Ways to Reduce Interviewer Bias in Your Selection Process

Interviews during the selection process are meant to help recruiters and hiring managers identify the most skilled and experienced candidates for various positions. Sadly, this isn’t always the case since most interviewers get lost through hiring bias. They focus more on the appearance and social aspect, thus forgetting that it also takes skilled and experienced candidates to improve business performance and productivity. 

Fortunately, there are ways to reduce interviewer bias in your selection process. It all starts with the hiring personnel understanding the types of interviewer bias and taking measures to counteract them. As a result, it will be easier for you to make the best hiring decisions and hire quality talent.

What is Interviewer Bias?

To ensure we are all on the same page, let’s start by defining what interviewer bias is. Interviewer bias is whereby an interviewer makes the selection process less objective. Instead of focusing on a candidate’s skills and qualifications, they judge the applicants based on their appearances, body language, or other unspoken criteria. This leads to hiring the wrong talent who ends up leaving the company prematurely. With high turnover rates comes a bad reputation, and this should be the last thing you expect your company to go through.

How Can Bias Affect a Job Interview?

Bias in interviews can lead to wrong decision-making and hires. It will also be challenging for you to create a diverse workplace, which is crucial in maximizing business productivity and building your reputation. Furthermore, this can hinder equal employment opportunities, especially for people with disability and women. 

That being said, employers must put their feet on the ground in an effort to fight biased interviews. To do so, you must first understand interviewer biases to have the best approach to it.  

What is an Example of Interviewer Bias?

There are plenty of interviewer bias examples that every employer should know and work on avoiding during the selection process. Below are the top prominent ones.

• Social Bias

Social bias is common during candidate screening, and while it is something we try to avoid, sometimes it just happens. With this, interviewers judge candidates based on gender, religion, race, appearance, etc. As a result, it is challenging to find a diverse workforce with different ideas for your business growth. Also, social bias can contribute to a bad reputation, thus keeping away the best clients and talent. 

• Similar-to-me Bias

Some interviewers look for candidates they can easily click with and share similar traits or have a lot in common. For instance, considering elements such as going to the same college or living in the same neighborhood will prevent you from meeting skillful and experienced candidates for an open position. 

• Halo-Horn Effect

First impressions are essential in considering candidates during the screening process. However, not every candidate will impress you on the first day, and if you judge them based on that, you might miss out on the best. For instance, some candidates are more reserved, and it is challenging to understand them on the first day. This doesn’t mean that they aren’t competent in executing organizational tasks. 

• Groupthink

In most cases, interviews and screening processes are conducted by a team of professionals. In this regard, they will have different opinions regarding candidates and their eligibility to work for your company. When you judge candidates based on your colleagues’ ideas, you can miss out on hiring the right candidate. 

• Inconsistency in Questioning

It is crucial that you prepare the right questions to ask interviewees before beginning the candidate screening process. Asking different questions to different candidates prevents you from getting a clear picture of what they are capable of.

How to Reduce Interviewer Bias

Now that you know the most prominent interviewer bias in the screening process today, it is essential to also understand ways to reduce them. Here are the top five to note and improve your business performance. 

1. Have a Candidate Interview Plan

Always plan on how you will conduct interviews so that candidates may have a great experience. In addition, make sure every job applicant gets equal assessment, whether regarding the interview method you decide to use or requirements to consider. 

2. Ask Standardized Interview Questions

Every job has its requirements and qualifications for candidates. Therefore, plan by structuring the right questions to ask for each job post you are hiring for. The last thing you want is to veer into work-unrelated questions and end up hiring the wrong talent. You can start with phone interviews and avoid letting physical appearance affect your judgment. This way, you will have an idea of what a candidate is capable of and give them a fair chance.

3. Always Take Notes

A good interviewer will come prepared not only with the right questions but tools. Have a notebook and write down your thoughts regarding candidates as you go. Remember, it is easier for interviewers to confuse one candidate for the other. So, by noting all your impressions, you can make the right choice based on the capability to work and fit into your business culture. 

4. Consider Anonymous Tests

If you are an interviewer that can easily be swayed by physical appearance and similar-to-me traits, consider anonymous tests. With this, you do not need to meet with candidates but offer them tests to gauge their skills. You will then analyze the most eligible candidates, thus giving them the benefit of the doubt during one-on-one interviews. 

5. Find a Team of Interviewers

Everyone has their own opinions, and finding multiple people to conduct interviews will help reduce interviewer bias. Also, this portrays professionalism since every interviewer will have a set of questions to ask. As a result, they will focus more on what a candidate brings to the table rather than work-unrelated traits.

6. Go Straight to the Point

Some interviewers will start to chit-chat with candidates and waste time asking them about their personal lives rather than focusing on the main reason for the interview. This can waste time and hinder other candidates from getting the chance to be interviewed. By diving straight into the interview questions, you will avoid getting emotionally attached to a candidate, thus maximizing your chances of meeting the best. 

7. Avoid Intuitive Decision Making

Interviewers should not follow their intuitions when screening candidates as this might lead to the wrong hire. You see, sometimes your gut might lead you in a different direction. While this might be a good decision, you can’t judge a candidate based on impressions. So, stick to the guidelines above and focus on work-related elements.

8. Recruit From Diverse Regions

If you are hiring freelance or remote workers, do not limit your reach since there are no relocation costs involved. Advertise your job opening on various job boards to reach a wider audience. By including diversity in your hiring process, not only will you increase your chances of hiring the best candidate but build a solid employer brand. 

Verdict

Identifying and avoiding interview biases is one of the best ways to source and hire top talent. Although avoiding bias during interviews can be challenging since interviewers may find themselves in the situation without even knowing. In this case, you should also consider finding competent interviewers who will focus on the main agenda rather than getting personal and involving their emotions. Also, conduct anti-bias training for your hiring team, and let them know that the business needs must always come first.