What are the most effective ways to overcome unconscious bias in the sourcing process?

Everyone has unconscious bias. Accepting, and identifying it can be very challenging. However, you can achieve this by going to the root cause of why it is an issue. Bias prevents you from providing an equal opportunity of employment to all applicants. First, slow down and carefully evaluate each candidate. Are your hiring decisions based on pre-conceived notions? If so, is it tied to a quality they have?

How do you know you are biased if it is unconscious? Perhaps you are simply selecting the most qualified person for the position. Just a thought . . .

Train your team: Conduct diversity and inclusion workshops to raise awareness of unconscious bias and its impact on the hiring process. Educate everyone involved in sourcing on different types of bias and how to mitigate them. Regular checks: Establish a culture of open communication and encourage employees to identify and discuss potential biases in the process. Regular audits of your recruitment practices can also help identify areas for improvement. Blind resumes and applications: Consider anonymizing resumes by removing names, schools, and other identifying information during the initial screening stage. This allows you to focus solely on skills and qualifications.

Standardization greatly reduces the occurrence and magnitude by which unconscious bias infiltrates your hiring process. To achieve these, carefully determine the criteria necessary for the role through a job analysis. Ensure your assessments and screenings are accessible to all workers, regardless of their background.

When submitting candidates to hiring managers; try sending in candidates without contact names or linkedin profiles. Eliminate the bias if you feel there is an element of that happening. Many ATS platforms will transform a resume and remove contact information, employers and summaries to eliminate different unconscious bias.

The best way to standardize your sourcing criteria to overcome sourcing bias is a focused intake meeting. When a recruiter has clear criteria on what they are looking for, bias is less likely to occur. The criteria is not just skills, education and experience. A solid intake also covers demeanor and character traits.

If you want to access a diverse pool of talent, here are a few steps you can take: 1️⃣Take into account the representation of the population, level, and industry for your target audience. 2️⃣Use research tools like EQ.app to create unbiased job descriptions and ads and find communities to locate talented individuals in your desired demographic. 3️⃣Advertise in targeted areas, with a clear welcoming value proposition. 4️⃣Measure your success and adjust your approach accordingly. 5️⃣Keep in mind that referrals are only beneficial if your leaders or team members have access to the demographics you want to reach.

As someone who's been a sourcing recruiter for more than a decade, I believe that training your team is key to tackling unconscious bias in sourcing. It's important to give them the tools to spot and reduce bias. Training sessions on things like different bias types, the advantages of diversity, and fair sourcing methods can make them more aware and skilled. Recruiters should be willing to learn from errors, aim for excellence, and stay updated on industry trends. Creating a culture where people can openly share their experiences and feedback also helps in fighting bias during sourcing.

Consider implementing questions regarding accessibility and fairness of your hiring process to your applicant or employee surveys. The goal here is to identify potential obstacles or concerns with providing equal opportunity to all applicants, which is at the heart of providing a quality candidate experience.

Recognizing unconscious bias is crucial for maintaining ethical and legally sound staffing processes. Carefully monitor, and review your recruitment and staffing procedures to ensure they provide an equal opportunity to all applicants, regardless of their background.