Everyone has bias, positive or negative, but it is always there. Recruiters are no exception, but by implementing solid ways of working, you can aim to reduce bias to ensure that the candidate selected is the best suited for the position.

What Value Does Bias Awareness Add to the Selection Process?

By making sure that the organization makes hiring decisions based on clear criteria, there is less risk of making a wrong hire, which helps reduce employee turnover and therefore cost. It is also easier to provide feedback, motivate hiring decisions, and uphold Diversity & Inclusion.

Making a hiring decision includes making judgments on available and missing data, but by adding a layer of bias awareness, we can filter out non-performance-related topics.

Examples of bias that might influence a hiring decision without necessary relation to performance:

• “He knows my friend XX”
• “She used to work at Company X, they do great stuff there”
• “We used to work together”
• “He studied at the same university as our CEO”
• “She is from the same town as the team lead”

The examples above may seem obvious, but being aware of basic indicators of bias and how they can influence the overall recruitment process by overrating candidates is something a recruiter should keep in mind throughout the process to help reach the best possible decision.

Practical Steps to Counter Bias

First of all, be clear on what the selection criteria for the role are and why these have been set. If hiring managers insist on 5 years of experience, break it down into what knowledge and insights the candidate should have attained and incorporate this into your hiring process.

Look for evidence and actual facts that can be validated through tests or structured interviews rather than using assumptions to predict someone's performance. Be sure to be in control by asking candidates the same kind of questions and rating their answers based on facts. This can be achieved by standardized interview guides and interview training to ensure not miss out on great candidates and also enrich your selection criteria.

Be consistent and transparent in the hiring process, this will make it easier to provide feedback to rejected candidates and make sure not to miss out on high-potential employees due to not breaking down and prioritizing selection criteria.

<aside> 💡 The Deep Dive - Learn more about Bias in recruitment

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