Chandler acknowledges that when interviewing companies, she can only go by what she is told. And while she believes this process helps her “mitigate harm,” she understands she “cannot promise that it can be prevented.”
Still, identifying any red flags out of the gate is crucial to her mission. Such red flags include not having a DEI strategy, or having one that comes across as lip-service because its values aren’t reflected in the company culture. Another red flag is an organization that doesn’t seem interested in feedback, growth, and learning, as the best fits for Black tech professionals are companies that are truly open and committed to growing diversity, equity, and inclusion across the entire organization.
A focus on feedback and community
That feedback factor is vital for retention, Chandler has noted. As part of her vetting process, Chandler will ask company representatives whether they collect feedback, what they do with the data, and if there are any identifiable adjustments they have made as a result of this information. Companies that invite and accept feedback — and then put that feedback to good use — are more likely to foster environments where Black employees can thrive.
“[These companies] know that they have to do better and they want to do better and they want to learn,” she says.
As part of her recruitment process, Chandler stays in touch with candidates for the first 90 days of their new jobs, conducting biweekly check-ins to ask about their experiences and ascertain any areas where the company can improve. In a way, she serves as a mentor for her recruits, offering support and guidance as they get started at their new jobs and navigate new environments.
This support and mentorship offered by Chandler — and the larger BTP network — can be crucial for Black tech professionals, especially those who are the only Black person on their team. Chandler says that many of her recruits, and Black technologists overall, feel they must work harder than their non-Black peers and that they are often held to a higher standard.
“When they do mess up, it weighs more heavily on them than it does their peers, and they’re quicker to be let go than anyone else,” she says.
This pressure can often make entering a new position daunting — it’s impossible to truly understand a workplace’s culture until you’re inside. Chandler’s goal is to help make this less of an unknown for recruits, identifying organizations that understand the mental load of being the only Black person, or one of few, on a team or even in an entire organization. Companies that don’t create welcoming and equitable spaces for Black tech workers, or that don’t seem interested in identifying any problems in their organization, do not get to make use of her services.
“It has to be on the company to want to change, and to want to look at those biases and learn and do better. But there’s only so much you can do when you’re working with humans. It’s not a technological problem — it’s a human problem,” she says.
Black tech workers who are navigating predominantly white spaces in the tech industry have the added mental load of navigating microaggressions or hostile work environments, using mental energy to code-switch, or simply trying to figure out which authentic parts of themselves they can bring to the workplace. This can become exhausting and demoralizing, especially while handling the responsibilities of a full-time job. The Black Tech Pipeline helps alleviate some of this burden by building and creating a community for Black tech pros, who can connect with others, in-person or virtually, and find peers and mentors who have the shared experience of being Black in the tech industry.
“It does bring comfort to people. It is a safe space where you can ask questions, talk about different experiences, or ask about how to go about something — that’s basically what we’re here for. And we don’t create any restrictions around accessing that information or advice,” says Chandler.
