Six bias-disrupting hacks for the entire recruitment lifecycle

Recruitment will always incorporate human interaction, even with AI increasing in popularity.

Anonymised CVs have been used for over a decade. However, it has a limited impact when used alone. It doesn't remove bias altogether but postpones the bias to the later stages of the recruitment process. The idea behind anonymising CVs is to create a more diverse and representative talent pool by removing identifying information which can trigger bias and deselection, such as?name, location, and education. But in the worst-case scenario, it can harm underrepresented and historically excluded candidates when they encounter recruitment processes designed for homogeneous populations.

For this reason, implementing interventions and disruptions is necessary to mitigate bias's impact at every stage.

Here are our top hacks for the entire recruitment lifecycle.

1. Hide the Source

At Balance and Inclusive Recruitment Foundations we're big fans of anonymised CVs.

But another factor can trigger recruitment biases and preferences that you may not have considered. The?source?of the candidate.

• For instance, hiring managers may view candidates recommended through the company's referral scheme more favourably.
• They may also unconsciously perceive candidates who have been 'headhunted' as more valuable than those who have applied.
• To create a level playing field, it is advisable to keep the source of the candidate under wraps until the selection decision is made.

2. Skills-First

Create assessment criteria based on a skills-first hiring model.?

This will disrupt intuition bias and help you to shortlist candidates based on their skills over and above anything else.

?Read more about the Skills-First hiring model below.?

• LinkedIn Skills-First Report
• Forbes - Skills-First Is More Than A Hiring Strategy, It’s A Mindset
• World Economic Forum & PWC - Putting Skills-First. A Framework for Action

3. Standardise

Standardising the structure of the interview and the questions used will not only mitigate bias but will also support accessibility.?

• The structure and questions can be provided to candidates upfront.
• This supports a Neuroinclusive process.

4. No Sharing

Conformity Bias and ‘Groupthink’ are still some of the most dangerous biases in recruitment and selection??

• Encourage all hiring team members to keep their opinions to themselves throughout.
• Have them submit their feedback and selection suggestions independently to the lead recruiter or whoever oversees the search.

5. Score

Score candidates based on pre-agreed criteria?

Another effective way to ensure that selection decisions are made objectively and not based solely on intuition is to ask all interviewers to score candidates based on pre-agreed criteria.?

• Before making a final selection decision, review the combined scores to verify that you're choosing the candidate with the highest scores.
• This can ensure that the most qualified candidate is selected.

6. Salary

At the point of salary negotiations, remember that salary negotiations are inherently inequitable.

Remove salary history and current earnings from the conversation, and don’t deviate from the salary range you set at the beginning of the search.

• A candidate should be paid based on the value of the role, not on their leverage or ability to negotiate.
• Read our Guide to Inclusive Salary Negotiations . For a downloadable version contact Jennie Child