Tips for Reducing Subconscious Bias During Interviews

In this video, I want to give you a few tips for getting rid of subconscious bias during the actual interview.

1. Have a Diverse Interview Panel

When I say diverse, I mean background diverse, but also diverse in their jobs. It can be a potential co-worker, a potential manager, or even a potential company owner. Having a diverse set of views ensures that you're not just looking at the candidate from one perspective.

2. Use Both Subjective and Objective Questions

When you create your criteria for hiring, include both subjective and objective questions. For example, you might have certain skills that are required, and you can create a test to assess those skills. Objective questions can be answered in a quantifiable way, which helps to reduce bias. For instance, a question like "What is 2 + 2?" has a clear, indisputable answer.

3. Avoid Early Assumptions

It's common to form early judgments about a candidate based on their appearance, speech, or behavior. However, these early judgments can bias the rest of the interview. Try to refrain from making early assumptions. This ensures that you give the candidate a fair chance throughout the entire interview.

Why These Tips Matter

Following these tips helps to eliminate subconscious bias and other types of bias, such as first impression bias. This creates a fair playing field for all candidates and ensures that you select the most competent candidate. It's also fair to the candidates, as they deserve a fair chance to prove themselves without being judged prematurely.

By adhering to these suggestions, you create a more equitable and effective interview process for everyone involved.