Your job interview is tomorrow. You know your appearance will
matter, so you polish your shoes and brush your hair. You
realize your interviewer will have your resume in hand, so
you've come prepared to explain every minute detail included on
it. You've even done practice interviews and prepared your
responses to all the trick questions. Are you ready? Not yet.
There remains a single type of preparation that you should do
that can make or break your interview-knowing how to handle the
possible biases of an interviewer. You need this knowledge
because of a simple reality; interviews are subjective, no
matter how many objective indicators are introduced.
Interviewers are human, and all carry with them some assumptions
about different types of people. Despite what may be valid
attempts to leave these assumptions behind in the process, even
the most earnest interviewer may be letting some of these biases
make their way into the decision-making process. The best
candidate for a job has many a time been passed over in the
interview process because of bias. You don't want to be one of
them.
You're not likely to be able to change the bias itself in the
short duration of the interview, and you may not be able to
recognize it with so much else going on. You can, however,
increase the chances that the interviewer will not apply their
biases or assumptions toward you. This means preparing for the
possible biases of an interviewer before you encounter him/her.
You therefore need to recognize the most likely biases people
have toward you and prepare to address these biases in
interviews to minimize their impact.
Pinpointing Potential Biases
Many people think biases surround visible differences that
people have, like race, gender, or appearance. This is true.
However, biases usually run much deeper and assumptions are made
about a number of other potential differences you may have with
your interviewer. An interviewer may unconsciously make
assumptions about you based on the way that you speak, your age,
or any of the background information you have listed on your
resume.
To figure out some of the biases that may surface, give some
thought to comments people have made to you in the past that
surprised you. Have people thought you were much younger or
older than you actually are? Have they assumed you were less
intelligent because of your accent? Have you been labeled
because of the way you dress? Have people been surprised to
learn something in particular about you? Make a list of some of
these assumptions or obstacles that could impede on the
interviewer from seeing you as the best candidate.
Use your friends to add to your recollection. Ask them what
their first impressions of you were. Colleagues from the past
are especially valuable since they know you in a work atmosphere
and work attire. Have friends read through your resume and
create a list of five statements they would make about you based
on your resume. Ask them to limit their responses to information
on the resume and explain your goal in the exercise so you get
honest answers. Combine these statements with ones people have
made about you in the past and keep a list handy with all of
these assumptions.
The Information Inundation Technique
Once you get a sense for the impression you make and the biases
people may have against you, make sure you address them. You
should still be focused on demonstrating why you are a qualified
candidate for the job. Therefore, while delivering persuasive
responses to interviewer questions, saturate your responses with
information that will also undo biases. Here are some
suggestions:
1. Match their speech and behaviors. It is a good idea in
general to match your interviewers in terms of their speech and
behaviors for etiquette purposes. If an interviewer is formal in
their speech, you should be as well. If they sit up straight,
don't slouch. This will help reduce assumptions they make about
you based on differences they perceive they have from you.
2. Acknowledge & Spin It. If you sense a bias, don't be afraid
to address what it is you think is being held against you. If
you have an accent, explain what you do to make yourself
understood. If you are young, note it, but also explain what
your age adds and focus more on the experiences you have had
that makes you worthy of the position. If you are a woman
working in a male-dominated profession, explain what you can add
to the position very specifically because you are female. Make a
point to show the value of the aspect in question.
3. Find a connection. When you get the chance to ask your own
questions at the end of the interview, work to establish a
connection with your interviewer. Ask them what they like about
the company in question, and communicate your ability to relate
to some of the traits he or she identifies. Make a point of
smiling and try to be friendly. An open, communicative style on
your part is helpful to address any negative biases that person
may unconsciously be holding against you.
4. Communicate your Bridge Building potential. A successful job
candidate is not only someone who can do the job, but someone
who can work in the organization's culture and be able to do the
job well in the long run. Interviewers with biases may assume
that you will not fit well into the organization's culture
because of your differences. Communicate your ability to work
with different people, think from different perspectives, and be
open-minded. Give examples. Ask about the company culture and
talk about your ability to work with and relate to different
people.
5. Make it a strength. Have you had to deal with this someone
who has been biased before because of something about the way
you are? Use the experience to show your interviewer how you
successfully overcame a difficulty. Emphasize the learning and
growth you experienced as a result. This can help an interviewer
recognize that their own unconscious bias is impacting their
impressions. Make sure you don't insinuate in any way that your
interviewer is biased. Your job in the interview is to
demonstrate that you are a highly-skilled individual equipped to
do the job for which you are applying. Critiquing your
interviewer is not a step in the right direction.
6. Assume you are the best person for the position. Have you
noticed that it is that much harder to sit up straight when you
are feeling down in the dumps? Most people show their emotions
in one way or another, and facing a biased interviewer is likely
to stir some serious emotions of anger, frustration,
devastation, or defeat. It is important to push through these
feelings during the interview so that it doesn't impact your
demeanor during the rest of the interview. You can decide later
whether you want to work for the company the interviewer
represents.
7. Make a Habit of it. Finally, get into the habit of building
bias prep into your interview prep. Build these techniques into
your responses and practice saying them so you are comfortable
in the interview. Have a friend role-play the biased interview.
Make it realistic. How will you face this practice situation?
Interview bias exists, but it doesn't have to impact your
potential to get hired. Use these techniques to improve your
chances of getting hired based on your qualifications and
motivation rather than being excluded because of interviewer
bias.
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