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Taking the bias out of your hiring processes

Do you know if bias has had an impact on your hiring decisions or interviews? Take this test to find out.

A team of 4 are around a long table. 2 people are sitting and 1 is standing on one side of the table. 1 person is sitting on the other side of the table.A team of 4 are around a long table. 2 people are sitting and 1 is standing on one side of the table. 1 person is sitting on the other side of the table.

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Insights from Ellen Raim, Founder of People MatterWe focus more on solving than preventing People problems.

Do you know if bias has had an impact on your hiring decisions or interviews? 

Take this test to find out if bias impacts your hiring practices:

  1. Have you ever made a quick judgment about someone based on their first impression (positive or negative) that clouds the entire interview?
  2. Have you ever formed an opinion about a candidate based on their gender, religion, race, appearance, or any other characteristic? 
  3. After debriefing a candidate, have you ever rejected a candidate based on one small amount of negative information or a common occurrence that took place during a case study/project within the interview process?
  4. Have you ever compared candidates after interviewing them, maybe back-to-back or during a debrief?
  5. Have you ever preferred a candidate because they appear to have similarities to you OR seem to operate similar to your team/department?
  6. Have you ever rejected a candidate because you have an idea of what skills they need for the job you’re hiring for?
  7. Have you ever had one interview with a candidate that overshadowed the rest of the process (positive or negative) because of one strong point?

If you answered yes/maybe/I’m not sure to one or multiple of these questions, there is a possibility that you are operating with a bias.

There is ample opportunity to refine your hiring processes. The initial step entails acknowledging areas that require improvement, enabling you to attract and engage candidates who may have previously gone unnoticed. Subsequently, it is crucial to educate your team on the various types of biases that can influence hiring decisions and establish effective strategies to prevent such biases from taking hold.

Does sourcing DEI instructors and content feel time-consuming and anxiety-producing?

Electives has everything you need to build out your DEI learning calendar without creating anxiety for you. The Electives platform includes an impressive mix of quality and quantity content, instructors and experiences. Plus, we offer significant diversity of voices and formats, letting you select the best learning experiences for your team.

Our DEI library includes classes appropriate for every DEI program and initiative — from the most sophisticated to those just starting. Every DEI class creates a safe space to start DEI conversations and dive into the most complex and challenging topics and truths.

With an eye toward action, our DEI classes lay foundations while supporting DEI strategy and allyship at the individual, team and company-wide levels. Because we have niche-topic classes taught by a diverse community of instructors, our DEI classes are also perfect for organizations that want to address specific topics by bringing in relevant instructors.

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