Use structured interview formats, standardised assessment criteria, and multiple evaluators whilst focusing on job-relevant competencies and documented examples. Implement consistent questioning and objective scoring systems for all candidates.
Common misunderstanding: Bias prevention is automatic during interviews.
Many hiring managers believe they naturally avoid bias without implementing structured prevention measures. This leads to subjective decisions based on personal preferences rather than job-relevant skills.
Let's say you are a duty manager interviewing candidates for a supervisory role. Without structured questions and standardised scoring, you might favour someone who reminds you of yourself rather than the candidate with the strongest leadership skills.
Train interviewers on bias recognition, use diverse interview panels, and implement blind scoring methods whilst establishing clear evaluation criteria before meeting candidates. Focus on behavioural evidence rather than personal impressions or assumptions.
Common misunderstanding: Good intentions eliminate unconscious bias.
Simply wanting to be fair doesn't prevent unconscious bias from affecting decisions. Systematic training, diverse panels, and evidence-based evaluation are essential for objective assessment.
Let's say you are a duty manager on an interview panel. Even with good intentions, you might unconsciously score candidates differently based on accent, appearance, or cultural background without proper bias training and structured evaluation methods.
Maintain consistent interview conditions, use identical assessment criteria, and document specific examples for all candidates whilst providing equal opportunities for demonstration. Review decisions against objective competency requirements rather than subjective preferences.
Common misunderstanding: Treating all candidates the same ensures fairness.
Simply using identical questions doesn't guarantee fair evaluation if conditions, criteria, or opportunities vary between candidates. True fairness requires consistent application of all assessment elements.
Let's say you are a duty manager conducting back-to-back interviews. The first candidate gets your full attention in a quiet room, whilst the last candidate is rushed through questions in a noisy environment during the lunch rush.