What is interview bias?

Recruiting a fundraiser?

You need to be fair, objective, and unbiased if you want to secure the best person for the job.

But this is easier said than done.

Why? Because, much like every other human on the planet, you’re subject to unconscious biases (stereotypes you hold about other people that you aren’t consciously aware of).

And falling foul to them can skew your judgement and result in a bad hire.

How bias shows up in the interview room

Interviews can be a hotbed for many types of bias.

Here are five to be aware of, along with some tips to ensure they don’t get in the way of you making a good hire.

1.     Affinity bias

Affinity bias will rear its head if you unconsciously favour a candidate that you perceive to be similar to you.

And it’ll happen as it’s easier to get along with people you can relate to.

Any perceived similarity can cause affinity bias, from shared hobbies or sense of humour to past experiences and values.

You may fall into the affinity bias trap if you unintentionally favour candidates who are similar to your existing team members for the sake of ‘cultural fit.’

Needless to say, this limits diversity.

You can avoid it by noting similarities you share with candidates and analysing them to differentiate between attributes that cloud your judgment and valuable skills, experiences, and qualities that would ‘add’ to rather than ‘fit’ your team culture.

Confirmation bias

This will come into play if you have an initial perception about a candidate, (be it positive or negative) and spend the interview looking for information to validate it and overlook red flags that contradict it.

For example, say, after reading through the CVs, one candidate stands out above the rest. You may unintentionally ask that candidate questions that play to their strengths and avoid asking any that challenge them.

That’s confirmation bias in action.

If you want to avoid it, stick to the script. Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order. This’ll ensure you’re assessing the candidates fairly.

2.     Anchoring bias

This involves fixating on an idea or piece of information you have and using it as a reference point (or an anchor) to make subsequent decisions.

Case in point: you may find yourself anchoring your opinion on a previous team member you liked working with. Or you might have an ‘ideal candidate’ in your mind that you expect the candidate to fit.

It goes without saying, this is unrealistic and can prevent you from hiring someone who might bring something fresh to the team.

So go into each interview looking for

3.     Intuition bias

Intuition bias will occur if your brain picks up micro-signals from a candidate that it associates with certain qualities, personalities, or past experiences.

If this happens, your gut instinct will take over and you’ll trust it.

Gut instinct on its own is not a bad thing. It's a survival mechanism designed to help you make quick decisions.

But allowing it take hold will shift your focus away from assessing the candidate on their skill set, experience, and on-the-job potential.

We’re not saying you should ignore your gut feeling. By all means, listen to it, but don't rely on it exclusively.

4.     Contrast effect

If you find yourself comparing candidates to each other rather than individually you’re displaying classic contrast bias.

For example, suppose you have two interviews back-to-back.

Candidate one stumbles over their answers and requires a lot of prompting and reassurance, while candidate two speaks eloquently, confidently and has plenty to say.

The contrast between the two may lead you to think the second candidate is more qualified.

But that may not be the case.

Some people struggle more than others with interview nerves. But it doesn’t mean they’re any less qualified.

Comparing candidates to one another rather than weighing each candidate against the job description is unfair. And you run the risk of losing out on a top fundraiser.

Judge each candidate on their own merits. 

Tips for tackling interview bias

Analyse your behaviour.  At the end of each interview, ask yourself if you noticed any biases cropping up in your thinking. The more aware you are of your bias tendencies, the more likely you are to conduct the interviews fairly.

Consider culture add over culture fit. A diverse fundraising team is an effective fundraising team.

Sure, you want to hire folk that align with your values, but make sure you bring diverse experiences and backgrounds to the table.

Candidates with lived experience of the issues you tackle will bring a ton to your team.

Conduct panel interviews. This will prevent you from unconsciously hijacking the process.

Want to avoid unconscious bias in your recruitment process? Outsource it to us.

Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 to get started.