How to avoid unconscious bias in job adverts.

1. HIRING ADVICE I N T E R N A T I O N A L
HOW TO AVOID UNCONSCIOUS
BIAS IN JOB ADVERTS

2. HOWTO AVOID UNCONSCIOUS
BIAS IN JOB ADVERTS
Job adverts are a key piece in every company’s
hiring strategy and are a valuable tool for
communicating your employer brand. The way a
company represents themselves is their adverts can
be a determining factor in the quality of candidates
who apply for the advertised role.
However, studies have shown that adverts
across many male-dominated industries included
gendered language that deters female candidates
from applying. This unconscious bias is often
communicated unintentionally in the way adverts
are written, and can negatively impact the
diversity of the candidates for the role. The use
gendered language in adverts can undermine the
implementation of a diverse hiring strategy, and
affect the way a company’s employer brand is
perceived.
By consciously considering the language used in
advert, and working towards using more gender
neutral language, organisations can better avoid
discrimination in the hiring process.
Gendered job adverts
A study by the American Psychological Association
in 2011 brought the idea of gendered job adverts
into the media spotlight. The research showed
that words associated with masculine and feminine
stereotypes could perpetuate gender inequality
when used in job adverts. There is evidence that
this is happening in the modern job market.
The findings showed that job adverts used in male-
dominated sectors showed a greater use of words
with male connotations such as‘leader’,‘competitive’
and ‘dominant’. No difference in feminine wording
appeared across the sectors.The study also found
that when more masculine wording was used
in the advertisements, it was perceived by the
potential applicant that more men worked in that
sector. Masculine wording also made this sector
less appealing for women, making them less likely
to apply for jobs.
As we’ve recently mentioned on our blog:attraction,
retention and advancement are the key pillars
when it comes to improving diversity. This use of
masculine language appears to be another barrier
to attracting female candidates which should be
overcome to promote inclusive hiring. Removing
gender biased words from job descriptions can
increase the number of applicants by 42%.
The use of certain words which are skewed to
specific genders has a tangible effect on who applies
for the role, which contributes towards stagnant
levels of diversity.
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3. Some industries are worse than
others
According to research, 70% of job listings across
all industries contain masculine words. Some
industries are guiltier than others; Business is
most often the worst, with 94% of descriptions
written using gendered words in job ads. 92% of in
Science and Engineering, andTechnology fall foul of
gendered language,while Finance and Insurance has
91% of descriptions featuring gendered wording.
Considering that some sectors, such as STEM, are
notorious for their lack of diversity,it is significant that
these same industries have gender-bias descriptions.
“According to research, 70% of job
listings across all industries contain
masculine words.”
See the bigger picture
Diversity is proven to help increase a business’
bottom line; it has been shown that having more
women in business increases profits. Companies
that have at least 30% female executives in their
boardrooms make as much as 6% more profit than
companies without women.
Gendered language has an effect when it comes
to attracting female candidates, it is important to
use gender-neutral language to remove this barrier
to women looking to enter these industries. Level
the playing field and you’ll be one step closer to an
inclusive hiring strategy, which will give you more
suitably qualified candidates to choose from when
it comes to picking the right person for the job.
The benefits of gender neutral
language
It’s important to understand that gendered language
in a job advert has many different implications.
While you might be pursuing a diversity strategy
in other areas, your job adverts could be giving the
impression that there are potential gender issues
or imbalances in your office.
When it comes to increasing diversity in the
workplace, attraction, retention and advancement
are the three key touchpoints. A job advert is
the very first stage in the process of attracting
new staff, and it is important to make sure that
your recruitment efforts do not exclude female
candidates at the first hurdle.
The first step
The first step in establishing inclusive hiring practices
is recognizing that existing gender stereotypes play
a part in inequality.The second is taking measures
to help circumvent this, from introducing more
gender neutral language into your job adverts,
to finding ways to advertise to a more diverse
candidate base.
The biggest issue when recruiting more diverse
candidates is often identifying the areas which are
prohibitive before the recruitment process begins.
You can then take active steps at all stages of the
recruitment process to help your business hire
more inclusively,as well as draw the greatest benefit
from this diverse strategy.
“A job advert is the very first stage in
the process of attracting new staff, and
it is important to make sure that your
recruitment efforts do not exclude
female candidates at the first hurdle.”
www.phaidoninternational.com | enquiries@phaidoninternational.com Hiring Advice | Enabling Exceptional Careers

4. Translating your job ads
According to researchers from Technische
Universität München, masculine words include:
• ‘aggressive’‘independent’
• ‘assertive’
• ‘determined’
• ‘analytical’
Feminine words include;
• ‘responsible’
• ‘dedicated’
• ‘sociable’
• ‘conscientious’
Once you’re aware of the unconscious bias in your
language, then it’s important to ‘translate’ your
adverts so that they feature more gender-neutral
words.
Studies have shown that many women won’t apply
for a job they do not 100% qualify for, whereas
men will apply for a position they feel they’re only
60% qualified for. Give your job adverts a new
lease of life by making sure they’re up to date as
well as neutralizing any gender biased language.You
may uncover talented candidates you might have
otherwise missed.
Many diversity programs miss the subtle hints
when looking to attract female candidates. Make
sure your hiring strategy avoids these pitfalls and
you might find more qualified CVs making their
way onto your desk.
Are you looking to build a more inclusive hiring
strategy? Get in touch today for a consultation
about how we can help.
Sources
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21381851
2 http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/9434-gender-neutral-job-ad.
html
3 http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/9434-gender-neutral-job-ad.
html#sthash.LehfBNBb.dpuf
4 http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2016/02/10/women-leaders-
companies-s_n_9199298.html
5 http://gender-decoder.katmatfield.com/
6 http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/9434-gender-neutral-job-ad.
html
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5. Enabling Exceptional Careers
Phaidon International exists to enable exceptional careers
around the world; we connect exceptional talent, with
exceptional opportunities.
HIRING ADVICE
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
Phaidon International is a global
staffing group with 6 micro-specialist
recruitment brands.
We help organisations identify, attract
and secure the best talent for their
requirements across 4 key market
verticals; Financial Services, Energy,
Technical and Professional Services.
Contact us for further hiring trends and
advice, or if you are looking to grow
your team.
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