| Interview Bias: Overcoming the Silent Forces Working | | | | Here are some suggestions: |
| Against You | | | | 1. Match their speech and behaviors. It is a good idea |
| | | | in general to match your interviewers in terms of |
| Your job interview is tomorrow. You know your | | | | their speech and behaviors for etiquette purposes. If |
| appearance will matter, so you polish your shoes and | | | | an interviewer is formal in their speech, you should be |
| brush your hair. You realize your interviewer will have | | | | as well. If they sit up straight, don't slouch. This will |
| your resume in hand, so you've come prepared to | | | | help reduce assumptions they make about you based |
| explain every minute detail included on it. You've even | | | | on differences they perceive they have from you. |
| done practice interviews and prepared your | | | | 2. Acknowledge & Spin It. If you sense a bias, don't |
| responses to all the trick questions. Are you ready? | | | | be afraid to address what it is you think is being held |
| Not yet. | | | | against you. If you have an accent, explain what you |
| There remains a single type of preparation that you | | | | do to make yourself understood. If you are young, |
| should do that can make or break your | | | | note it, but also explain what your age adds and |
| interview-knowing how to handle the possible biases | | | | focus more on the experiences you have had that |
| of an interviewer. You need this knowledge because | | | | makes you worthy of the position. If you are a |
| of a simple reality; interviews are subjective, no | | | | woman working in a male-dominated profession, |
| matter how many objective indicators are introduced. | | | | explain what you can add to the position very |
| Interviewers are human, and all carry with them | | | | specifically because you are female. Make a point to |
| some assumptions about different types of people. | | | | show the value of the aspect in question. |
| Despite what may be valid attempts to leave these | | | | 3. Find a connection. When you get the chance to |
| assumptions behind in the process, even the most | | | | ask your own questions at the end of the interview, |
| earnest interviewer may be letting some of these | | | | work to establish a connection with your interviewer. |
| biases make their way into the decision-making | | | | Ask them what they like about the company in |
| process. The best candidate for a job has many a | | | | question, and communicate your ability to relate to |
| time been passed over in the interview process | | | | some of the traits he or she identifies. Make a point |
| because of bias. You don't want to be one of them. | | | | of smiling and try to be friendly. An open, |
| You're not likely to be able to change the bias itself in | | | | communicative style on your part is helpful to |
| the short duration of the interview, and you may not | | | | address any negative biases that person may |
| be able to recognize it with so much else going on. | | | | unconsciously be holding against you. |
| You can, however, increase the chances that the | | | | 4. Communicate your Bridge Building potential. A |
| interviewer will not apply their biases or assumptions | | | | successful job candidate is not only someone who |
| toward you. This means preparing for the possible | | | | can do the job, but someone who can work in the |
| biases of an interviewer before you encounter him | | | | organization's culture and be able to do the job well in |
| her. You therefore need to recognize the most likely | | | | the long run. Interviewers with biases may assume |
| biases people have toward you and prepare to | | | | that you will not fit well into the organization's culture |
| address these biases in interviews to minimize their | | | | because of your differences. Communicate your |
| impact. | | | | ability to work with different people, think from |
| Pinpointing Potential Biases | | | | different perspectives, and be open-minded. Give |
| Many people think biases surround visible differences | | | | examples. Ask about the company culture and talk |
| that people have, like race, gender, or appearance. | | | | about your ability to work with and relate to |
| This is true. However, biases usually run much deeper | | | | different people. |
| and assumptions are made about a number of other | | | | 5. Make it a strength. Have you had to deal with this |
| potential differences you may have with your | | | | someone who has been biased before because of |
| interviewer. An interviewer may unconsciously make | | | | something about the way you are? Use the |
| assumptions about you based on the way that you | | | | experience to show your interviewer how you |
| speak, your age, or any of the background | | | | successfully overcame a difficulty. Emphasize the |
| information you have listed on your resume. | | | | learning and growth you experienced as a result. This |
| To figure out some of the biases that may surface, | | | | can help an interviewer recognize that their own |
| give some thought to comments people have made | | | | unconscious bias is impacting their impressions. Make |
| to you in the past that surprised you. Have people | | | | sure you don't insinuate in any way that your |
| thought you were much younger or older than you | | | | interviewer is biased. Your job in the interview is to |
| actually are? Have they assumed you were less | | | | demonstrate that you are a highly-skilled individual |
| intelligent because of your accent? Have you been | | | | equipped to do the job for which you are applying. |
| labeled because of the way you dress? Have people | | | | Critiquing your interviewer is not a step in the right |
| been surprised to learn something in particular about | | | | direction. |
| you? Make a list of some of these assumptions or | | | | 6. Assume you are the best person for the position. |
| obstacles that could impede on the interviewer from | | | | Have you noticed that it is that much harder to sit up |
| seeing you as the best candidate. | | | | straight when you are feeling down in the dumps? |
| Use your friends to add to your recollection. Ask | | | | Most people show their emotions in one way or |
| them what their first impressions of you were. | | | | another, and facing a biased interviewer is likely to |
| Colleagues from the past are especially valuable since | | | | stir some serious emotions of anger, frustration, |
| they know you in a work atmosphere and work | | | | devastation, or defeat. It is important to push |
| attire. Have friends read through your resume and | | | | through these feelings during the interview so that it |
| create a list of five statements they would make | | | | doesn't impact your demeanor during the rest of the |
| about you based on your resume. Ask them to limit | | | | interview. You can decide later whether you want to |
| their responses to information on the resume and | | | | work for the company the interviewer represents. |
| explain your goal in the exercise so you get honest | | | | 7. Make a Habit of it. Finally, get into the habit of |
| answers. Combine these statements with ones | | | | building bias prep into your interview prep. Build these |
| people have made about you in the past and keep a | | | | techniques into your responses and practice saying |
| list handy with all of these assumptions. | | | | them so you are comfortable in the interview. Have |
| The Information Inundation Technique | | | | a friend role-play the biased interview. Make it |
| Once you get a sense for the impression you make | | | | realistic. How will you face this practice situation? |
| and the biases people may have against you, make | | | | Interview bias exists, but it doesn't have to impact |
| sure you address them. You should still be focused | | | | your potential to get hired. Use these techniques to |
| on demonstrating why you are a qualified candidate | | | | improve your chances of getting hired based on your |
| for the job. Therefore, while delivering persuasive | | | | qualifications and motivation rather than being |
| responses to interviewer questions, saturate your | | | | excluded because of interviewer bias. |
| responses with information that will also undo biases. | | | | |