Interviewer Bias Definition: 7 Types of Bias to Avoid in Interviews

Interviewer bias is an umbrella term referring to the many types of unfair prejudices that might cloud a hiring process. Interviewers who succumb to these biases will often make suboptimal hiring decisions. For example, rather than hiring the most qualified candidate, they might hire the one they had the best conversation with or who went to the same college as them. This is unfair and can cause businesses to lose out on valuable talent.

For many interviewers, these mental shortcuts are examples of unconscious bias. It’s important for every interviewer to keep a vigilant eye out for these logical loopholes or unfair judgments.

Eliminating interviewer bias leads to fairer hiring practices. When bias overshadows the recruitment process, it prevents interviewers from choosing the most qualified candidate. Through well-structured interviews and watchful self-evaluation, interviewers can overcome these biases and ensure they hire the right person for the job.

There are many different types of bias interviewers should try to avoid. Keep these seven in mind:

1. 1. Affinity bias: This bias manifests itself when people base their hiring decisions on finding personal things in common with a candidate rather than focusing on their qualifications. You might have a lot in common with an interviewee, but that does not guarantee they are the best person to fit a given job.
2. 2. Confirmation bias: This type of interview bias shows up when you look only for evidence of a preconceived notion in an interview. As an example of confirmation bias, perhaps you thought a candidate sounded too uninterested on the phone, so then you look only for signs of disinterest at the actual interview.
3. 3. Contrast effect: It’s natural to compare and contrast one interviewee against another, but refrain from letting that process cloud your judgment too much. Suppose one interview goes very poorly and the next goes adequately—the contrast between the two might make you think the latter candidate was more qualified than they actually were. A fairer and more effective hiring practice is to weigh each candidate against the job description itself versus each other.
4. 4. First impression bias: As you make your way through candidate interviews, try to remain as fair as possible throughout the process. Someone’s nervousness might lead them to make a poor first impression, but subsequent conversations might show they’re the ideal candidate for a position.
5. 5. Halo effect: When someone interviews spectacularly well, it’s easy to assume they are the best person for the job. This “halo effect” prematurely colors your decision-making process—they might be good at interviewing, but nowhere near as qualified for the position as another candidate. There’s a similar “horn effect” that comes about when you place too much negative emphasis on a candidate’s poor interview performance while ignoring their other qualifications.
6. 6. Nonverbal bias: Sometimes a person’s body language or mannerisms might irk an interviewer. It’s important to realize this may be completely out of the interviewee’s control and, in any case, would not negatively affect their job performance except in specific career paths.
7. 7. Stereotyping bias: Whenever you form a prejudicial opinion because of someone’s race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or another similar signifier, you engage in stereotyping. For instance, someone’s gender bias might lead them to reject an extremely talented applicant simply because of the pronouns they use to identify themselves.

Preventing bias in the interview process is essential to fair hiring practices. Keep these tips in mind as you strive to be as evenhanded as possible when talking to various job candidates:

• Anonymize aspects of the process. Do what you can to allow candidates a possibility to stand out just by the strength of their previous work and qualifications. For example, before a phone screening, you could provide the same set of questions online to every applicant. This, alongside a résumé and cover letter, can help you see who stands out in relation to a more objective set of criteria.
• Establish hiring criteria preliminarily. As a hiring manager, set out to treat all potential candidates to the same interview questions and general scoring rubric. Try to make this process as logical and as objective as possible. Score people on the same metrics consistently. You can still be conversational, just remember the most important aspect of the interview is gaining valuable information about a person’s skill set and ability to work with the rest of your team.
• Evaluate yourself. Before, during, and after the interview process, ask yourself if you noticed any instances of specific biases cropping up in your thinking. Research additional types of bias, too—all of these can serve as useful predictors of your own behavior. The more you increase your self-awareness, the more likely you are to be able to cast aside bias and approach interviews more fairly.
• Recruit from a wide pool. Ensure accessibility to as wide a candidate pool as possible. Anyone of any background who can fulfill the job requirements should feel free to apply. The wider net you cast, the greater array of people you can bring in to evaluate for a given position.

Practicing empathy can help you lead more effectively while building stronger relationships across the personal and professional facets of your life. Challenge your perceptions with the MasterClass Annual Membership and take lessons on emotional intelligence from Pharrell Williams, Roxane Gay, Gloria Steinem, Dr. Cornel West, Walter Mosley, Robert Reffkin, and Robin Arzón.