We all like to think we’re objective when making hiring decisions, but unconscious bias can sneak in, even when we have the best intentions.
What is Unconscious Bias?
It’s when our brain makes automatic judgments about people based on stereotypes or personal experiences, without us even realizing it. These biases can affect who gets hired, promoted, or even interviewed.
The Importance of Reducing Biases in Hiring
Research reveals that companies with diverse teams have 2.5x higher cash flow per employee, and teams that embrace inclusivity are over 35% more productive.
The research shows a clear advantage for companies that prioritize diversity and inclusivity. Diverse teams not only foster growth but also drive stronger financial performance. Embracing different perspectives isn’t just a social good, it’s a competitive edge.
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Types of Unconscious Biases in Hiring
1. Affinity Bias
This happens when you feel more connected to someone because they remind you of yourself. Maybe you went to the same school, share a hobby, or have similar backgrounds. While it’s natural to want to work with people you get along with, this bias can limit diversity in your team.
2. Age Bias
Age bias can go both ways, assuming someone younger might not have enough experience or thinking an older candidate might not be adaptable to new technologies. Both assumptions can lead to missing out on great talent.
However, ageism tends to impact older workers more than younger ones. Research shows that about two in three adults ages 50-plus face age discrimination and 90% of them believe that this is a common issue. As they progress further in their careers, it becomes increasingly challenging to switch fields, secure new positions, or advance because employers often prioritize younger talent.
3. Anchor Bias
Anchor bias happens when we rely too heavily on the first piece of information we receive. For example, if the first person interviewed for a role performs well, you may unconsciously compare every subsequent candidate to them. This sets a benchmark based on the initial interview rather than evaluating each candidate independently.
4. Attribution Bias
Attribution bias refers to the tendency to attribute a person’s success to external factors and their failures to internal ones. In hiring, this may lead to misjudgments about a candidate’s abilities, often influenced by stereotypes or assumptions about their background.
5. Authority Bias
Authority bias occurs when the opinions of someone in a position of authority overly influence our judgment. For example, if a senior team member likes a candidate, you may unconsciously agree with their assessment, even if your own evaluation differs.
Similarly, this bias may manifest when a candidate is recommended by a trusted colleague or friend whose judgment you respect, leading you to place more weight on their recommendation rather than your own objective evaluation.
6. Confirmation Bias
Confirmation bias kicks in when you have a first impression about a candidate, whether good or bad, and then only focus on information that backs up that impression. If you think someone is a perfect fit, you might overlook any red flags. On the other hand, if you doubt them from the start, you might ignore their strengths.
7. Contrast Effect
This bias happens when candidates are compared to one another rather than being assessed based on their individual merits. For instance, an average candidate might appear better simply because they follow a weaker candidate in the interview lineup.
8. Halo Effect
The halo effect happens when one impressive quality about a candidate makes you assume they’re great in all areas. For example, if they’re super articulate in the interview, you might think they’re also excellent at problem-solving or teamwork, without having enough evidence to back that up.
9. Horns Effect
This is the opposite of the halo effect. If a candidate does or says something that rubs you the wrong way, you might unfairly assume they’re not qualified in other areas, even if they are. It’s like letting one small flaw overshadow their entire skill set.
10. Illusory Correlation
Illusory correlation refers to the mistaken belief that two unrelated factors are linked. For example, assuming that someone’s past experience at a prestigious company or school automatically means they’ll excel in a new role can lead to biased decision-making.
11. Gender Bias
Even though most of us want to believe we’re gender-neutral when hiring, gender bias can creep in.
A clear example of gender bias in recruitment is Erin McKelvey’s experience when applying for tech jobs after college. Despite her qualifications, she received no responses. She then changed her first name on her resume to “Mack,” a more masculine-sounding nickname derived from her last name. After that, her response rate jumped to 70%.
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12. Name Bias
Yes, even someone’s name can trigger unconscious bias. Studies have shown that candidates with “ethnic-sounding” names are often less likely to be called for an interview compared to those with “Western-sounding” names, even if their qualifications are identical.
A study by economists Kline, Rose, and Walters found that resumes with white-sounding names received the highest number of callbacks, while those with Black-sounding names received the fewest. The researchers sent identical resumes to 97 U.S. employers to examine whether race and gender influenced callback rates.
13. Overconfidence Bias
Overconfidence bias comes into play when a hiring manager is overly confident in their own judgment, causing them to dismiss alternative views or additional data. This can lead to overlooking potential red flags or misjudging a candidate’s fit for the role.
How to Overcome Unconscious Biases in Hiring
The first step to address unconscious bias is recognizing that it exists. Awareness is key. Once you’re familiar with the various types of biases, you can implement strategies to counteract them.
The goal? To ensure you’re hiring the most qualified candidate, not just the one who aligns with unconscious preferences.
Strategies to Avoid Unconscious Biases in Hiring
1. Use Structured Interviews
Structured interviews ensure that all candidates are asked the same set of questions, in the same order, and are evaluated using the same criteria. This helps minimize bias by keeping the focus on job-relevant factors and prevents interviewers from letting unconscious judgments sway the conversation. Plus, it makes it easier to compare candidates objectively.
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2. Have Diverse Interview Panels
When the same types of people are doing the hiring, they might unknowingly favor candidates who are similar to them. By involving a diverse interview panel, like people of different genders, backgrounds, and experience levels, you get a broader range of perspectives and reduce the risk of groupthink. It also signals to candidates that your company values diversity.
3. Focus on Skills, Not Backgrounds
It’s easy to get caught up in impressive resumes and prestigious schools, but none of that guarantees a candidate will succeed in the role. Shift the focus to practical skills and experience that directly relate to the job. Consider using skills assessments or job simulations to objectively measure a candidate’s capabilities.
4. Blind Recruitment
Blind recruitment is an effective way to minimize bias, especially in the early stages of hiring. By hiding personal details such as name, age, gender, and educational background from resumes, you can focus solely on candidates’ qualifications and experience. This approach helps reduce biases like name, age, and affinity bias.
5. Standardized Evaluation Criteria
Develop clear, standardized criteria for evaluating candidates. Whether it’s a points-based system or a checklist of must-have skills, having a defined rubric ensures everyone is assessed against the same standards. This reduces the chance that unconscious preferences influence your decision-making.
Use our Scorecard Template to evaluate candidates objectively and reduce unconscious bias
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6. Unconscious Bias Training
Providing unconscious bias training for everyone involved in the hiring process can help raise awareness of these biases and teach people how to counteract them. The goal isn’t to eliminate biases (which is impossible), but to help your team recognize when they might be operating on autopilot and how to make more deliberate, conscious decisions.
7. Check-in on Diversity Metrics
Monitor the diversity within your hiring pipeline. If you observe that candidates from particular backgrounds are not progressing through certain stages, it may indicate the presence of unconscious bias. Frequently analyzing these metrics can assist you in recognizing and addressing potential biases before they escalate into more significant issues.
Additional Insights:
How to Recruit a Diverse Engineering Team
Startups Struggle with Diversity: How to Fix It
Why We Need More Women in Tech: Surprising Reasons You Haven’t Heard
Conclusion
Unconscious biases are a natural part of being human, but they can significantly impact hiring decisions if left unchecked. By recognizing these biases and actively working to minimize their effects, you can create a more inclusive, fair, and effective hiring process. Implementing different strategies to avoid these biases will help you focus on what truly matters, and that is finding the right talent for your team.
Overcoming unconscious bias won’t happen overnight, but with consistent effort, you can build a team that reflects a broad range of perspectives, experiences, and ideas, which is essential for growth in any organization.
