People hire folks that remind them of themselves.  This is a debate that has gone on for a long time in the workplace. The question that many organizations must ask is, “Are you challenging your employees to hire the best or who may be a “fit” for your company?”  At The Lambright Group, we are continuously requested to find candidates that meet the qualifications of the job description and a profile developed by either Talent Acquisition or the Hiring Managers. If your company is fortunate the two teams will work together to have a clear understanding of the criteria for an opportunity.  But what happens when this is not a part of the company culture. The company does not realize that is has an underlying hiring practice that sways them towards selecting candidates that they feel familiar with. Google’s Senior Vice President of People Operations, Laszlo Bock recently discussed this topic at the Talent Connect conference in San Francisco. He spoke about unconscious bias in recruiting.

Are subtle biases limiting your company from hiring the best?  A few common biases that do impact an organizations long-term success are seen quite frequently in both small and large establishments.  These practices are more than not unintentional, but can have a lasting impression on your company’s brand.

Diversity means hiring minorities and women.  A successful leader will attempt to develop a team or workplace that is inclusive, but this does not always happen. When they take a look at their team, they look for diversity in the form of race and gender.  This is  great start, but what happens when your diverse team all think alike, dress alike and associate themselves in the same circles? You get a team that has limited creativity, thoughts and innovation.  A more inclusive team would vary by race, gender, age, perspectives, disabilities and professional background.

You remind me of my younger self. This is a term that many candidates hear after a successful interview or job offer.  When people are hired based on this “gut feeling” it may not always be the best choice. Was your younger self your best self? Probably not! You may find that “young Jedi” a term frequently used by our Managing Partner, Kendall Lambright, who can be transformed into a successful, committed and engaging employee, but that may be that one unique candidate. What about the many other employees you must hire.  You do want certain attributes to project when making your hiring decision, but this should be an across the board standard for all potential candidates.  See each candidate individually for what they can contribute to your organization while also having a set of objectives, questions or matrix that can be used to rate all candidates equitably.

I like this candidate; they attended a Big Ten or Ivy League university like me.  Everyone deserves to be congratulated for graduating college, even those that just made it out after their six year plan.  When type of college, length of time to graduate and disciplines become requirements for job seekers, many will be excluded from the process. It can also limit your chance at hiring the best candidate for the opportunity.  Wanting a candidate to have a degree is a legitimate request if it is not used as the primary requirement based upon where the degree was granted.  A small not well-known local college can develop creative and productive graduates, just like a popular university.  Decision makers must also be open to candidates that did not graduate from college.  Unless a specific skill that requires licensing, credentials or certifications is needed for your opportunity, a person with experience or the potential to grow can be a great employee for your organization too.  Remember some, of our most successful business leaders either did not attend college or d... Hint Hint: Mark Zuckerberg, Henry Ford and even Benjamin Franklin.

These are a few ways that companies limit themselves from hiring the best candidate for their organization. What are other ways that unconscious biases impact the hiring process and ways to overcome it?