1. The document discusses reducing bias in the candidate selection process through awareness and mitigation of biases. 2. It explains that we all have biases due to how humans naturally seek patterns, and provides examples of common biases like primacy, recency, halo effect, and similarity bias. 3. Best practices for reducing bias include focusing on job-related skills, standardizing processes, getting multiple opinions, and considering candidates equally regardless of personal attributes. The goal is to make objective, rational decisions.

1. Reducing Bias In the
Candidate Selection
Process
Awareness and Mitigation
Joshua Ramey-Renk
Director of Talent and HR Operations
v.8/14/14

2. What we’re going to talk about:
• What is bias?
• Some types of bias
• A couple of puzzles to solve!
• Best practices for reducing bias during the
selection process

3. What Is Bias?
Automatic judgment against or
for one thing, person, or group compared with another.
Usually perceived to be unfair.
Consistently shown to be unhelpful.

4. Please Note
We are not here to beat anyone up.
Snap judgments are normal, natural,
and a way humans have evolved in order to
survive.

5. Quick Quiz #1
Art is from Brazil, Brad is from England, Carlo is from
the US, and Dianna is from The Philippines.
They are all getting ready to interview, but the
coordinator knows there is one more person who is
supposed to interview as well, but can’t remember
who.
Is it Erita from India or Jessica from Ireland?
.

6. What pattern did you see?
• If you saw the alphabetical pattern, then
Erita would be next (A…B…C…D…E!)
…but
• If you saw the # of letters in the name, then
Jessica is next (3…4…5…6…7!)

7. What did this illustrate?
• We are programmed to seek patterns and
identify similarities and differences, and
those patterns are often engaged at the
subconscious and immediate level. Whether
you saw the alphbetical pattern or the
number pattern reflects a way that you are
preconditioned to judge things.

8. Grounds for Bias
• Name
(e.g., Are Emily and Greg More Employable than Lakisha
and Jamal?)
• Education Credentials
(e.g., School Pride)
• Area Code/Zip Code
• Interview Styles
• Environmental Background: Necessity?
• Others? Care to share a personal experience?
(If not, it’s ok!)

9. WARNING.
HR SPEAK AHEAD

10. `
The Two Sides of the Same Bias Coin
• Halo/Horn
• Primacy/Recency
• Proximity/Similarity
• Central Tendency

11. `
HALO / HORN
One good thing. One bad thing.
A single quality overshadows everything else about a
candidate.

12. Primacy / Recency
Primacy: Selection is made based on information that was
presented earlier rather than later in a process.
Recency: The last person interviewed always seems
like the best candidate.

13. Proximity / Similarity Bias
“Wow, this candidate is
just like me.
That’s awesome!” “Hmm, this candidate is
just like me.
That can’t be good”

14. `
Central Tendency
Everyone’s great!
Everyone’s average.
The interviewer is unable to select
who is best for the job.
100
50
0

15. Please Note
There is no such thing as a “positive” bias.
Bias of any type is unhelpful when trying to
reach a rational decision.

16. Why?
Bias removes objective analysis.

17. Quick Quiz #2
• Are these in the correct order?
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue?
• How about now?
, Orange, Yellow,
Green, Blue?

18. What did this illustrate?
• In real life, information is conveyed in a lot of
ways, and sometimes, something delivers
multiple kinds of information
• In order to mitigate bias, we have to be sure
that we understand what information is
important…was it the names of the colors, or
the color of the letters??

19. Can we completely eliminate our biases?
However, we can temporarily, for a while,
mitigate unchecked assumptions.
No.

20. Process focus
is proven to be
the most
effective way
to mitigate
bias.
Focus on the
candidates’
skills and the
requirements
of the
position.
Get other
opinions.
How?

21. Sierra Club Best Practices
Conduct in-person
interviews with the
top 2-3.
Start with a
focus on
quantifiable
skills.
Phone
screen the
top 25% of
applicants.
Do a
second
round with
the top 5.
Have people
help you out
during this
decision process

22. Interview and Reference Questions
(Where you should and should not go)
Let’s talk about the reference check/interviewing
process.
Note: The same issues apply.

23. Interview Questions, pt. 1
(Where you should and should not go)
• Before asking an applicant a question, ask yourself:
What does this question have to do with the job?
• As much as possible, ask only job-related questions.
• As much as possible, ask the same questions of each
applicant.
• Standardize interview questions so that they can be asked
of all job candidates.

24. Interview Questions, pt. 2
(Where you should and should not go)
•Standardize the forms on which you record
information about the interview. This helps you keep
unbiased data.
•Avoid subtle discrimination such as indirect statements
that may show a preference for a particular group.
• If an applicant offers personal information of a
protected nature, steer the conversation back to the
skills needed to do the job.

25. Reference Checks
Again, focus questions on skills and
job-related attributes.
By the way, be sure that your candidate knows when
they are being done and has signed the release page of
the application.

26. Reference Checks
Not sure about what to ask?
Need some ideas?
You can find sample interview and reference
check questions in Taleo!

28. To summarize:
1. We all have biases!
2. Bias can be mitigated through process,
standardization, and different viewpoints.
3. A focus on job-related skills is the best way to
consistently select the best candidate from the pool.

29. Any questions?

30. Some research:
• Bertrand, M., & Mullainathan, S. (2003). Are Emily and Greg More Employable
Than Lakisha and Jamal? Case study. NBER Working Paper No. 9873.
• Self, W., Tetlock, P., Mellers, B., Mitchell, G., Hildreth, J.A.D. (2012). Calibrating
Process and Outcome Accountability Systems in the Workplace to Meet Fairness
and Efficiency Goals,
http://www.shrm.org/about/foundation/research/Pages/FdnResearchTetlock.aspx
• Anderson, N.& Shackleton, V. (2011). Decision making in the graduate selection
interview: A field study, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2044-
8325.1990.tb00510.x/abstract.
• Rakić, T., Steffens, C., Mummendey, A. (2011). When it matters how you pronounce
it: The influence of regional accents on job interview outcome,
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2044-8295.2011.02051.x/full

31. Some resources:
• Gladwell, Malcolm. “The New-Boy Network.” What the Dog Saw. New York: Little,
Brown, and Company, 2009.
• Sandberg, Sheryl. Lean In. (Appendices and end notes) New York: Alfred A. Knopf
2013
• Analysis of your own bias, Harvard Research Study
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/takeatest.html

32. Questions? Contact:
Joshua Ramey-Renk
Director of Talent and HR Operations
415-977-5611