The Price of Biased Algorithms

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)  settled a lawsuit against iTutorGroup in November 2023 for $365,000. 

Why? 

Because iTutorGroup allegedly programmed its software to automatically reject applicants based on age – rejecting women 55+ and men 60+ from even being considered for tutoring jobs.

Age discrimination is real, and it's costly for companies and individuals alike. 

Not only did over 200 applicants miss out on opportunities, but students lost out on learning from experienced, highly qualified tutors.

Discrimination doesn't just violate the law—it takes opportunities away from everyone.

#bias #hiring #tech

The Untold Truth About Hobbies on Resumes: Bias in Disguise

70% of you said NO to including hobbies and extracurriculars. 

But it's not black and white...

Here are 3 reasons why some thoughtful professionals still consider this practice:

  1. It offers a fuller picture of candidates beyond work experience.
  2. It can teach us something extraordinary about candidates (special achievements, stamina, endurance).
  3. It might reveal a candidate's passion and dedication outside of work, indicating potential for growth.

These are valid points...

But here's the harsh truth about BIAS we must confront:

  1. The privilege blind spot: Hobbies often reflect opportunity, not just talent. A Pew Research study shows 84% of high-income adults engage in hobbies vs. 47% of low-income adults. Are we inadvertently favoring privilege?
  2. Confirmation bias: That former quarterback? Not automatically a team player. And those without team sports? Not automatically lone wolves. Don't let false assumptions narrow your talent pool. It's your job to assess relevant skills during the interview process.
  3. Similarity bias: We're naturally drawn to people with similar hobbies. You might subconsciously favor the candidate who shares your passion for rock climbing. But diversity drives innovation. Are we unintentionally hindering progress by seeking mini-mes?

In talent assessment, there's always a tradeoff between more information and potential bias. As professionals, it's our responsibility to focus on skills and potential.

#bias #hiring #informedecisions

Unbiasing AI Starts with Us!

Here's a thought: If we want to unbias our AI, we need to unbias our people, our decision makers.

AI algorithms often reflect our own biases. The key to fair AI-assisted hiring isn't just in the tech—it's in creating an infrastructure that helps move from bias awareness to real behavioral change in our hiring practices.

How is your organization working to mitigate bias in hiring decisions?

#bias #hiring #informedecisions

🚨 Is Groupthink Sabotaging Your Hiring Decisions? 

Even with a structured interview process, unconscious bias can creep in. 

Here are 5 powerful strategies to combat groupthink and make truly informed hiring decisions:

1️⃣ Diversify Tools & Perspectives Combine multiple assessment methods (simulations, dilemmas, behavioral questions) AND multiple interviewer perspectives. Quantitatively aggregated, these outpredict any single tool or viewpoint.

2️⃣ Mix Up Your Panel Create a diverse interview team across departments, backgrounds, genders, and ethnicities. Different viewpoints expose blind spots.

3️⃣ Information Firewall Don't forward info between interview stages. Avoid the confirmation bias trap!

4️⃣ Independent Evaluations First No under-the-table kicks or immediate post-interview chats! Evaluate separately first, then huddle. This preserves diverse perspectives for a more accurate, efficient assessment.

5️⃣ Skills Over Collective Impressions Fancy degrees and big-name employers tend to impress everyone, fueling groupthink. Focus on relevant skills to break free from this collective bias.

Implementing these strategies can dramatically reduce groupthink, leading to more qualified and diverse hires.

#informedecisions #interviews #bias

Interview PASS Practice

#interviews #bias #candidateexperience

Who cares if viewing candidates' social media is illegal in some places?

#candidateexperience #bias #informedecisions

Interview Horror Story

Long ago, when I was young and green and didn't know better, I was asked by a male interviewer in his mid to late 40s (I was in my early 20s), "Does the rug match the curtains?" Note: my hair color is red,  if this one takes a minute to grasp. I challenge anyone to beat that one! I will never forget it.

Source: the web

#interviews #interviewhorrorstory #bias #informedecisions

The term "Pray to get the job" just got a whole new meaning…

#bias #informedecisions

Test Yourself!

🧠 Test Your Perception 🧠

 Score the following statements on a scale of 1-5 based on how profound you think they are (1 - not at all, 5 - very profound):

A. Today, science tells us that the essence of nature is grace.


B. Life is the driver of potential. We live, we dream, we are reborn.

.

.

Surprise! These statements were actually generated by an AI “New Age Bullshit Generator.”

The tendency to see such statements as profound is known as “Bullshit Receptivity.”

In their book “Noise,” late Daniel Kahneman and colleagues reveal that some people are more susceptible to being impressed by seemingly profound statements that are actually shallow or meaningless.

If you fell for this, don’t worry—it might just mean you’re in a good mood! Research shows that people in a good mood are more receptive to bullshit and less likely to spot fraud or misleading information.

The key takeaway? Don’t come grumpy to an interview, but be aware that some candidates excel at storytelling and speaking in slogans.

As interviewers, our job is to break down high-level statements like “my mission is to inspire and deliver” into concrete, real-life examples.

How do you spot and handle bullshit in interviews? Share your strategies in the comments

#bias #interviews #informedecisions

I Left My Dream Job Because of Discrimination

After earning my license as an organizational psychologist, I eagerly accepted my first job as a Manager of Impact Evaluation for an NGO helping disadvantaged teens earn their GED.

Fueled by a deep connection to the organization's mission, I traveled across the country to administer surveys in less-than-friendly areas.

As my workload grew, I requested to hire a research assistant. After a meticulous selection process, I found the ideal candidate and presented her to the CEO.

But just five minutes into their conversation, he pulled me aside and declared that I couldn’t hire her because she was not "one of ours."

It took me a moment to comprehend what he meant. When I looked around, I noticed that all the employees were of Middle-Eastern descent, while the candidate was an Ashkenazi Jew—Jews of Central and Eastern European descent.

This revelation hit me like a ton of bricks—until that moment, I had never experienced hiring discrimination firsthand.

I suddenly recalled the CEO's subtle racist jokes about Ashkenazi Jews during team meetings, which I had previously dismissed as quirks.

And the irony, oh the bitter irony, of an NGO CEO, committed to aiding disadvantaged populations, perpetuating the same biases he claimed to fight, just in reverse.

I was too inexperienced and too stunned to challenge him.

The candidate wasn't hired, and I couldn't continue working in such an environment. I resigned, but the experience haunted me.

In retrospect, this pivotal moment shaped my future career choices. It ignited a passion for promoting fairness and eliminating bias in hiring processes.

This experience also serves as a cautionary tale against fighting bias with reversed bias—one of the key reasons why DEI initiatives face backlash today.

P.S. What discrimination stories have you experienced as TA or candidates?

Repost this to raise awareness about hiring discrimination.

♻️ Thank you!

#bias #hiring #informedecisions