Unconscious bias in the job hunting process

Let’s talk about unconscious bias in the job hunting process.

Before I get into this, I want to clarify that I am NOT a DEI expert.

These observations are based on my own experience in the working world overall and, more recently, my process of transitioning into employment from the entrepreneurial world.

Unconscious bias is often associated with racism, and rightly so because that is very real in the job hunting process (I wrote an article about this many years ago ).

But there’s also another element of unconscious bias that is less talked about, but exists all the same.

This is the bias of going for what you already know.

A different type of bias

So many organisations miss out on hiring exceptional talent because of this different type of unconscious bias.

What this looks like in the application process is putting out a job advert with a pre-determined set of skills, experience and attributes for the open position.

For the most part, anyone that doesn’t exactly fit this bill doesn’t even make it to the interview stage, but if somehow they manage to, the role ends up going to the person with the exact same skills, experience and attributes as the last person who occupied the role.

In other words - more of the same.

I once worked in an organisation which had more people in the office with the same name than they did people from diverse (code - non-white) backgrounds.

Unconscious bias leads to hiring inside the box.

The key to real change

It may seem like safety to go for what you already know, but what ends up happening is that there is no diversity of thought and no innovation in your organisation because everybody is essentially the same.

Real change in any organisation happens when you hire outside the box of what’s already familiar to you.

There are a group of people that I would bite my hands off to hire if I was in the recruitment space - and that’s people who demonstrate entrepreneurial skills either in running a business on the side, or doing something creative outside of their day job.

I know these people because I’ve been one of them my entire working life.

These are people who think outside of the box - the kind of people that if you hire and allow to express themselves, will innovate and improve your organisation for the better.

What to do next

So, if you’re reading this and you’re in the position to hire someone new inside your organisation, take a moment and check your unconscious bias before you start putting together that job advert that's designed to attract only more of the same.

If you're an 'out of box' kind of person looking for your next role, my advice to you is to avoid the open job market altogether and instead tap the hidden market where the box isn't so rigged.

I cover this in Season 2, Episode 4 of my Start Being Visible podcast (you can find it on your favourite podcast platform, or watch it on YouTube here ).

Have you had a similar experience of unconscious bias in job hunting?

I'd love to hear from you in the comments...

About the Author

Mildred Talabi is currently "in transition" and open to discussions about roles that may be of interest. Read this post and get in touch if you have something in mind.

In the meantime, here's the official bio:

Mildred has spent more than a decade mastering the art of visibility and personal branding in both her career and business.

She trained as a Journalist and worked in the media, before transitioning into PR and then Communications.

Along the way, Mildred started several businesses, authored four books, and had the privilege of speaking to and training many audiences across different countries, virtually and in-person.

Today Mildred is a recognised LinkedIn Top Voice and Influencer, with over 50,000 followers, and specialises in working with female leaders and women in business to build powerful and authentic personal brands through being visible on LinkedIn.

Outside of work, Mildred lives in Kent (UK) with her husband and two young daughters, and loves to binge on books, podcasts and movies in her spare time.

Find out more at www.MildredTalabi.com

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