INTERVIEWS
Avoiding interviewer biases
You might be saying right now, “but I don’t bring my biases into the interview room”, and generally, that sentiment is shared by most.
Everyone has some degree of bias. It’s human nature to assign judgement based on first impressions.
Also, most people have a lifetime of conditioning through schools, religious institutions, their families of origin and media – including social media – among others. While the thought of leaving biases outside the interview room is noble, perhaps there is a simple and more realistic solution to this complex bias awareness issue.
In order to address our potential biases, a professional interviewer must reflect critically on personal judgements and be aware of their own blind spots.
With this added insight, investigators can begin to avoid stereotyping and acting on harmful prejudice. Simply saying “I won’t be biased” is not constructive, particularly if you are unaware of the personal biases you hold.
Instead, you want to examine your own thoughts and feelings. Then, you can make a deliberate choice in the ways you think about people, places and events. Make sure you are aware of the more common bias influences that interviewers might face, because at that point you have a higher probability of leaving those biases outside the door and becoming more objective.
by Chris Norris, CFI
Wicklander-Zulawski Europe
