The unconscious sexual bias

[andrewducker]

Instead of focusing on programs designed to specifically benefit any one group, I think our focus should be on making our companies as meritocratic as possible. I want to start with the easiest suggestion I can think of, one that I’ve personally used with great success. I first tried it as an experiment after reading in Blink that after symphony orchestras instituted blind auditions (where conductors can’t see who is actually playing), gender equality soon followed. In the US, women’s participation went from about 5% to 50% over the course of two decades. What’s notable about this change is that it has nothing to do with gender per se, and probably also eliminated many other forms of unconscious bias.

Now, whenever I screen resumes, I ask the recruiter to black out any demographic information from the resume itself: name, age, gender, country of origin. The first time I did this experiment, I felt a strange feeling of vertigo while reading the resume. “Who is this guy?” I had a hard time forming a visual image, which made it harder to try and compare each candidate to the successful people I’d worked with in the past. It was an uncomfortable feeling, which instantly revealed just how much I’d been relying on surface qualities when screening resumes before – even when I thought I was being 100% meritocratic. And, much to my surprise (and embarrassment), the kinds of people I started phone-screening changed immediately.

From
via Geek Feminism

Comments

[heron61.livejournal.com]

That's a truly excellent idea. However, until it's been in use for a couple of decades, other measures will almost certain be needed. The two obvious problem areas are during interviews when the employers actually get to see the people they are considering hiring, and both conscious and unconscious bias can come into play, just as it can in firings, disciplinary actions, and lay-offs.

[ninebelow.livejournal.com]

This is almost standard here: HR strip out everything apart from the personal statement. However, the personal statement does have the applicant's name on it.

[ophelia-complex.livejournal.com]

that's fascinating!

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Yes. Although I'd not strip out age - I've seen more than one CV where the punter-in-question would have to have started their weenix-hacking career at age six months in order to fit in all their alleged accomplishments.

[autodidactic.livejournal.com]

Some kids these days, I wouldn't doubt their infant weenix-hacking skillz. :D

(To a certain degree, ofc. I wouldn't put it past a person who put it on their resume at, say, age 12 or 14. I went to college at 10, briefly.)

[pennski.livejournal.com]

I don't put my age on my cv any more - although you can work it out from education dates.

[meihua.livejournal.com]

Mm, my company doesn't do this. I'll see if I can get this implemented for the hiring decisions I have input on, at least.