How do you avoid bias and discrimination in resume screening?

Resume screening is one of the most time-consuming and tedious tasks in recruiting. It involves reviewing hundreds or thousands of resumes to find the best candidates for a job opening. However, manual resume screening can also lead to bias and discrimination, as human reviewers may unconsciously favor or reject candidates based on their name, gender, race, age, or other irrelevant factors. How can you automate resume screening to save time, improve quality, and avoid bias and discrimination? Here are some tips and tools to help you.

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1 Use a resume parser

A resume parser is a software that extracts and organizes the information from resumes into a structured format. It can help you automate resume screening by eliminating the need to manually read and enter data from resumes. A resume parser can also help you standardize the resume format, making it easier to compare and rank candidates. Some resume parsers can also match resumes to job descriptions, using keywords, skills, and qualifications. You can use a resume parser to create a shortlist of candidates based on your criteria, and then review them more closely.

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Ciara Young

Driving the growth of GS2 by recruiting, training and supporting our amazing team
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In my experience Resume Parser software is excellent automation technology and a huge time saver, however as a recruiter currently sourcing contractors for niche technical roles on global transformations, I would never use a resume parser to collate a shortlist of candidates. Based on the clients' requirement there can be so many factors that aren't clear or specified in the persons' CV; this is where a human is needed, to pick up the phone and discuss the certain factors with the applicant; these factors might be location/hybrid working, cultural/team fit etc. Potentially, in some roles the resume parser may be correct in who it identifies for a shortlist, but not for me personally.

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Dan Schawbel

LinkedIn Top Voice, New York Times Bestselling Author, Managing Partner of Workplace Intelligence, Led 80+ Workplace Research Studies
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Using a resume parser can help reduce bias and discrimination in resume screening by eliminating the human element that can introduce personal biases. A resume parser is a tool that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to extract relevant information from resumes and create structured data that can be easily searched and compared. By standardizing the screening process, the resume parser can help eliminate unconscious biases based on factors such as gender, race, or age, and allow recruiters to focus on the skills and experience that are truly relevant to the position.

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2 Apply a scoring system

A scoring system is a way of assigning numerical values to different aspects of a candidate's resume, such as education, experience, skills, achievements, and so on. It can help you automate resume screening by quantifying and measuring the suitability of candidates for a job. A scoring system can also help you avoid bias and discrimination, as it reduces the influence of subjective factors and personal preferences. You can use a scoring system to rank candidates based on their total score, and then select the top ones for further evaluation.

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Gina M. W.

Marketing | Human Resources | Administration
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In my experience, I assign criticality levels and values to each of the criteria contained in the job description. This enables you to derive a weighted score by which to rate each candidate's level of education, skills, achievements, education, etc., as well as compute an overall weighted average score. Introducing quantifiable data into the evaluation process prevents bias and helps select which candidates will progress to the next phase of the hiring process.

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Dan Schawbel

LinkedIn Top Voice, New York Times Bestselling Author, Managing Partner of Workplace Intelligence, Led 80+ Workplace Research Studies
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When screening resumes, it's important to avoid bias and discrimination. One way to do this is to use a scoring system that is based on objective criteria, such as education and experience. This helps to eliminate any subjective biases and ensures that candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications. The scoring system should be designed to prioritize the most important qualifications for the position and should be consistently applied to all resumes to ensure fairness. This can help to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce, which can improve overall company performance.

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3 Use an AI-powered tool

An AI-powered tool is a software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze and evaluate resumes. It can help you automate resume screening by using advanced algorithms and data to identify the best candidates for a job. An AI-powered tool can also help you avoid bias and discrimination, as it can remove or anonymize sensitive information from resumes, such as name, gender, race, age, and so on. It can also detect and correct for any existing bias in your hiring process, such as over-reliance on certain schools, companies, or keywords. You can use an AI-powered tool to screen resumes faster, smarter, and fairer.

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Christopher Bylone van Sandwyk

Belonging = Inclusion * (Diversity + Equity) ^ Accessibility
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While AI-powered tools are great, there is inherent bias baked into the systems currently, given that the data they are using to decide what is a "top tier candidate" is using data that is heavily loaded with white males. As you are sourcing different vendors ensure you are asking them about their process to remove bias from their data sets. the technology is improving, however it still has a long way to go.

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4 Test your process

Testing your process is a way of checking and improving the effectiveness and accuracy of your automated resume screening. It involves comparing the results of your automated resume screening with the results of your manual resume screening, or with the feedback from hiring managers, interviewers, or candidates. It can help you automate resume screening by identifying and fixing any errors, gaps, or biases in your process. It can also help you optimize your process, by adjusting your criteria, weights, or thresholds. You can test your process regularly, and use data and analytics to measure and improve your performance.

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5 Review your candidates

Reviewing your candidates is a way of verifying and validating the outcomes of your automated resume screening. It involves looking at the resumes of the candidates who passed or failed your automated resume screening, and assessing their fit and potential for the job. It can help you automate resume screening by confirming and complementing your automated decisions, and by adding a human touch and perspective to your process. It can also help you avoid bias and discrimination, by ensuring that you are not missing out on any qualified or diverse candidates, or rejecting any candidates for unfair or unlawful reasons. You can review your candidates before or after the interview stage, depending on your hiring strategy and resources.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you avoid bias and discrimination in resume screening?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Use a resume parser

2 Apply a scoring system

3 Use an AI-powered tool

4 Test your process

5 Review your candidates

6 Here’s what else to consider

Recruiting

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How do you avoid bias and discrimination in resume screening?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Use a resume parser

2 Apply a scoring system

3 Use an AI-powered tool

4 Test your process

5 Review your candidates

6 Here’s what else to consider

Recruiting

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