Making hiring inclusive by implementing neutral candidate profiling techniques

Creating an inclusive recruitment process involves implementing neutral candidate profiling techniques that focus on evaluating candidates based on their skills, qualifications, and experience rather than personal attributes that may lead to bias. To create a diverse and equitable team, companies imperatively need to remove any form of bias in the hiring process and optimize the job description for inclusive language; thereby, providing potential employees with a sense of belonging. According to various studies, companies that follow inclusive recruitment practices are more likely to perform better in the long run than those adopting biased practices.

One of the most common mistakes that many recruiters might intentionally or unintentionally make is using improper pronouns. To make the hiring process more inclusive, proper use of the pronouns and gender-neutral words can be a game-changer. Even the simplest use of gender-specific pronouns, like he/him/his or she/her/hers, can perpetuate inequality, which might make qualified candidates opt not to pursue opportunities. The use of gender-based language can contribute to unconscious biases in the minds of recruiters and hiring managers. Certain words or phrases may evoke preconceived notions about the capabilities or suitability of candidates based on their gender, leading to partiality in decision-making.

To make hiring inclusive and unbiased, improper use of pronouns or words needs to be cautiously avoided in any phase of the recruitment process which includes job descriptions, company profiles, position titles, interviews with candidates, e-mails or newsletters. Proper use of gender-neutral words in communication will draw a positive image of the recruiter and make the applicant be convinced of the fact that the company respects an individual’s gender identity. It will also assure the aspirant that the company will conduct an inclusive interview and work environment.

Also, gender-specific language can unintentionally signal that a particular gender is preferred or more suitable for a role, resulting in a limited pool of applicants. This reduces the diversity of perspectives and experiences within the candidate pool; hindering efforts to build inclusive and innovative teams. To effectively make the hiring process inclusive and attract a diverse pool of talents, the primary step can be avoiding pronouns like he/him/she/her and using gender-neutral pronouns like they/them or ‘The Candidate’ instead of gender coded words.

Another way to make recruitment inclusive is by including all people in general references by using gender-neutral words like one-to-one defense instead of man to man defense, staff the operation instead of man the operation, ordinary terms instead of layman’s term, staff hours or hours instead of man hours, etc. The use of gender neutral job titles can also be effective like instead of using “salesman” or “saleswoman”, recruiters can use “sales representative” or “sales associate”. Also, certain use of coded languages like “hacker”, “ninja” or “rockstar” might discourage women candidates from applying for the job role since the society generally associates these terms with men.

In a nutshell, organizations must consider promoting gender equality by implementing policies that encourage inclusive hiring and gender diversity. Using appropriate pronouns in hiring can help create a gender-friendly workplace culture, benefiting both candidates and businesses.