inclusivity and diversity within their company 

Employers advertising on our on platform have access to various job posting solutions at cost effective prices to reach diverse job seekers. Postings start as little as $85.

Learn more about EmployDiversity