Organizations work hard to eliminate all forms of discrimination from their hiring process. To minimize the risks, recruiters engage in training and gain qualifications in communication and dealing with various challenges in the hiring process. At the same time, companies make an effort to attract candidates from different backgrounds or, for example, career fairs that are intended just for women.
However, what happens if unconscious bias gets in the way when a recruiter has to make a final decision?
Is it possible that your decisions are biased without you noticing this?
The team of experienced recruiters at DevelopmentAid Recruitment Solutions (DRS), backed up by research, is pretty sure about that. Studies and the experience of recruiters suggest that a human mind automatically reaches a conclusion before we have even realized. Although we prefer to believe that reason-based judgment guides our actions, our choices are actually quite often influenced by unconscious brain activity.
See also: Best steps to recruit and select employees and avoid discrimination
At DRS – a service that provides talent acquisition assistance for roles in the international humanitarian and development aid sectors – we have decided to explain what unconscious bias is and how to avoid it.
What is unconscious bias in recruitment?
Unconscious bias among recruiters occurs when they form an opinion about a candidate based exclusively on their first impression. Preferences for certain candidates based on “culture fit” are common examples of unconscious bias.
Resumes may inadvertently be chosen because a recruiter favors one name over another or due to having the same alma mater, for instance. It is surprising to what extent a candidate’s name, birthplace, or resume photo can impact a recruiter’s decision.
There is a myriad of unconscious biases, but some are more common than others. These include:
- Affinity bias – favoring a candidate because you share similar backgrounds, interests, and/or beliefs
- Social bias – stereotyping based on cultural backgrounds, religion, gender, sexuality, etc.
- Halo effect – considering appearances (i.e., thinking a beautiful person is likely to be kind as well)
- Confirmation bias – making an initial judgment and then focusing on things that will support this
- Anchoring bias – giving too much attention to a single piece of information.
How to avoid unconscious bias
A recruiter can always work on their strategies to eliminate, or at least considerably reduce, unconscious bias. Here are some ways to do this.
1️⃣ Employ blind recruitment
Prior to considering interviewing the candidate, make sure their name, age, gender, and race/ethnicity are removed from the application. Hiring managers and recruiters can use various types of blind hiring software to do this.
Interesting fact: Blind hiring was used by symphony orchestras back in 1952. The musicians were asked to play behind a screen during their audition which increased the number of women accepted into the orchestra. According to later research, blind auditions increased a woman’s chance of being accepted by an orchestra by 50%.
Curious to explore the topic of blind CVs? Read our article: The blind CV: a step forward to diversity?
2️⃣ Use various vacancy advertisement sources
If you advertise your vacancy on a single social network, your applicants will almost certainly come from that particular source. You may want to advertise open positions in various places, including job boards, and on several different social media platforms to enlarge the pool of potential candidates as different social media are preferred by different age groups or people with certain interests.
3️⃣ Employ a range of interview panelists
Examine individuals with diverse backgrounds, levels of experience, and of different ages. A diversified panel will help you to prevent unconscious bias since you will spot it early on and thus be able to avoid it.
4️⃣ Emphasize potential, avoid any assumptions
It’s important that you pay more attention to the candidate’s potential rather than their previous job titles. This involves examining the person’s skills that will help them in the future position. However, if the position requires expertise in a specific field, then this should be considered.
Do not assume anything – ask questions. For instance, you may think that a younger candidate knows more about technology than an older person but you could be wrong. Ask questions and gain information.
5️⃣ Stick to the plan
For a better evaluation of candidates, ask them the same questions and in the same order. In addition, make sure the questions refer to the role. Do not skip any questions even if you believe you know what the candidate will say.
For a more effective comparison of candidates, consider using a numerical scale. For instance, you could use a 1 to 5 rating system:
- No experience
- Limited experience
- Standard experience
- Rich experience
- Exceptional experience
Unconscious bias in recruitment is not just a roadblock to workplace equity, it’s a barrier to realizing the full potential of a diverse pool of talent. By providing ‘end-to-end’ recruitment solutions, DevelopmentAid Recruitment Solutions (DRS) ensures that organizations in the international development sector can access the highest quality professionals without the common pitfalls of unconscious bias.
With DRS, organizations can fill positions with professionals who will drive positive change. Contact DRS to strengthen your organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and impactful global development.
