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