What’s the Problem

What is becoming far more evident is that the employer is not the problem. The employer believes that hiring a diverse workforce is both noble as well as required. Rather, the problem lies in the hiring team. If there are problems here, especially with biases, it will affect the company.

What Can Be Done?

There are steps you can take to improve this situation and to reduce the risk of not having the right staff. Preventing problems with diversity to ensure all legal hiring processes are met, includes taking the following steps.

• Avoid the most common mistakes in the process. There is no doubt that unconsciously, things like stereotypes, and personal biases enter the picture right away in the interview process. Competency is less important initially. Rather, if the hiring manager just does not like the candidate, he is not getting into the second round of interviews regardless of what the resume states. To overcome this, never make a hiring decision within the first 30 minutes of the interview.
• Skill matching is a key tool. What should the person do to be successful? Do not use skills and the qualifications of the candidate to assess his or her competency. Evaluate deliverables rather than degrees. How many accomplishments (and what types) has the individual had over a period? Using comparable accomplishments is a great way to see the difference in individuals long before biases concerns come to be.

Put in place a 30-minute cooling off period. Before any decisions can be made – good or bad for the individual – ensure that the hiring manager gets a cool down. During this period, no decisions are made as it gives the individual time to prove who he is, what he has accomplished and how his job skills fit with the company’s goals. Any initial biases feelings are put to the side after 30 minutes.

Employers who want a diversified staff need to implement method to prevent any type of subconscious reactions. Hiring managers do not know it is happening. Employers do not notice it either. Yet, it is one of the biggest drawbacks in real-life-hiring situations.

Accent Hiring Group in Scottsdale, Arizona can support your hiring needs by conducting your interviews on your behalf. Avoid the pitfalls of personal bias in interviews and let the recruiting pros at Accent Hiring Group handle this process for you. Plus, we have access to a wider range of candidates so you can find the right one for each job!