It’s been a while since we’ve written a client facing article with a Diversity and Inclusion focus and today we wanted to take some time to consider the role of recruiters when it comes to eliminating unconscious bias.
At Public Practice Recruitment Ltd we see a LOT of CVs. And we mean a lot.
And it’s crystal clear to us that the CV is the point of contact where unconscious bias is most likely to occur.
Let’s consider a CV at the most basic level. It’s the professional version of a Tinder profile – employers make sweeping judgement based on information such as a name, age, potentially an awkward email address. If a candidate has included a photo, that could be enough to make a shortlisting hiring manager move the application straight to the yes list or straight to the shredder – based on just looks alone!
Despite the accountancy sector being one of the most ethnically and racially diverse professional fields in the UK, we don’t doubt that some less contemporary partners will spend more time unpicking the professional experiences of let’s say a Mark Smith or an Emily Taylor than they would a name that they associate with accountants from overseas.
So, it’s absolutely imperative that firms who are truly committed to ingraining diverse values into their workplaces, tackle unconscious bias that might be taking place right at the entry point to their organisation.
And fortunately that is something we can help with.
In our experience, busy hiring managers who don’t have enough protected time to devote to their firm’s recruitment process and don’t outsource, spend less than ten seconds considering just a few things on each CV.
Applicant’s name, applicant’s appearance if they have a photo on their CV, current company and education. And if they are showing high levels of unconscious bias and have a thick pile of CVs to get through, the decision may have been made before they even get to the company and education sections.
But when you work with a specialist recruiter (like us) you should expect at the absolute minimum that your recruiter has eliminated the possibility for unconscious bias and will present you with a shortlist of CVs that include candidates from a whole heap of underrepresented or historically discriminated against, groups.
When we receive a CV from any candidate the very first thing we do, is scrutinise their right to work in the UK. Once we’re certain of that critical point, every CV is offered the same level of attention.
Applicants with the right to work in the UK and with relevant career history and/or qualifications to make them suitable for a career in public practice are then offered a registration call with one of our team of consultants and at that early stage, the CV is no more relevant than that. The decision as to whether we’ll present a candidate to a client as a potential fit for their firm will be made as a result of two way communications we have with that client.
Do they possess the technical know how to become a valued member of your team?
Does their work experience stack up?
How are their communication skills?
Are they motivated and ambitious? Where do they see their career heading in the short, medium and long term future?
What matters to them when it comes to choosing an employer?
There’s so much more to each and every candidate than the standard facts they present on their CV and we have the time and always take the time to see the full picture, leaving our bias firmly at the door.
In an ideal world we know that you’d like your hiring managers to have the diary space, expertise and experience drawing the best out of people to be able to banish the bias too – but we know that that isn’t always possible and we’re here to help fill that gap and make sure that your firm is digging deep to find the best people for your jobs.
“Diversity and inclusion is a huge priority for the staff at my firm. Professionally, in our sector it’s critical that we are pioneering the way forward for a fairer workplace and personally, it means a lot to me that every applicant gets the same opportunity to progress.”
Garry Howling, MD
So, to take advantage of our shortlisting skills and all of our extensive other skills in the niche field of accountancy recruitment, contact us today.
