Anonymised Recruitment: IAR’s Commitment to Diversity
At IAR, we got to thinking, how can we help our clients improve diversity without using controversial strategies like quotas and positive action? And then it came to us – Anonymised Recruitment!
What is Anonymised Recruitment?
Blind or anonymised recruitment refers to the simple act of removing all identifiable factors from a candidate’s CV, application and/or assessments during the hiring process. These identifying factors can include the candidate’s:
name
contact information
age
gender
race
photo
And why does IAR love Anonymised Recruitment so much? Because it helps the hiring team focus exclusively on the candidate’s suitability for the position and reduces the danger of conscious and unconscious bias. The outcome, therefore, is that our clients see a fairer representation in their interviews and a much more diverse range of talents and experiences.
What does an anonymised CV look like?
Anonymised CVs will be presented in a range of formats, but the overriding similarity is that each anonymised CV will redact information that will identify the candidate while presenting all CVs in a standardised format. It is IAR’s aim that by presenting each application and CV in a standard format will make it easier for our clients to compare CVs side-by-side.
Pros and cons of Anonymised Recruitment
IAR has found Anonymised Recruitment to be a powerful tool for reducing the risk of bias in the recruitment process, supporting the hiring team in finding the best candidate for the job. However, anonymised recruiting is only one factor of a diversity recruitment strategy.
Although anonymised recruiting helps to improve the diversity of the candidates that get to the first stage of the hiring process (if those candidates demonstrate the skills needed), it does not eradicate unconscious bias during the interviews. It also does not guarantee that a new hire feels welcome and included nor does it ensure they have the same opportunities to advance through the organization.
Unfortunately, anonymised hiring is not a fix-all to ensure EDI in your business, and organisations often have problems when they do not consider other factors they need to address when trying to attract a diverse talent pool
.png)
