It’s no secret that recruiters can be biased. Whether based on personal preferences, company culture, or something else entirely, bias can lead to bad decisions when hiring new employees. This can be a huge problem, especially when you’re looking to fill a position that is critical to your business. In this blog post, we will discuss seven ways that you can overcome being a biased recruiter and make better decisions when it comes to hiring new employees.
1. Be Aware of Your Biases
The first step to overcoming your biases is to be aware of them. Admitting biases can be difficult, but overcoming them is an important step. We all have certain preferences and tendencies that can lead us to favor certain types of candidates over others. It’s important to take a step back and recognize when these biases are impacting your decision-making.
Take some time to consider what you tend to prefer or value in a potential employee. Are you more likely to favor someone who has a similar background to you? Do you prefer candidates who are extroverted or introverted? Once you understand your own biases, you can start to work on overcoming them.
2. Use Objective Criteria When Evaluating Candidates
One of the best ways to overcome your biases is to use objective criteria when evaluating candidates. This means basing your decisions on facts and data rather than personal preferences. When you’re looking at candidates, make sure to consider things like their qualifications, skills, and experience. These are all objective factors that can help you to make a more informed decision about who to hire.
You should also consider using tools like pre-employment assessments to help screen candidates. These assessments can help to identify a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses, which can be helpful in making hiring decisions.
3. Get Input from Others
Getting input from others can help to ensure that you are not making decisions based on your own biases. When you’re considering candidates for a position, reach out to other people in your company and get their opinion. This can be helpful in getting a second (or third) opinion about a candidate.
It’s also a good idea to involve others in the interview process. If possible, have multiple people interview each candidate. This can help ensure you get a well-rounded view of each person.
4. Keep an Open Mind
When you’re reviewing candidates, it’s important to keep an open mind. Don’t write someone off just because they don’t fit your ideal candidate profile. Consider each person on their own merits and give them a fair chance. You may be surprised by who ends up impressing you the most.
It’s also important to keep an open mind when it comes to your own preferences. If you find that you’re constantly passing over candidates who don’t fit your ideal candidate profile, ask yourself why.
5. Avoid Stereotyping
It is also important to avoid stereotyping when recruiting candidates. Stereotyping is when you make assumptions about someone based on their membership in a particular group. For example, you may assume that all women are interested in family-friendly jobs or that all men are interested in jobs that require physical labor. These assumptions can lead to biased recruitment decisions.
6. Seek Out Diverse Candidates
One way to reduce the impact of bias in recruitment is to seek out diverse candidates. A diverse candidate pool includes individuals from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. By increasing the diversity of your candidate pool, you can reduce the chances of making biased recruitment decisions
Final Thoughts
Biased recruiting is a problem that can impact businesses of all sizes. By being aware of your own biases and taking steps to overcome them, you can ensure that you’re making the best possible hiring decisions for your company. Use the tips above to help you overcome bias in your recruitment process.
