A leader in distribution negotiations, Demasi plans renewal marketing campaigns months in advance and trains her team on multiple iterations of strategy and creative. This planning helped the U.S. Networks Distribution team withstand a post-merger departmental integration and adjust to COVID-driven remote working. Demasi established workflows and protocols that ensured continuity of communication, kept employees feeling connected and contributed to a string of successful renewals. Demasi believes that what people do outside of work shapes perspective and increases “diversity of thought within the workplace.” She notes, “When I screen for candidates, I’m interested in talking to people who have taken an unconventional path.”
What’s one way your company has broadened the recruiting process to ensure greater diversity?
Ensuring greater diversity in the recruiting process starts with the mindset that a diverse team benefits the entire organization. At ViacomCBS, we have worked hard to elevate awareness of and conversation around diversity so that it is woven into our everyday practices, not just our hiring processes. In October we celebrated our third annual Global Inclusion Week event, featuring interactive sessions and discussions around topics such as bias, intersectionality, allyship and representation. The sessions take place across the globe and are available virtually to all employees, creating truly valuable opportunities for dialogue and exposure to new ideas. Events and initiatives like this, along with specific recruiting practices like a best practices toolkit for hiring managers, have helped us reinforce our commitment to everyday inclusion and infuse a diversity-conscious mindset at every level throughout our culture.
Best advice for someone looking to re-enter the workforce after a hiatus?
I believe that what we do outside of work shapes our perspective and increases diversity of thought within the workplace. When I screen for candidates, I’m interested in talking to people who have taken an unconventional path – whether it’s being involved in the community, traveling, raising kids or being a caregiver, spending time away from work contributes to more holistic ways of thinking that people bring with them when they come back. My advice to anyone looking to re-enter the workforce is to connect the dots between the learnings and successes you’ve had while on hiatus to the skills that the job requires. It’s up to you to position and amplify the totality of your experience in a way that translates as an asset to hiring managers and increases your value as a candidate.