3 Tips to Avoid Discrimination in the Interview Process

Finding the right talent for your company is incredibly important for the overall success of a business. Although you can learn a lot about a candidate through the interview process, you want to be careful not to discriminate for any reason.  Through the course of conversation during the interview it can be easy to forget this is still a professional meeting, so here are a few tips that can be used to avoid discrimination during the interview process.

Don’t Ask Personal Questions

It’s imperative that the interview questions are all relevant to the position that needs to be filled. If there is a personal question that comes up, steer away from it as much as possible. Don’t ask any personal questions relating to a person’s marital status, sexual preference, race, ethnicity, religion and so on. It seems like a lot of issues to avoid, but you can easily do this if you’re just talking about the position or the company.

Ask Candidates the Same Questions

Write down and document the questions that you’re asking during all of the interviews. This provides a level of transparency and keeps the interviews consistent across all candidates.   You should still stay away from sensitive subjects, but having a uniform way of interviewing can keep you away from potential discrimination.

Conduct Panel Interviews

Panel interviews involve a number of people interviewing a candidate. They are all present in the same room together, providing a safer environment. Usually one person will start, then everyone will take turns asking questions. This type of interview will often open great dialogue with the candidates. Harassment takes on many forms and can happen in interviews as well as the workplace. If you have a number of people holding each other accountable, the discrimination risk will decrease.

Making the final decision regarding who will be offered a position can be difficult. These tips can help you stay away from any form of discrimination and instead focus on the candidates qualifications, and how well they fit the core values of your company.