We usually devote our blog articles to people who need resume writing services the most. They are job seekers who look for any kid of career assistance that could help them get the job. At Prime-resume we provide a wide range of services, including interview tips, the list of employment agencies, resume distribution, etc. However, from time to time we share some helpful tips for people of different professions and titles in order to help them succeed at their work. And today our blog post is meant to help people who are usually responsible for making hiring decisions. It might also be handy for those who will soon attend a job interview as it may provide some useful insights into how HRs and interviewers work.
Tackling Stereotypes Before a Job Interview
If you are working directly with candidates who apply to work in your company then the first step to professional success is to admit that you have your own stereotypes and biases (that are often misleading). We all make assumptions. Interviewers and hiring managers are no exception. The problem is that these assumptions often become something we use to guide our decision making. And if those assumptions are wrong then most likely our decision making will ultimately lead us to failure. So the first step is to admit that you have your own preconceptions and biases the validity and accuracy which is to be at least questioned.
The majority of interviewers believe that applicants' appearance defines whether one can or cannot cope with certain tasks. Most of the hiring managers think that age is an important factor because older people will likely have more health issues or people over 40 will not be able to perform tasks where technical or advanced computer skills are required. Many do have a lot of biases toward physically challenged people even on the jobs when physical strength is not required at all. Lots of misleading preconceptions are related to how people perceive women at work. All of these biases very often have nothing to do with reality and therefore they must be tackled before every job interview. Obviously, if one wants to hire true professionals... What should I do if I am an HR?
It is easy (to say and not so easy to do). After you admit that you have wrong preconceptions and biases you should move on to the understanding that your job is to minimize the influence of these stereotypes on the interviewing process. The responsibility of a hiring manager, after all, is to find and hire the best candidate for the opening. So one should stick to an accurate job description and use it as the basis for the whole interviewing process. Experienced HRs recommend making a little pause after each interview and not taking hiring decisions right away. This should help better analyze each candidate. Focus on performance and achievements so that you could look back and make another evaluation in a calm environment.
