What are some strategies for creating a diverse and inclusive interview process?

- Eliminate Unconscious Bias - Consider Cultural Differences - Look Beyond Traditional Skills and aim for learning and curiosity - Diverse Sourcing Channels - Diverse Interview Panels - Unbiased Job Descriptions

Research has shown that certain words, like "competitive" or "independent", can discourage women from applying (Gaucher et al., 2011). However, understanding the subtle nuances of each word can be challenging for us. This is where AI can assist. It can analyze job descriptions to determine gender tone and the appeal of words. They can also suggest more gender-neutral alternatives. For instance, Frissen and al. (2022) developed ML models that can detect 5 types of biased language in job descriptions, including masculine-coded, feminine-coded, and more. By combining linguistic features and word embeddings, their models achieved decent accuracy in pinpointing biases.

Blind screening is one such method, it refers to the exclusion of personally identifiable information that might bring in biases in the hiring process. It includes information like name, school, gender etc. The recruiters should themselves be diverse in opinion, outlook and gender, variety in perspectives contributes to better decisions. Having panels that are diverse serves as a good reputation in eyes of candidates, boosts confidence. Having set of questions for testing both logical and emotional wellbeing of the candidates is advised. The job description should go through a word-gender-decoder to check the words used in the description. It is tested that job descriptions with more masculine words tend to repel the female candidates.

Take advantage of the abundance of tech available now to create gender neutral JD's. However TA and Hiring Managers need to actually be using them thus this needs to be set within the TA process and KPI's set for usage. Also can consider to include details of what inclusive benefits you have as well as boiler plates on your commitment to DEI as a business.

- Create a standard job description template for the business, this helps with consistency on language, tone & layout. - I found using a gender decoder on all JD's, helped with making sure less masculine wording are used. - Add your company DE&I statement on at the bottom of your JD's

Broadening your sourcing channels can improve creating a more inclusive recruitment process. Ensuring you're promoting your job opportunities in accessible locations allows you to demonstrate a commitment to reducing barriers to employment. Ultimately DEI is all about hiring the best most capable and qualified individual for the job, regardless of their personal factors.

Structured interviews are a highly effective method for hiring. They have a strong ability to predict job performance, with an average validity of 0.42. This means that structured interviews are among the best predictors of how well a candidate will perform in a job. However, there is considerable variability in how effective these interviews can be. This is indicated by a standard deviation of 0.19. So, while some structured interviews are extremely effective at predicting job performance, others may not be as successful. Despite this variability, structured interviews are still a valuable tool. They are, after all, one of the most commonly used methods in the hiring process.

To account for differences in learning and communication, I like to give the interviewee the questions at the beginning of the interview and give them five to ten minutes to prepare their thoughts with you out of the room, or send the questions by email ahead of time. Have you ever realized 10 minutes after leaving an interview that you could have given a much better answer to one of the interview questions—one that gave a better, more thorough description of your experience—if only you’d remembered it at the time? Unless we’re hiring people to be quiz show contestants, there’s no reason to surprise them with complicated questions and demand they answer them immediately.

Training recruiters to detect and avoid biases in interviews might not be effective. This counterintuitive idea is based on a psychological phenomenon called "rebound effect," identified by Daniel Wegner. The rebound effect occurs when efforts to suppress certain thoughts make them more likely to emerge. For example, trying not to think about a white bear often leads to thinking about one. Research (Kulik et al., 2000) found that individuals trained to suppress age-related thoughts and prejudices tend to rate older candidates more negatively. Also, Madera and Helb (2013) explain that when individuals are encouraged to make decisions ignoring identity variables like ethnic origin, they tend to discriminate more against black candidates.

- Resources on diverse and inclusive interview practices and workshops on competency-based questions ensure every candidate can showcase their potential, irrespective of their background. - Structured interviews with predefined questions minimize biases and ensure a fair evaluation. - A diverse panel of interviewers is a powerful symbol of commitment to diversity. Representatives from various backgrounds lead to comprehensive assessments and showcase dedication to fostering an inclusive workplace. - Establishing metrics to track diversity in the interview process is crucial. Regular reporting on these metrics measures progress and identifies areas for improvement, fostering a data-driven approach.

Considere a remoção de informações pessoais (como nome, idade, gênero) nas fases iniciais do processo para evitar viés inconsciente.

Beyond looking at diverse channels, training your staff on diversity, reducing bias in your job descriptions and so on, it is important to consider involving diversity in shaping initiatives about diversity. Consider structuring interview processes to focus on skills, for instance. Accessibility and inclusivity is a big diversity factor too, make sure the process is accessible. Consider making sure you have diverse decision-making perspectives by having diverse interview panels, ones that include a mix of gender, cultural backgrounds, ethnicities to minimize biases (don't hesitate to ask other experts if your organization isn't diverse enough yet).