At Dogwood Alliance, we know that hiring is about more than just filling a job. It’s about building a team that reflects the world we want to create. One rooted in justice, equity, and care. We work hard to make our hiring process inclusive, fair, and open to everyone.
Here’s what we do to make sure every candidate gets a fair shot.
Skills, community leadership, and lived experience matter. They matter as much, if not more, than formal degrees. That’s why all but one role at Dogwood Alliance doesn’t need a college degree. We know that wisdom can come from many places. So we welcome nontraditional career paths.
We write our job descriptions with this in mind. We don’t want anyone to self-select out based on education.
All our interviews are structured. That means we ask the same questions to everyone. This helps us stay fair and focused on the things that matter most. Things like your skills, your experiences, and the values you bring to the team.
We tie each question to key competencies. Things like problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and leadership.
Each hiring team includes a mix of people. All from different backgrounds across race, gender, and job roles. Different perspectives help us make better, more thoughtful decisions.
This helps us avoid bias and reflect the communities we partner with.
We don’t rely on guesswork or “gut feelings” to make hiring decisions. Each hiring team member gets their own rubric. That’s a scorecard that helps them be fair and consistent when they rate answers.
After each interview, the hiring team meets with our Director of People & Culture. They’ll discuss scores together and make decisions as a group.
We want candidates to feel prepared and confident. We want you know what to expect and have time to think about your answers. That’s why we share interview questions in advance.
This helps reduce stress. It creates space for deeper conversations. Not pop quizzes.
Need extra time? Prefer written communication? Want a different format? No problem.
We offer accommodations upon request. We also make it easy to ask. Everyone should have the chance to show up as their full self.
Hiring isn’t just about us finding the right person. It’s about you finding your next work home, too.
Every interview includes time for you to ask us questions, too. You deserve to know who we are and how we work. You get to decide if this team feels like the right fit for you.
We’re always learning and growing. Our inclusive hiring practices are part of a bigger goal. That’s a workplace where people from all backgrounds feel seen, valued, and supported.
We know we’re not perfect, but we’re committed to getting better. With every interview, every hire, and every new teammate we welcome.
Want to apply or learn more? Check out our open positions and get a feel for our hiring process.
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