Age Inclusion
A Manager's Guide to Hiring
See Potential where Others Might Miss It
Insist on a Diverse Pool
Use Technology to Delay Bias Triggers
Hold Off on Personal Research
Don’t Dismiss “Overqualified” Candidates
Insist on a Diverse Pool
Research Shows... Research shows that the odds of hiring a woman are 79 times as great if at least two women are in the finalist pool, while the odds of hiring a nonwhite candidate are 194 times as great with at least two finalists minority applicants. This dynamic is also in play for older candidates.
Insist on a group of qualified candidates from a broad range of experiences and perspectives.
Make it clear from the outset that you want true diversity, not just one female or minority candidate regardless of if you are working with recruiters or doing the hiring yourself.
Use Technology to Delay Bias Triggers
Research Shows... Research shows age bias starts as soon as the employer becomes aware of the candidate’s age.
Use technology to anonymize candidates for as long as possible. To delay age bias try:
Online applications rather than in-person applications
An online assessment of ability to meet specific job requirements. The assessment should provide a numerical score used to qualify an interviewee.
Software programs can help “blind” the resumes before you review them, so you won’t have indicators of age, rage or gender. These technologies can be valuable in your selection of candidates to invite for interviews.
“Batching” resumes using best practices can result in more divers hires without any drop in candidate quality.
Hold Off on Personal Research
Resist the urge to look up candidates or on social media, which can trigger many different unconscious biases — wait and do that scan only for your top candidate after your final candidate interviews and before you make an offer if you really need to as part of their background check.
Don’t Dismiss “Overqualified” Candidates
Interview candidates who may seem overqualified. You can ask up front why they want the role, and what they hope to learn in the role. Candidates who appear “overqualified” are often older candidates. They can bring a “bonus” set of expertise (both functional and relational) that creates immense value for your whole team. They likely have personal reasons that make the role exciting—a chance to apply their expertise in a new industry, to work in a high growth organization, to swap a long commute for a shorter one, or to work in a better culture. Ask!