Breaking the Glass Wall: Why Diverse Talent Is Still Locked Out— and What We’re Doing About It
Ever feel like you're doing everything right, and still coming up short?
You’ve got the degree. The internship. The polished résumé. Maybe even a mentor in your corner.
And still, you’re hitting nothing but silence.
This, right here, is what I call the Glass Wall, an invisible barrier that blocks brilliant, diverse professionals from accessing the opportunities they’ve worked so hard to earn.
You can see the job. You’re qualified for the job. But you can’t quite touch it— not because you’re unprepared, but because the system was never really built with you in mind.
Welcome to job hunting in 2025.
Let’s Be Clear: The Talent is There
If I had a dollar for every time a recruiter said, “We just can’t find diverse candidates,” I’d have enough to fund full-ride scholarships for thousands of students.
The problem isn’t the pipeline.
It’s the access points. It’s the bias in algorithms, the referrals that stay in closed circles, the interviews that never get scheduled, and the networks that are not inclusive.
3 in 4 job seekers never hear back from recruiters after submitting an application, and that percentage is even higher for applicants with non-white sounding names… unfortunately, you know the ones.
According to a 2021 McKinsey report, Black employees only account for 12% of the private-sector workforce in the U.S. Across senior roles, Black representation is only at around 4% to 5%.
The glass wall isn’t a metaphor. It’s a market reality.
And for too many of us, it's reinforced daily— one ignored email, one closed-door meeting, one ghosted follow-up at a time.
The Emotional Cost of Being Overlooked
When silence becomes your norm, it doesn’t just block opportunity.
It chips away at your self-worth. You start to shrink your vision. You accept less. You begin to believe maybe this is just how it is.
Let me say this with love and clarity: You are not the problem. The system is.
A 2024 Coqual report revealed that 40% of Hispanic and Latino or Latina employees felt they needed to change aspects of themselves to succeed at work.
That’s not inclusion. That’s survival.
And I don’t want you surviving. I want you thriving.
We’re Not Waiting on an Invite— We’re Building Our Own Doors
At HBCU Heroes, we’re smashing the Glass Wall with one powerful tool: relational access.
We don’t just post jobs. We create human connection.
We don’t just offer generic advice. We deliver mentorship, sponsorship, and real talk from executives who look like us and root for us.
We don’t just tell students and recent grads to “work harder”. We help them work smarter, with AI-driven résumé tips, mock interviews with corporate volunteers, and direct introductions to hiring managers who are ready to show up differently.
Because guess what? Relational recruiting works.
Research suggests that as much as 80% of jobs are filled through networking. That’s the hidden job market— and we’re opening the door wide.
For Companies Asking, “How Do We Diversify?”— Here’s Your Blueprint
If you’re a corporate leader, here’s what I want you to understand:
Talent is not the issue. Access, connection, and equity of opportunity are.
So, ask yourself, “What are we doing to show up differently?”
If your only diversity strategy is a job posting on your website, you’re not in the game. You’re on the sidelines.
Here’s what real inclusion looks like:
Partnering with organizations like HBCU Heroes to host monthly mentorship events with early-career Black and Brown professionals;
Engaging your Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and senior leaders as mentors— not just once a year, but consistently; and
Measuring your impact— not just in hires, but in relationships built and lives changed.
A Benevity Impact Labs Report discovered that companies with robust volunteering programs saw 57% less turnover.
Meanwhile, over 8 in 10 employees feel stronger connections at their companies when engaged in mentoring programs.
Translation? Doing good is also good business.
Your Future Self is Counting on You
To every early-career professional, recent grad, or job seeker reading this: don’t let the silence define you.
Keep showing up. Keep building your skill set. Keep networking. Keep applying.
But most importantly, keep believing in your value— even when the system tries to dim your light.
Here are three pro tips to push through the Glass Wall:
Optimize your visibility: Use LinkedIn, niche job boards, and organizations like HBCU Heroes to amplify your presence.
Build champions, not just connections: Focus on relationships that lead to referrals, mentorships, and sponsorships.
Upskill relentlessly: Tools like Coursera, Google Career Certificates, AWS Skill Builder, and AI-enhanced platforms can set you apart in competitive industries.
And to every corporate decision-maker reading this: Be the ladder.
Sometimes, one “yes”— one follow-up, one referral, one coffee chat— can change the entire trajectory of someone’s career.
You don’t need a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) title to do this work. You just need to care enough to act.
Final Word: The Wall Isn’t Glass Because It’s Fragile— It’s Glass Because It’s Invisible
That’s the danger. That’s the challenge.
But that’s also the opportunity.
Because when we name it, we can change it.
And we’re doing just that— one student, one mentor, and one moment at a time.
Together, let’s tear down the wall.
To early-career professionals and job seekers, don’t let invisible barriers hold you back from the career you deserve.
Sign up for our HBCU Heroes webinars and exclusive student programs today to connect with mentors, gain insider career tips, and access real opportunities from leaders who look like you and root for you.
If your company wants to help break the Glass Wall, partner with us at HBCU Heroes. Mentor students. Sponsor a career prep webinar. Hire a future CEO.
This is legacy work. And your next step could change everything.
Send me a message at traceypennywell@hbcuheroes.org to schedule a quick strategy session!
