How to make your interview process fairer

So you’re in yet another post-interview meeting, and the only thing everyone seems to agree on is how varied their opinions are about the candidate. Sound familiar? In today’s competitive hiring landscape, a fair and standardised interview process is more than just a moral obligation; it’s a strategic advantage. A well-structured and equitable approach can help you attract top talent, and decide more quickly who's the best candidate for the job.

Let’s unpack what it takes to build a fair interview process and why it’s crucial for your organisation’s success.

1. Understanding the Importance of a Fair Interview Process

1.1 What is a fair interview process?

A fair interview process involves treating every candidate consistently and without bias, ensuring that everyone gets an equal opportunity regardless of their background. This not only means asking the same structured questions, but also having a transparent evaluation system where candidates are rated against clearly defined criteria. In practical terms, this could mean using standardised scorecards and structured interview templates to make sure evaluations are comparable across all candidates.

Fairness in interviews can also be enhanced by using the latest hiring technology. For instance, platforms like Evidenced - which provides realtime guidance and transcribes interviews - help to create a consistent evaluation process. These tools minimise disparities that might occur due to different interviewers' subjective experiences by necessitating they back their opinions with real data, and ensure a candidate's suitability is assessed without prejudice.

Tip: Start by developing a set of standard questions relevant to the role, then work with your colleagues to create detailed scorecards with which to rate each candidate objectively.

1.2 Why does fairness matter?

Fairness in your interview process is crucial for several reasons. First, it builds a positive reputation for your organisation, making it more attractive to top talent who are looking for roles where they feel valued and respected. A fair process also reduces the risk of legal issues that can arise from discriminatory practices, as it aligns with compliance standards in hiring, such as the UK Equality Act. This isn't just ethical; it’s practical.

Moreover, a fair process can significantly improve the quality of hires. According to a study by McKinsey, diverse teams are 36% more likely to outperform their less diverse counterparts. Integrating structures such as unbiased feedback mechanisms not only enhances the fairness of your interviews but also helps build more diverse teams that drive better performance.

2. Strategies to Make Your Interview Process Fairer

2.1 Implementing Structured Interviews

To bring objectivity and consistency to your interviews, implement structured interviews. This approach involves asking each candidate the same set of questions, reducing the variability and bias often associated with unstructured interviews. Begin by:

• Defining Key Skills and Competencies: Identify what qualities and skills the role demands.

• Developing Standardised Questions: Create questions that help explore these skills and are relevant across all interviews.

• Using Rating Scales: Implement a scoring system to objectively assess candidate responses.

By doing this, you ensure all candidates are evaluated on the same criteria, making the process fairer. According to research from the Journal of Occupational Psychology, structured interviews can be twice as effective as unstructured ones at predicting job performance.

Structured interviews not only aid in bias reduction but also ensure you capture a comprehensive view of the candidate's skills. Hiring tools can help you build more structured interviews by offering features that streamline their creation. For example, with Evidenced you can:

• Build Interview Templates: Import and build a library of interview questions and distribute them across all your interviewing templates.

• Customise Scorecards: Tailor your scorecards based on role requirements directly or import them from your applicant tracking system.

• Automate Question Tracking: Automatically bookmark questions for easy recap, helping maintain the flow and focus of interviews.

Pro-tip: Encourage your interviewers to utilise video recording tools to review and calibrate interviewer approaches. This can help in identifying deviations from the structured setup and provide a basis for targeted interviewer training.

2.2 Promoting Diversity and Inclusivity

Embracing diversity and inclusivity in your hiring process can drive innovation and foster a more dynamic workplace culture. A few actionable strategies include:

• Broadening Talent Pools: Engage with diverse recruitment channels, such as Tech Returners, to reach underrepresented demographics.

• Crafting Inclusive Job Descriptions: Use language that appeals to a wide range of potential candidates, avoiding bias.

• Facilitating Unbiased Initial Screenings: Use tools like anonymised resumes during the first-round screenings to focus on skills over background identifiers.

Promoting inclusivity not only improves the candidate experience but also your overall organisational productivity - as reported in the aforementioned report by McKinsey.

Tip: Encourage diversity-focused training for interviewers. Equip them with the skills to create a welcoming atmosphere during interviews to ensure all candidates feel valued and respected.

2.3 Reducing Unconscious Bias

Minimising unconscious bias starts with awareness and implementing decisive measures during the hiring process. Consider these steps:

1. Bias Awareness Training: Regular workshops can raise awareness among hiring teams regarding biases and their impacts.

2. Diversifying Interview Panels: A varied panel improves decision-making and reduces individual biases affecting outcomes.

3. Adopting Technology for Objectivity: Use analytics tools to track interviewer patterns and pinpoint biases in decision-making processes.

Reducing bias helps in making informed, data-driven hiring decisions, ensuring candidates are selected based on merit. Evidenced supports this by allowing you to track interviewer performance and provides data-driven insights to help identify areas needing improvement, fostering equitable treatment of all candidates.

Tip: Schedule regular review sessions post-interviews to discuss observed biases and corrective measures. Creating a culture of continuous feedback can significantly help in maintaining fairness.

3. Evaluating and Improving Your Interview Process

3.1 Collecting Feedback from Candidates

To refine your interview process, candidate feedback serves as a crucial insight. Encourage open and honest feedback by implementing structured post-interview surveys.

These surveys should be anonymous to ensure genuine responses. Questions might include candidates' perceptions of the interview structure, the fairness of questioning, and the overall experience. By frequently assessing this feedback, you will spot trends and areas for improvement.

3.2 Analysing Interview Data

Your next focus should be the analysis of interview data. Start by gathering data on candidate performance, interview duration, and interviewer notes. This data helps you spot inefficiencies and biases in the current process. Regularly reviewing the success rates of candidates from diverse backgrounds can also reveal if you’re unintentionally favouring certain profiles.

Using platforms like Evidenced, you can access real-time performance dashboards. Such tools offer actionable insights into how interviews align with your objectives and aid in identifying patterns that need addressing.

3.3 Making Continuous Improvements

Continuous enhancement is all about adapting and refining the process based on data. Use your feedback and analysis findings to create a prioritised action list. Perhaps you need clearer interview scorecards or a refreshed diversity and inclusivity strategy. Monitoring ongoing changes and their impact forms part of an evidence-based approach to safeguarding fairness and effectiveness.

A robust interview process is not static; it requires regular checks and balances. By keenly focusing on collecting candidate feedback, analysing interview data, and committing to continuous improvement, you ensure fairness and inclusivity. Tools and platforms like Evidenced streamline this evolution, aiding you in providing equitable and effective hiring experiences that accomplish your organisational goals.

Tip: Set quarterly review meetings with your hiring team to discuss and implement learning and improvements.

Creating a fair interview process is not just about compliance—it’s about building a stronger, more dynamic, and inclusive organisation. By implementing structured interviews, promoting diversity, reducing unconscious bias, and continuously evaluating your methods, you can attract top talent and make better hiring decisions. A fair process doesn’t just benefit candidates; it enhances your reputation, fosters a more innovative workplace, and sets your organisation apart as a leader in equitable recruitment practices. With a commitment to fairness and the right tools, you’ll be well-equipped to hire the best while making a meaningful impact on your organisation’s culture and success.