Ah, cognitive biases! These mental shortcuts our brain uses to simplify decision-making (the famous intuition). In recruitment, they can sometimes trick us, distort our perceptions, and unconsciously influence our choices.
According toDaniel Kahneman,an expert in cognitive psychology, cognitive biases prevent a person from having neutral reasoning as they introducea distortion of reality. Something every recruitment agency wants to avoid as much as possible... or even internal recruiters when it comes to hiring future colleagues.
Don't worry, recruiters! We're here to help you see clearer for effective hiring!
Understanding and managing these biases is crucialto ensure fair and effective recruitment decisions.
How do biases work?
Biases are mental shortcuts that instantly process internal (memory) or external (environment) information. This unconscious automation allows for quick evaluation based on past beliefs and experiences, but exposes one to errors in reasoning, perception, and judgment, leading to faulty decisions.
The 6 Cognitive Biases in Recruitment
1. Confirmation Bias
Confirmation bias, very common in recruitment, leads us to give more importance to information that confirms our initial beliefs while ignoring those that contradict them. It's human; we all tend to try to support our convictions rather than deconstruct them.
Thus,confirmation bias leads us astrayon two points:
- We place significant importance on anything that confirms our beliefs
- We give little importance to anything that could contradict what we think
"Do you think a candidate from a prestigious school is necessarily better? You'll look for evidence that confirms this idea and disregard those that might contradict it."
To avoid confirmation bias,use objective and standardized evaluation grids. Ensure that each candidate is assessed based on identical criteria.
2. Anchoring Bias
Anchoring bias refers to the difficulty of letting go of our first impression. By focusing on an initial "piece of information," our mind can no longer appreciate and consider new information, new values, or contemplate other choices.
"A candidate's CV indicates they've worked at a prestigious company? This information positively influences your judgment for the rest of the interview, even if their skills don't fully match the position."
To avoid anchoring bias, dissect the CV point by point without being swayed by a single piece of information. Use factual and multiple data to evaluate skills. For instance, you can use a recruitment tool that also has ATS capability withCV parsing.
3. Similarity Bias
You know the saying "birds of a feather flock together"? Similarity bias is the natural tendency to favor candidates who resemble us or with whom we share common points.
"Did you attend the same engineering school as the candidate, or do you share the same passion for guitar? You are thus more inclined to consider them positively."
To avoid similarity bias, form diverse recruitment teams. Encourage open-mindedness and the appreciation of diversity within the team.
4. Stereotype Bias
Stereotype bias occurs when we make hasty conclusions based on a set of information we deem sufficient to make a judgment. This bias can lead to hiring discrimination (physical appearance, sexual orientation, religion, surname...), which, let's remember, is prohibited by law.
"You think a young candidate is necessarily more comfortable with new technologies, while an older candidate could be just as comfortable."
To avoid stereotype bias, prioritize factual questions and skill tests, and evaluate candidates based on concrete and measurable criteria. You can also usea job offer tester.
5. Halo Effect
The halo effect involves relying on your first impression, whether good or bad. From one criterion, the person in charge of recruitment will generalize their thinking, which will condition the rest of the interview.
"A candidate presents themselves very charismatically during the interview? You "assume" then that they are also competent and motivated."
To avoid the halo effect, giving yourself the opportunity to go beyond a first impression is crucial. Because this perception depends on many factors, and a first impression lasts only a few moments. Distinguish the different skills and qualities required for the position. Evaluate them independently. Rely onan evaluation grid, ensuring you question all candidates in the same way. You can also allow yourself to revisit candidates if necessary to avoid sticking to your first impression.
How to Overcome Cognitive Biases?
Since cognitive biases are natural and common to everyone, they are identifiable but remain difficult to combat.
Here are some ways to implement to overcome them:
1. Use Standardized Assessment Tools
Implement standardized tests and simulations for all candidates. This allows for objective comparison of performances and reduces the influence of cognitive biases. To avoid letting intuitions take over, it is crucial to structure your interviews, for example, with the help ofour partnersCentral Test, Assess First, Trimoji, or WeSuggest, which offer reliable and effective solutions to enlighten your decisions.
2. Train Recruiters
Offer training on cognitive biases and their impact. The more recruiters are aware of these biases, the better they can recognize and avoid them.
We have identified two organizations specializing in this subject:
- MIIS Expertise Diversity & Inclusion: https://miis.fr/formations/
3. Diversify Recruitment Teams
Create diverse recruitment teams. Different perspectives and experiences help balance individual biases. Being neutral is difficult since humans are influenced by their emotions, environment, past, and mood. To promote fair recruitment, conduct it with several people. It's a good way to better recruit your future talents.
4.Establish a Feedback Culture
Encourage discussions and constructive feedback after each recruitment process. This allows for reflection and consideration of biases that may have influenced decisions.
Conclusion
Cognitive biases are part of human nature, and it's normal to encounter them in the recruitment process. The important thing is to recognize them and implement recruitment strategies and a company culture that bypass them. With a little vigilance and appropriate tools, you can make fairer and more informed decisions for the benefit of your company and candidates. So, ready to outsmart your brain's traps?
Happy talent hunting! 🚀
