Bias in hiring remains a concern in 2025. Organisations strive to create inclusive and equitable workplaces and applicants hail from diverse backgrounds, but tactless faux pas and unrecognised implicit bias can still bleed through. What can you do to keep your job applications free from bias?
Below, we’ll examine the rights and responsibilities of both the applicant and the employer and outline some of the do’s and don’ts of what to ask, what to share, and what not to.
Applicants, don’t overshare
Implicit bias can come in many forms—it can involve a person’s internal feelings about those of a different race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, political party, age, disability status, educational level, or other demographic.
With the exception of education, these groupings have (or should have) nothing to do with whether you’re suited to a particular job. When you’re filling out your job application or creating your resume, therefore, it is your responsibility to avoid advertising these personal facts. If your hiring manager does not know whether you and the other applicants are male or female, for example, they can’t discriminate based on whether they think a man or woman would be better suited to the job.
How is this done? For example, have you used a popular resume template to create a CV with a photo? If so, it is time to do some editing and remove it. A photo reveals details such as age, gender, race, and perhaps even the presence of religious garb, tattoos, piercings, or other personal choices, opening you up to bias.
In fact, it could even get your resume rejected outright. By avoiding candidates who submit photos, employers avoid any claims of discriminatory hiring practices.
Similarly, you should avoid gendered language. For example, if you worked in a restaurant, you could describe your role as “wait staff” or “server” instead of “waiter” or “waitress.”
Include work experience from only the last ten years, and remove the dates of decades-old college degrees. This will prevent age discrimination.
Finally, don’t include irrelevant information about personal affiliations, especially those that could be potentially bias-inducing. Consider carefully whether to include hobbies or volunteerism that would align you with a particular group. You can go a step further by analysing your social media, setting personal accounts to “Private” and removing any content that might be offensive or inflammatory.
What about previous life events, such as a criminal record or a recent firing? Again, you don’t have to advertise these on your application. Prepare in advance how you will answer any questions about them that may arise. If you are asked, be honest. Focus on the positive rather than the negative, perhaps reflecting on what you learned from the event and how that knowledge will assist you in the role at hand.
Employers, don’t make it awkward
Creating a consistently used set of bias-free application and interview questions will help make the hiring practice fair and comfortable for everyone. Require interviewers to stick to these questions, and train them not to ask about personal matters that might introduce bias. If it’s overly personal or not relevant to the job, don’t mention it.
Similarly to the above, choose role-specific language that is gender-neutral. For example, you could use “mail carrier” instead of “postman” or “greeter” instead of “hostess.”
Further, you can implement blind screening processes. During the initial review, block out names and addresses.
Interestingly, you should also make sure you don’t inadvertently exclude qualified candidates by requiring specific degrees or years of experience. In the job description, you can list these items as “preferred” rather than “required.”
Instead, focus on stills and core competencies. This will allow you to be inclusive of individuals who have obtained their skills in non-traditional ways.
Finally, you can take the extra step of penning a diversity statement and screening recruiters for implicit bias, perhaps using the Harvard Implicit Association Test. Include the diversity statement at the beginning of the application stating your commitment to creating an inclusive workforce.
As for recruiters who exhibit implicit bias, they need not be removed from the hiring process. Becoming aware of the bias can help them learn, grow, and take positive steps to counteract it. This, too, will contribute to the overall inclusivity of the workplace.
Key takeaways
Concerns about bias in hiring still run high. If you’re a job seeker, be open and honest about your past without oversharing potentially bias-inducing personal details. Don’t forget that your employer will likely Google your name.
If you’re a recruiter or an employer, examine your application to ensure its language is inclusive, including the introductory diversity statement. Don’t ask about unimportant details that might introduce bias, and make sure the questions and processes are consistent for every applicant.
When everyone puts forth the effort to keep job applications bias-free, the result will be a happier and more tolerant workplace.
This article is part of a partnership with Resumegiants. For partnering opportunities, contact [email protected] or [email protected].
