Unconscious bias can play a role in preparing job advertisements, selecting resumes, and conducting selection interviews. These biases unintentionally exclude certain groups. In this blog, I explain how unconscious bias works in job postings and selection processes and how we can reduce it.
Unconscious bias, also called implicit bias, refers to attitudes or stereotypes that unconsciously influence our thinking, actions, and decisions. These biases are deeply rooted in society and can influence how job ads are written, excluding certain groups without intention.
Research by Greenwald and Krieger (2006) shows that almost everyone has unconscious biases that influence their decisions, even when they try to be objective. This bias, often unnoticed, can significantly influence the way resumes are evaluated and interviews are conducted, leading to certain groups of candidates being unfairly disadvantaged.
Language: The words you choose make a big difference. Terms such as “powerful,” “incisive,” or “assertive” are often associated with masculinity and discourage women from applying (Gaucher, Friesen & Kay 2011). Moreover, complex language can exclude people who are less skilled in the language.
Experience requirements: Asking for specific years of experience excludes young candidates or those with alternative career paths. For example, “10 years of experience” excludes talented young people with the same skills but fewer years of experience. Rivera (2012) showed that traditional experience requirements often introduce a bias that excludes innovative and diverse candidates.
Education requirements: Requiring specific degrees may introduce bias, particularly if relevant skills can be acquired through other means. Candidates who are autodidact or have learned through alternative training routes might be equally qualified (Breschi, Malerba & Orsenigo 2000).
Personality traits: “Cultural fit” is a common term for selecting candidates who fit well within the team. However, this leads to bias against diversity because candidates who differ from current employees are seen as a lesser “fit” (Chatman, 1989).
Availability and flexibility: Requirements such as willingness to travel or flexible hours exclude candidates who cannot work outside regular working hours, such as single parents or people with disabilities.
Physical requirements: Physical requirements exclude people with disabilities even if the job can be performed without these physical requirements.
Reducing bias in job postings begins with the conscious use of inclusive language. Use gender-neutral language and avoid jargon and complicated terminology. Focus on the skills and accomplishments genuinely needed for the position rather than specific backgrounds or experiences. Have job postings reviewed by colleagues or professionals to get feedback on possible bias. Tools can help detect biased language and criteria in job postings (Bohnet 2016).
Make the application process more accessible and diverse by actively seeking candidates from diverse backgrounds and professional networks. McDonald (2011) emphasizes that falling back on existing networks limits diversity because people tend to recommend others who are similar to them. This results in a less diverse group of applicants and perpetuates a harmful cycle of exclusion. Expanding the distribution of job openings across multiple channels, rather than relying solely on traditional networks, is beneficial. Consider platforms for specific minority groups, social media, and partnerships with various organizations.
This helps reach a broader applicant pool and provides more equal opportunities. Companies that work on reducing bias in their hiring processes also build a positive employer brand.
Reducing bias in job postings has broader implications for the selection process. Inclusive job postings attract a wider range of candidates, increasing the chances of finding the best candidate. However, this also places more demands on the selection process.
Inclusive job postings encourage focusing on objective assessment criteria such as specific skills and accomplishments rather than subjective qualifications such as cultural fit. This helps reduce bias in selection and ensures that the most qualified candidates are selected, primarily if the interview also focuses on those objective criteria (Kang, DeCelles, Tilcsik & Jun 2016). Learning to recognize unconscious bias also highlights the need for interview training for hiring managers; no longer unstructured interviews but well-prepared structured interviews, with or without the support of valid psychometric tests and assessments.
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