Interviewers may unconsciously make assumptions about candidates based on attributes like speech, age, or resume details. Common interview biases include central tendency bias of rating candidates similarly, contrast bias of comparing candidates to each other, and first impression bias positively or negatively impacting initial evaluations. Other biases discussed are cultural noise, halo effect, harshness effect, leniency bias, knowledge of test scores bias, nonverbal bias, recency bias, similarity bias, and stereotyping bias.

1. Interview Bias

2. You as an interviewer may
unconsciously make some
assumptions about candidates based
on the way they speak, their age, or
any of the background information
they listed on their resume
The following slides will discuss some of the more
common interview biases that even the most
experienced interviewers fall into

3. Average/Central Tendency: When the
interviewer has difficulty deciding which
candidate is best and instead rates them all
about the same
Contrast: When an interviewer compares
candidates to each other, or compares all
candidates to a single candidate. If one candidate
is particularly weak, others may appear more qualified
than they really are

4. First Impression: Can work for or against a
candidate depending on the interviewer’s first
impression
Cultural Noise: When candidates answer questions
based on information they think will get them the
job.
EX: Someone who has been an individual contributor telling
an interviewer they prefer working as part of a team

5. Halo Effect: When the interviewer evaluates a
candidate positively based on a single
characteristic.
EX: A candidate’s self-confident attitude may
overshadow a lack of experience in a particular
requirement
Harshness Effect: When the interviewer
evaluates a candidate negatively based on a
single characteristic

6. Knowledge of Predictor: Bias that occurs when
the interviewer is aware that a candidate
scored particularly high or low on an
assessment test
Leniency: When an interviewer tends to go easy
on a candidate, giving a higher rating than is
warranted
Nonverbal Bias: When an interviewer is
influenced by body language
Recency: When the interviewer recalls the most
recently interviewed candidate more clearly
than earlier candidates

7. Similar to me: Occurs when the
candidate has
interests/characteristics that
are the same as those of the
interviewer and cause the
interviewer to overlook
negative aspects
Stereotyping: When the
interviewer assumes the
candidate has specific traits
because they are a member of
a particular group